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The differences between project controls engineers and cost 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 project controls engineer and a cost engineer. Additionally, a cost engineer has an average salary of $87,901, which is higher than the $86,685 average annual salary of a project controls engineer.
The top three skills for a project controls engineer include project controls, project management and construction management. The most important skills for a cost engineer are project management, cost analysis, and construction management.
| Project Controls Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $86,685 | $87,901 |
| Hourly rate | $41.68 | $42.26 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 38,974 | 65,278 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Project Controls Engineer creates project cost reports and progress charts. These professionals interpret the company contract and deal with the existing cost control database and financial risk. Project Controls Engineers reconcile and organize the project cost information with the clients' status reports. Also, they evaluate cash flow reports and project cost reports prepared by CMA.
A cost engineer is responsible for projecting cost and expenses reports for the production process, identify and mitigate risks, and develop strategic techniques to reduce the excessive financial loss for project buildings. Cost engineers conduct data and statistical analysis to measure time deliverables and quality checks to ensure profitability and adherence to business objectives. They research and negotiate materials from trusted suppliers and vendors with high-quality products that would meet construction designs and client specifications.
Project controls engineers and cost engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Controls Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average salary | $86,685 | $87,901 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $119,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a project controls engineer and a cost engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Controls Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between project controls engineers' and cost engineers' demographics:
| Project Controls Engineer | Cost Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 74.1% Female, 25.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |