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Piping engineer vs senior piping designer

The differences between piping engineers and senior piping designers 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 senior piping designer. Additionally, a senior piping designer has an average salary of $130,020, 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 senior piping designer are autocad, equipment layout, and refinery.

Piping engineer vs senior piping designer overview

Piping EngineerSenior Piping Designer
Yearly salary$107,432$130,020
Hourly rate$51.65$62.51
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs89,01765,865
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 78%Associate Degree, 56%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

What does a piping engineer do?

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.

What does a senior piping designer do?

A Senior Piping Designer is responsible for the scoping and technical execution of the piping design. They manage and supervise all aspects and details of the piping design.

Piping engineer vs senior piping designer salary

Piping engineers and senior piping designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Piping EngineerSenior Piping Designer
Average salary$107,432$130,020
Salary rangeBetween $75,000 And $153,000Between $94,000 And $179,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CABellevue, WA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWashington
Best paying companyAcme CryogenicsAmec Foster Wheeler
Best paying industryEnergyEnergy

Differences between piping engineer and senior piping designer education

There are a few differences between a piping engineer and a senior piping designer in terms of educational background:

Piping EngineerSenior Piping Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 78%Associate Degree, 56%
Most common majorMechanical EngineeringDrafting And Design
Most common collegeMichigan Technological UniversityMichigan Technological University

Piping engineer vs senior piping designer demographics

Here are the differences between piping engineers' and senior piping designers' demographics:

Piping EngineerSenior Piping Designer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 90.2% Female, 9.8%Male, 93.8% Female, 6.2%
Race ratioBlack 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, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between piping engineer and senior piping designer duties and responsibilities

Piping engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage and maintain CADWorx databases, verify data accuracy, and create reports and queries.
  • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
  • Oversee both utility and process piping and supports using AutoCAD, CadWorx, CloudWorx and AutoPLANT.
  • Attend meetings conducting 3D model reviews utilizing Navisworks 2014 for both clients.
  • Design pharmaceutical piping plans and isometrics of USP water systems using AutoCAD 2000I.
  • Check and approve deliverable ISO to ensure customer satisfaction with the appropriate MTO.
  • Show more

Senior piping designer example responsibilities.

  • Work with JPL / NASA packaging and fabrication engineering leads (on-site).
  • Perform field surveys, prepare piping plans & sections, fabrication and construction ISO's and BOM's.
  • Fabricate steel platforms, column, ladders and stairs associate with containment tanks, pipe racks and pumps.
  • Animate NAVISWORKS models to help clarify maintenance clearances.
  • Train and provide support to new designers in PDMS.
  • Convert 3D model to a NAVISWORKS model for client model review.
  • Show more

Piping engineer vs senior piping designer skills

Common piping engineer skills
  • CAD, 8%
  • Engineering Design, 8%
  • API, 7%
  • Pipe Stress Analysis, 6%
  • Caesar II, 6%
  • Equipment Layout, 4%
Common senior piping designer skills
  • Autocad, 18%
  • Equipment Layout, 12%
  • Refinery, 6%
  • Navisworks, 5%
  • ISO, 5%
  • CADWorx, 5%

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