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Structures engineer vs site engineer

The differences between structures engineers and site 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 structures engineer and a site engineer. Additionally, a site engineer has an average salary of $75,719, which is higher than the $73,391 average annual salary of a structures engineer.

The top three skills for a structures engineer include structural analysis, revit and RISA. The most important skills for a site engineer are project management, infrastructure, and site safety.

Structures engineer vs site engineer overview

Structures EngineerSite Engineer
Yearly salary$73,391$75,719
Hourly rate$35.28$36.40
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs20,77842,333
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age4141
Years of experience66

What does a structures engineer do?

A structures engineer works in designing, planning, and overseeing the development of the latest buildings and bridges or modifications and extensions to an existing property or other structures. They are mainly concerned with the safety and capability of the structure to withstand the elements to which they will be exposed--also improving the existing building structural integrity. Part of the task is inspecting properties regarding the conditions/foundation and checking work undertaken by contractors. The job is very similarly related to a civil engineer.

What does a site engineer do?

A Site Engineer supervises the building work and contracted staff, and ensures that all projects meet the agreed specifications, budgets, and timescales. They provide technical advice and solve various problems on-site.

Structures engineer vs site engineer salary

Structures engineers and site engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Structures EngineerSite Engineer
Average salary$73,391$75,719
Salary rangeBetween $54,000 And $98,000Between $53,000 And $106,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyAppleFitbit
Best paying industryManufacturingManufacturing

Differences between structures engineer and site engineer education

There are a few differences between a structures engineer and a site engineer in terms of educational background:

Structures EngineerSite Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorCivil EngineeringCivil Engineering
Most common collegeCarnegie Mellon UniversityMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Structures engineer vs site engineer demographics

Here are the differences between structures engineers' and site engineers' demographics:

Structures EngineerSite Engineer
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 84.9% Female, 15.1%Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.3% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 17.4% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between structures engineer and site engineer duties and responsibilities

Structures engineer example responsibilities.

  • Lead group meetings with participants from various interfacing IPT s to coordinate design.
  • Authore substantiation documents in compliance with FAA regulations and customer requirements to achieve type certifications and supplemental type certifications.
  • Perform structural modeling and design calculation using 3-D FEA software for seismic design and wind design.
  • Design steel & concrete structures for above mention analyses base on AISC, ACI and local building codes.
  • Prepare calculation and review drawings which provide modifications for the concrete building to meet ACI and building code requirements.
  • Recommend retrofitting consist in replacing existing gypsum shear wall to 1.2 in plywood in accordance with ASCE 41-13 and IBC 2015
  • Show more

Site engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage standard sub contract RFP package.
  • Manage production of full sets of contract documents (grading, drainage, water, sewer, paving and SWPPP).
  • Create a standardize ISO accept template for requisition and purchase order that are used across the organization.
  • Construct a SQL database to analyze all legacy network connections in order to access which ones need upgrading.
  • Assist in and conduct daily operations and maintenance of plumbing, electrical, HVAC and general maintenance requirements of buildings.
  • Direct broadband engineering team for implementation of hardware.
  • Show more

Structures engineer vs site engineer skills

Common structures engineer skills
  • Structural Analysis, 10%
  • Revit, 8%
  • RISA, 5%
  • CAD, 4%
  • ACI, 4%
  • Engineering Design, 4%
Common site engineer skills
  • Project Management, 17%
  • Infrastructure, 15%
  • Site Safety, 7%
  • RF, 6%
  • CAD, 4%
  • Ericsson, 4%

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