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The differences between professional engineers and senior 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 professional engineer and a senior engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $86,348 average annual salary of a professional engineer.
The top three skills for a professional engineer include civil engineering, project management and PE. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Professional Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $86,348 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $41.51 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 74,009 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A professional engineer specializes in designing and developing systems and structures through different principles. Although their duties will vary upon their industry of employment, it typically includes performing site assessments and examinations, studying the purpose and goals of the project, developing plans and guidelines, monitoring the progress of operations, and resolving issues and concerns promptly and efficiently. They may work together with architects and senior engineers, liaise with clients or contractors, and perform regular site inspections. Furthermore, a professional engineer must implement safety protocols and regulations to maintain a safe and efficient work environment.
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.
Professional engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $86,348 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $118,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Bayer | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a professional engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Professional Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between professional engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Professional Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 12.6% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 5% | 5% |