Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between water quality specialists and senior water resources engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior water resources engineer has an average salary of $84,106, which is higher than the $53,609 average annual salary of a water quality specialist.
The top three skills for a water quality specialist include customer service, extraction and water damage. The most important skills for a senior water resources engineer are hec ras, project management, and civil engineering.
| Water Quality Specialist | Senior Water Resources Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $53,609 | $84,106 |
| Hourly rate | $25.77 | $40.44 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 64,370 | 42,086 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Typically working for government agencies, a water quality specialist is in charge of conducting studies to test the quality and environmental sources of water, identifying potential issues should there be any. Among their responsibilities include traveling to various areas with water access points, gathering samples for laboratory tests, performing site inspections, and maintaining records of procedures. Through the research and test findings, a water quality test specialist draws conclusions and alerts the authorities for any problems. Moreover, aside from government agencies, a water quality specialist may also work for other institutions and private companies.
A senior water resources engineer is an individual who is in-charged in supervising, planning, and implementing project management ideas for stormwater. His/Her or her roles also include establishing business relationships, analyzing the quality of water, and preparing contracts and project cost estimates. The core skills for the position include excellent leadership, communication, and time management skills and proficiency in project management and civil engineering. The job's education requirements include a degree in civil or environmental engineering.
Water quality specialists and senior water resources engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Water Quality Specialist | Senior Water Resources Engineer | |
| Average salary | $53,609 | $84,106 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $80,000 | Between $67,000 And $105,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, DE | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Alaska |
| Best paying company | DC Water | Berkshire Hathaway |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a water quality specialist and a senior water resources engineer in terms of educational background:
| Water Quality Specialist | Senior Water Resources Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between water quality specialists' and senior water resources engineers' demographics:
| Water Quality Specialist | Senior Water Resources Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 2.3% Unknown, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 9.0% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |