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The differences between reservoir engineers and civil engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a reservoir engineer, becoming a civil engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a reservoir engineer has an average salary of $124,309, which is higher than the $70,950 average annual salary of a civil engineer.
The top three skills for a reservoir engineer include spotfire, material balances and economic analysis. The most important skills for a civil engineer are civil 3d, engineering design, and cost estimates.
| Reservoir Engineer | Civil Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $124,309 | $70,950 |
| Hourly rate | $59.76 | $34.11 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 17,430 | 26,803 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A reservoir engineer is responsible for evaluating the amount of fluid mechanics in underground reservoirs. Reservoir engineers should have excellent analytical and geological knowledge to determine the location of fuels using advanced technology systems and applications. They also verify the cost of oil and natural gas by analyzing market trends and consumer demands, especially for investment and drilling ventures purposes. A reservoir engineer should have excellent communication skills to write reports and strategize efficiency on drilling processes.
A civil engineer designs and supervises the construction of large-scale public works projects such as buildings, roads, tunnels, highways, airports, bridges, dams, and other substantial infrastructure. Most civil engineers work in the private industry, but some work for a government organization. Their output is almost everywhere. Many of them specialize in a specific project or practice a target profession such as in transportation, structural engineering, or geotechnical engineering. They oftentimes work at project sites, as they monitor the ongoing construction.
Reservoir engineers and civil engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reservoir Engineer | Civil Engineer | |
| Average salary | $124,309 | $70,950 |
| Salary range | Between $90,000 And $170,000 | Between $51,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reno, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Range Resources | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Construction |
There are a few differences between a reservoir engineer and a civil engineer in terms of educational background:
| Reservoir Engineer | Civil Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Petroleum Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between reservoir engineers' and civil engineers' demographics:
| Reservoir Engineer | Civil Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.2% Female, 17.8% | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 19.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.6% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |