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The differences between project engineers and project lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a project engineer, becoming a project lead engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a project lead engineer has an average salary of $106,946, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a project engineer include project management, autocad and construction management. The most important skills for a project lead engineer are project management, renewable energy, and project execution.
| Project Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,050 | $106,946 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $51.42 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 176,689 | 98,018 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A Project Engineer develops the plan that the entire team or company will undertake. The project engineer develops the plans, strategies, and goals of a project and then gives it to the management for approval and allocation. The Project Engineer will also recommend material, equipment, and the type of personnel needed. This position is integral in the smooth flow of any project, so hiring someone to hold this position will decide the success of a project.
Project lead engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for leading other professionals in completing a particular project. These engineers must develop a project management framework to be implemented throughout the organization based on the inputs from internal stakeholders and team members. They are required to train junior team members so that they can provide proper technical support functions. Project lead engineers must also prepare and review cost estimates for a variety of projects during bidding, construction, and post-construction phases.
Project engineers and project lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,050 | $106,946 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $100,000 | Between $78,000 And $146,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a project engineer and a project lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between project engineers' and project lead engineers' demographics:
| Project Engineer | Project Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.2% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |