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Senior civil engineer vs assistant project engineer

The differences between senior civil engineers and assistant 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 senior civil engineer and an assistant project engineer. Additionally, a senior civil engineer has an average salary of $83,749, which is higher than the $70,944 average annual salary of an assistant project engineer.

The top three skills for a senior civil engineer include civil 3d, project management and CAD. The most important skills for an assistant project engineer are shop drawings, contract drawings, and construction management.

Senior civil engineer vs assistant project engineer overview

Senior Civil EngineerAssistant Project Engineer
Yearly salary$83,749$70,944
Hourly rate$40.26$34.11
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs38,16232,602
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 75%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

What does a senior civil engineer do?

A senior civil engineer is primarily in charge of overseeing the development of public structures such as buildings, bridges, pipelines, and roads. They are responsible for spearheading the design and planning stages, setting goals and objectives, managing budgets and timelines, performing due diligence, inspecting construction sites, and documenting the procedures. Above all, as a senior civil engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a role model to fellow engineers and contractors, all while implementing the construction site's safety policies and regulations.

What does an assistant project engineer do?

An assistant project engineer performs support tasks to assist project engineers in overseeing and managing engineering projects. Their responsibilities include conducting inspections and assessments, performing research and analyses, processing documents and certifications, managing schedules, liaising with internal and external parties, and providing technical support to staff as necessary. Besides reporting directly to the project engineer, they also work together in implementing policies and monitoring operations to ensure that engineering projects adhere to project guidelines and requirements.

Senior civil engineer vs assistant project engineer salary

Senior civil engineers and assistant project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Civil EngineerAssistant Project Engineer
Average salary$83,749$70,944
Salary rangeBetween $60,000 And $115,000Between $55,000 And $90,000
Highest paying CitySan Rafael, CAHayward, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaOklahoma
Best paying companyMicrosoftWestinghouse Appliances Australia
Best paying industryRetailManufacturing

Differences between senior civil engineer and assistant project engineer education

There are a few differences between a senior civil engineer and an assistant project engineer in terms of educational background:

Senior Civil EngineerAssistant Project Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 75%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorCivil EngineeringCivil Engineering
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborColumbia University in the City of New York

Senior civil engineer vs assistant project engineer demographics

Here are the differences between senior civil engineers' and assistant project engineers' demographics:

Senior Civil EngineerAssistant Project Engineer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 88.9% Female, 11.1%Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 16.6% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.7% Asian, 17.3% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between senior civil engineer and assistant project engineer duties and responsibilities

Senior civil engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage a geotechnical investigation that include determining boring locations and soliciting bids.
  • Analyze bridge structures for deficiencies following the AASHTO code using hand calculations and software.
  • Respond to RFI's and keep the daily logs and quantity book up to date.
  • Design bridges and other highway relate structures using PennDOT standards, and AASHTO policies and procedures.
  • Represent the client (MTA) during CPM schedule update reviews and contractor requests for change orders.
  • Evaluate contractor's procedure for execution, CPM's, breakdowns for payments and contractors certifications for payments.
  • Show more

Assistant project engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage and/or participate in a variety of water and wastewater assist company principles as engineering consultants for numerous municipal clients.
  • Request for information (RFI) review/ submission and maintenance of (RFI) log.
  • Maintain online communication logs for RFI s, current drawings set, and subcontractor correspondence relating to invoicing.
  • Enhance SCR system performance for internal combustion engine applications and provide compliance assurance through system troubleshooting and modifying existing PLC programming.
  • Research test and optimize a GPS tracking and navigational software for trucking shipments.
  • Create plans after doing complicate calculations to construct plumbing and electrical lines throughout commercial and residential properties.

Senior civil engineer vs assistant project engineer skills

Common senior civil engineer skills
  • Civil 3D, 13%
  • Project Management, 11%
  • CAD, 5%
  • Construction Management, 5%
  • Geotechnical, 4%
  • Business Development, 4%
Common assistant project engineer skills
  • Shop Drawings, 9%
  • Contract Drawings, 9%
  • Construction Management, 8%
  • Geotechnical, 7%
  • Construction Projects, 7%
  • RFI, 6%

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