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The differences between utility engineers and civil 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 utility engineer and a civil engineer. Additionally, a utility engineer has an average salary of $76,349, which is higher than the $70,950 average annual salary of a civil engineer.
The top three skills for a utility engineer include HVAC, autocad and plumbing. The most important skills for a civil engineer are civil 3d, engineering design, and cost estimates.
| Utility Engineer | Civil Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $76,349 | $70,950 |
| Hourly rate | $36.71 | $34.11 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 92,219 | 26,803 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A utility engineer is responsible for managing the energy resources within the industrial companies, measuring the amount of energy released, and identifying methods to minimize energy waste. Utility engineers run multiple quality checks with technological energy equipment to ensure its efficiency and stability in maintaining the accurate level of energy distribution to support commercial operations. They evaluate the energy needs of an area and recommend techniques to improve reliability. A utility engineer must have excellent communication and analytical skills, as well as extensive knowledge of mechanical ability to monitor and improve energy systems.
A civil engineer designs and supervises the construction of large-scale public works projects such as buildings, roads, tunnels, highways, airports, bridges, dams, and other substantial infrastructure. Most civil engineers work in the private industry, but some work for a government organization. Their output is almost everywhere. Many of them specialize in a specific project or practice a target profession such as in transportation, structural engineering, or geotechnical engineering. They oftentimes work at project sites, as they monitor the ongoing construction.
Utility engineers and civil engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Utility Engineer | Civil Engineer | |
| Average salary | $76,349 | $70,950 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $107,000 | Between $51,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Exxon Mobil | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a utility engineer and a civil engineer in terms of educational background:
| Utility Engineer | Civil Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between utility engineers' and civil engineers' demographics:
| Utility Engineer | Civil Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 10.2% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.6% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |