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The differences between sustaining engineers and consulting engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a sustaining engineer, becoming a consulting engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a consulting engineer has an average salary of $97,746, which is higher than the $88,351 average annual salary of a sustaining engineer.
The top three skills for a sustaining engineer include troubleshoot, lean six sigma and lean manufacturing. The most important skills for a consulting engineer are java, C #, and linux.
| Sustaining Engineer | Consulting Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $88,351 | $97,746 |
| Hourly rate | $42.48 | $46.99 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 57,402 | 125,600 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A sustaining engineer is responsible for monitoring industrial operations, including the efficiency of processes and the performance of tools and equipment, ensuring high-quality deliverables for business objectives. Sustaining engineers evaluate the safety and security of the operations, strategizing techniques to manage potential hazards that may cause delays in the production. They also work with the management to identify opportunities to maximize productivity and maintain cost-reduction procedures, especially on materials and equipment. A sustaining engineer handles operational issues, as well as assessing incident reports for immediate resolution.
A consulting engineer is an individual who aids in the planning, designing, and construction of a project from the public and private clients. Consulting engineers are required to advise on the best component suitable according to the needs of their clients. They can manage the project by coordinating with designers, architects, and relevant persons who have commissioned the project. They may incorporate green sustainable energy solutions based on the demands of their clients. Consulting engineers must also conduct a feasibility study and prepare the estimated cost for the project.
Sustaining engineers and consulting engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sustaining Engineer | Consulting Engineer | |
| Average salary | $88,351 | $97,746 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $114,000 | Between $72,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a sustaining engineer and a consulting engineer in terms of educational background:
| Sustaining Engineer | Consulting Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between sustaining engineers' and consulting engineers' demographics:
| Sustaining Engineer | Consulting Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.5% Female, 12.5% | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 15.1% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 13.8% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |