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The differences between structures engineers and structural 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 structures engineer and a structural designer. Additionally, a structures engineer has an average salary of $73,391, which is higher than the $63,273 average annual salary of a structural designer.
The top three skills for a structures engineer include structural analysis, revit and RISA. The most important skills for a structural designer are revit, structural design, and BIM.
| Structures Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $73,391 | $63,273 |
| Hourly rate | $35.28 | $30.42 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 20,778 | 51,432 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A Structural Designer designs, develops, and supervises the construction of new buildings and bridges, or extensions to existing properties or other structures. They review and update construction drawings as well as communicate project problems and flaws to managers.
Structures engineers and structural designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Structures Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Average salary | $73,391 | $63,273 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $98,000 | Between $47,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Tesla |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a structures engineer and a structural designer in terms of educational background:
| Structures Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between structures engineers' and structural designers' demographics:
| Structures Engineer | Structural Designer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.9% Female, 15.1% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 12.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |