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The differences between project 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 engineer and a senior project engineer. Additionally, a senior project engineer has an average salary of $97,803, 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 senior project engineer are project management, construction management, and CAD.
| Project Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,050 | $97,803 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $47.02 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 176,689 | 146,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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 engineers and senior project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,050 | $97,803 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $100,000 | Between $77,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Apple | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a project engineer and a senior project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between project engineers' and senior project engineers' demographics:
| Project Engineer | Senior Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% | Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6% |
| 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, 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 | 5% | 5% |