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Service engineer vs project engineer

The differences between service 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 service engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, a service engineer has an average salary of $87,151, which is higher than the $75,050 average annual salary of a project engineer.

The top three skills for a service engineer include customer service, infrastructure and cloud. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.

Service engineer vs project engineer overview

Service EngineerProject Engineer
Yearly salary$87,151$75,050
Hourly rate$41.90$36.08
Growth rate2%2%
Number of jobs143,806176,689
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

What does a service engineer do?

A service engineer is responsible for assisting the customers' concerns regarding the products and services offered by the company through technical support solutions. Service engineers conduct preventive maintenance, upgrade systems to boost optimal performance, create product manuals, record the occurring issues, perform adjustments on the systems infrastructure, identify business opportunities to generate more revenues, and analyze current market trends to meet client demands. A service engineer must have excellent communication skills, including extensive knowledge of the technology industry and network systems.

What does a project engineer do?

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.

Service engineer vs project engineer salary

Service engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Service EngineerProject Engineer
Average salary$87,151$75,050
Salary rangeBetween $62,000 And $122,000Between $55,000 And $100,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CARichmond, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWashington
Best paying companyThe CitadelApple
Best paying industryTechnologyEnergy

Differences between service engineer and project engineer education

There are a few differences between a service engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:

Service EngineerProject Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringMechanical Engineering
Most common collegeMichigan Technological UniversityMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Service engineer vs project engineer demographics

Here are the differences between service engineers' and project engineers' demographics:

Service EngineerProject Engineer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 91.8% Female, 8.2%Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 13.2% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%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 Percentage5%5%

Differences between service engineer and project engineer duties and responsibilities

Service engineer example responsibilities.

  • Lead FDA remediation upgrade of medical infusion pumps used in hospitals and clinics nationwide.
  • Expand responsibilities include testing applications on newly update managed desktop image.
  • Manage RF servers and performing network troubleshooting and preventative maintenance on network elements.
  • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
  • Develop Perl scripts to automate object model and functional mapping into the application metadata and database.
  • Perform installations of operating systems such as VMWARE, Linux and windows.
  • Show more

Project engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage TCP/IP LAN environment for the time during implementation.
  • Support and manage the development of a CNC base electron beam drill.
  • Lead a MGPP six sigma project to improve the accuracy of 3D clutch cooling analysis
  • Manage the BHP enterprise wide migration from e-rooms to SharePoint for document management and team collaboration.
  • Manage the installation of a CNC laser cutting system with full responsibility for all aspects of the project.
  • Coordinate and manage activities of the 787-9 IPT's to complete the specific aircraft side of the test cells.
  • Show more

Service engineer vs project engineer skills

Common service engineer skills
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Infrastructure, 7%
  • Cloud, 7%
  • Technical Support, 5%
  • Java, 4%
  • Database, 4%
Common project engineer skills
  • Project Management, 12%
  • Autocad, 7%
  • Construction Management, 6%
  • CAD, 4%
  • UL, 4%
  • Cost Estimates, 3%

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