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The differences between principal project engineers and senior 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 a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal project engineer has an average salary of $122,090, which is higher than the $108,743 average annual salary of a senior engineer.
The top three skills for a principal project engineer include project management, program management and DOD. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Principal Project Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $122,090 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $58.70 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 95,718 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Principal project engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Project Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $122,090 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $200,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Houston, TX | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Alphanumeric | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a principal project engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Project Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal project engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Principal Project Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |