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The differences between structural design engineers and civil designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a structural design engineer and a civil designer. Additionally, a structural design engineer has an average salary of $75,662, which is higher than the $58,421 average annual salary of a civil designer.
The top three skills for a structural design engineer include structural design, CAD and autocad. The most important skills for a civil designer are civil 3d, autocad, and civil engineering.
| Structural Design Engineer | Civil Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,662 | $58,421 |
| Hourly rate | $36.38 | $28.09 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 57,187 | 57,036 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Structural Design Engineer designs drawings, specifications, and computer models of structures for building contractors. They help design hospitals, office blocks, houses, bridges, ships, and other structures.
A Civil Designer plans, scales, and drafts drawings and maps for roads, bridges, and other construction projects. They work with engineers and project managers in determining material, labor, and other costs of the assigned projects.
Structural design engineers and civil designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Structural Design Engineer | Civil Designer | |
| Average salary | $75,662 | $58,421 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $104,000 | Between $41,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Walnut Creek, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Parsons | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a structural design engineer and a civil designer in terms of educational background:
| Structural Design Engineer | Civil Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between structural design engineers' and civil designers' demographics:
| Structural Design Engineer | Civil Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.3% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |