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The differences between student 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 student engineer and a project engineer. Additionally, a project engineer has an average salary of $75,050, which is higher than the $71,947 average annual salary of a student engineer.
The top three skills for a student engineer include GPA, C++ and CAD. The most important skills for a project engineer are project management, autocad, and construction management.
| Student Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,947 | $75,050 |
| Hourly rate | $34.59 | $36.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 98,036 | 176,689 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A student engineer is an individual who trains to become a full pledge professional engineer by gaining working experience in the field of engineering. By using their knowledge in the principles of science and mathematics, student engineers should help other professionals develop economical solutions and solve technical problems. They are required to engage themselves in the testing, production, or maintenance of newly developed products. Student engineers are also required to work closely with their senior managers or supervisors.
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.
Student engineers and project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $71,947 | $75,050 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $95,000 | Between $55,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Yakima, WA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Energy |
There are a few differences between a student engineer and a project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Student Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between student engineers' and project engineers' demographics:
| Student Engineer | Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% | Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 15.9% White, 67.7% 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 Percentage | 5% | 5% |