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The differences between project field engineers and field engineering managers 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 field engineer, becoming a field engineering manager takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a field engineering manager has an average salary of $112,949, which is higher than the $71,292 average annual salary of a project field engineer.
The top three skills for a project field engineer include shop drawings, project management and OSHA. The most important skills for a field engineering manager are project management, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Project Field Engineer | Field Engineering Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $71,292 | $112,949 |
| Hourly rate | $34.27 | $54.30 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 78,589 | 112,856 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 41 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
Field engineers are engineering professionals who work on-site in a different setting to direct workers and report to the management about the status of different projects. These engineers are required to resolve malfunctions or other crises such as construction or machinery problems while overseeing repairs and technical improvements. They must conduct research and studies on-site and installing new systems and technology to ensure smooth operations of machinery. Field engineers must also communicate with clients to discuss and determine the needs and explain complex issues of projects.
A field engineering manager is the head of the construction team. They supervise all personnel, from electrical to clerical work, so that the construction will be orderly. The work needs to follow specificities and must be completed on time with no mistakes or inadequacies, while also ensuring the safety of the personnel. The manager is responsible for creating and working on strategies that may help in improving the performance of everyone involved. They are responsible for monitoring the performance of staff and solving disputes in between.
Project field engineers and field engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Field Engineer | Field Engineering Manager | |
| Average salary | $71,292 | $112,949 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $90,000 | Between $80,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | Roseville, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oklahoma | California |
| Best paying company | OHL USA | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a project field engineer and a field engineering manager in terms of educational background:
| Project Field Engineer | Field Engineering Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Columbia University in the City of New York | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between project field engineers' and field engineering managers' demographics:
| Project Field Engineer | Field Engineering Manager | |
| Average age | 41 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 11.7% White, 71.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 9% |