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The differences between project controls engineers and senior project 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 senior project engineer. Additionally, a senior project engineer has an average salary of $97,803, 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 senior project engineer are project management, construction management, and CAD.
| Project Controls Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $86,685 | $97,803 |
| Hourly rate | $41.68 | $47.02 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 38,974 | 146,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| 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 senior project engineer is responsible for monitoring the project team's overall process and operations from conceptualization until completion, ensuring the adherence to the clients' specifications, within the budget's goals, and the required deadline. Senior project engineers regularly communicate with the client regarding updates or necessary adjustments. They develop strategic procedures to finish the project efficiently by running diagnostic tests and troubleshooting discrepancies. A senior project engineer must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the team's performance and provide assistance when necessary.
Project controls engineers and senior project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Controls Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $86,685 | $97,803 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $119,000 | Between $77,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a project controls engineer and a senior project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Controls Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between project controls engineers' and senior project engineers' demographics:
| Project Controls Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.8% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |