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The differences between junior civil engineers and professional 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 junior civil engineer and a professional engineer. Additionally, a professional engineer has an average salary of $86,348, which is higher than the $75,301 average annual salary of a junior civil engineer.
The top three skills for a junior civil engineer include civil 3d, data collection and technical reports. The most important skills for a professional engineer are civil engineering, project management, and PE.
| Junior Civil Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,301 | $86,348 |
| Hourly rate | $36.20 | $41.51 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 22,219 | 74,009 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A junior civil engineer's responsibilities revolve around utilizing their expertise in design and engineering to work on different construction projects, typically under the supervision of senior engineers. They are also responsible for preparing and understanding blueprints, operating programs for infrastructure design, inspecting sites, liaising with contractors, producing progress reports and presentations, and overseeing the budget, including costs and expenditures. Furthermore, it is essential to implement the company's safety standards and policies to ensure a safe and productive work environment for everyone.
A professional engineer specializes in designing and developing systems and structures through different principles. Although their duties will vary upon their industry of employment, it typically includes performing site assessments and examinations, studying the purpose and goals of the project, developing plans and guidelines, monitoring the progress of operations, and resolving issues and concerns promptly and efficiently. They may work together with architects and senior engineers, liaise with clients or contractors, and perform regular site inspections. Furthermore, a professional engineer must implement safety protocols and regulations to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
Junior civil engineers and professional engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Civil Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,301 | $86,348 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $103,000 | Between $63,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Woods Services | Bayer |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a junior civil engineer and a professional engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Civil Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between junior civil engineers' and professional engineers' demographics:
| Junior Civil Engineer | Professional Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 17.7% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 12.6% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |