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The differences between piping engineers and lead 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 piping engineer and a lead engineer. Additionally, a piping engineer has an average salary of $107,432, which is higher than the $84,927 average annual salary of a lead engineer.
The top three skills for a piping engineer include CAD, engineering design and API. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Piping Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,432 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $51.65 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 89,017 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Piping engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for the creation of piping systems that transport materials such as oil, gas, water, and waste from one location to another. These engineers are required to draw the blueprints for the system and then assist in selecting materials that are used to build the pipes and other piping components. They must travel to the installation site of the piping system and conduct surveys on the land for any irregularities. Piping engineers must also participate in cost management meetings with decision-makers to ensure proper budget allocation for the project.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Piping engineers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Piping Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,432 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $153,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Acme Cryogenics | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a piping engineer and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Piping Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between piping engineers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Piping Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.7% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |