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The differences between principal project engineers and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a principal project engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal project engineer has an average salary of $122,090, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a principal project engineer include project management, program management and DOD. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Principal Project Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $122,090 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $58.70 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 95,718 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A principal project engineer spearheads and oversees engineering projects, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. It is their duty to set guidelines and objectives, provide technical and engineering support to various teams, gather and analyze data, identify the strengths and weaknesses of existing procedures, implement solutions against problem areas, and conducting inspections to ensure that all processes adhere to the company's quality standards and safety regulations, including the state and industry laws. Moreover, as a principal project engineer, it is essential to monitor the progress of all operations, training junior engineers when necessary.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Principal project engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Project Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $122,090 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $200,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Houston, TX | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | Texas | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Alphanumeric | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a principal project engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Project Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal project engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Principal Project Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |