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The differences between piping engineers and principal 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 principal engineer. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $107,432 average annual salary of a piping engineer.
The top three skills for a piping engineer include CAD, engineering design and API. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Piping Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,432 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $51.65 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 89,017 | 312,683 |
| 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 principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Piping engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Piping Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,432 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $153,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Acme Cryogenics | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a piping engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Piping Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between piping engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Piping Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| 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, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |