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The differences between hydraulic engineers and design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a hydraulic engineer and a design engineer. Additionally, a hydraulic engineer has an average salary of $84,440, which is higher than the $77,134 average annual salary of a design engineer.
The top three skills for a hydraulic engineer include hec ras, civil engineering and HEC-RAS. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Hydraulic Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,440 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $40.60 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 91,749 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Hydraulics engineers are engineering professionals who design projects that are related to the movement and control of fluids. These engineers must perform many studies to understand water systems and design dams, drainage systems, and levees for the local government. They are required to participate in the water resources and flood control planning by creating a deep foundation and flood control structure designs. Hydraulics must also communicate with clients and governing bodies to address their concerns about stormwater and erosion.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Hydraulic engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hydraulic Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,440 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $118,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Phillips 66 | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a hydraulic engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Hydraulic Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between hydraulic engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Hydraulic Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.9% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |