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The differences between water resources engineers and wastewater project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a water resources engineer and a wastewater project engineer. Additionally, a water resources engineer has an average salary of $80,432, which is higher than the $76,181 average annual salary of a wastewater project engineer.
The top three skills for a water resources engineer include hec ras, hydrologic and civil engineering. The most important skills for a wastewater project engineer are autocad, pump stations, and data collection.
| Water Resources Engineer | Wastewater Project Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $80,432 | $76,181 |
| Hourly rate | $38.67 | $36.63 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 38,911 | 23,130 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A water resource engineer develops new systems and equipment for a water resource management facility. You will be responsible for dealing with the provision for wastewater and sewage disposal, and prevention of flood damage. Your job may involve building, repairing, and maintaining structures for water resource control such as reservoirs and sea defense walls, and designing flood defense programs and sewer improvement plans. In addition, you are also expected to prepare tender documents and liaising with different individuals and agencies, including government agencies, local authorities, and contractors.
A wastewater project engineer is responsible for overseeing projects that involve the provision of potable water, prevention of flood damage, and the disposal of sewage or wastewater. Wastewater project engineers are tasked with data management and analysis, regulatory program compliance, and fieldwork. They must have a university degree and excellent communication skills.
Water resources engineers and wastewater project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Water Resources Engineer | Wastewater Project Engineer | |
| Average salary | $80,432 | $76,181 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $111,000 | Between $55,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | EMA |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a water resources engineer and a wastewater project engineer in terms of educational background:
| Water Resources Engineer | Wastewater Project Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between water resources engineers' and wastewater project engineers' demographics:
| Water Resources Engineer | Wastewater Project Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.0% Female, 18.0% | Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 13.1% White, 68.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 1.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 10.6% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |