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The differences between senior civil engineers and 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 a project engineer. Additionally, a senior civil engineer has an average salary of $83,749, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.
The top three skills for a senior civil engineer include civil 3d, project management and CAD. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Senior Civil Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,749 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $40.26 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 38,162 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Senior civil engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Civil Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $83,749 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $115,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior civil engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Civil Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior civil engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Senior Civil Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 14.5% White, 68.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |