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The differences between project engineers and systems 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 systems engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a systems engineer has an average salary of $82,834, 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 systems engineer are python, linux, and C++.
| Project Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,050 | $82,834 |
| Hourly rate | $36.08 | $39.82 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 176,689 | 145,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
Systems engineers are responsible for creating and overseeing systems related to the overall operations of the organization. They are in charge of assessing the organization's needs in terms of systems and creating plans to address these needs. These systems are usually related to the production or manufacturing of company products. Systems engineers create end-to-end processes that ensure efficiency and effectiveness. They make sure that the processes they put in place adhere to safety and security policies and guidelines. They also do routine checks and continuously find ways to further improve production and other systems.
Project engineers and systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $75,050 | $82,834 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $100,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a project engineer and a systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Project Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between project engineers' and systems engineers' demographics:
| Project Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |