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The differences between senior computer engineers and contracting engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a senior computer engineer, becoming a contracting engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior computer engineer has an average salary of $127,660, which is higher than the $122,620 average annual salary of a contracting engineer.
The top three skills for a senior computer engineer include C++, CAD and infrastructure. The most important skills for a contracting engineer are C++, C #, and R.
| Senior Computer Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $127,660 | $122,620 |
| Hourly rate | $61.38 | $58.95 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 42,662 | 115,631 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A senior computer engineer's main goal is to conduct research and design different types of computer hardware and software systems. They must know to manage servers and create automation in projects. They should also know how to resolve network issues and troubleshoot problems.
A contracting engineer specializes in overseeing engineering projects, focusing on the legalities of contracts between clients and engineers to ensure fairness in all parties involved. Most of their duties are administrative, such as gathering and analyzing data, conducting research and analyses, setting budgets and guidelines, drafting commercial tenders and other paperwork, maintaining records, and executing contracts. They are also responsible for handling contract issues and concerns, solving them promptly and efficiently. Additionally, a contracting engineer maintains an open communication line with all parties to ensure a smooth workflow.
Senior computer engineers and contracting engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Computer Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average salary | $127,660 | $122,620 |
| Salary range | Between $94,000 And $173,000 | Between $86,000 And $173,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | EquiLend |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Professional |
There are a few differences between a senior computer engineer and a contracting engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Computer Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior computer engineers' and contracting engineers' demographics:
| Senior Computer Engineer | Contracting Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7% | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 29.7% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |