Compare A Mechanical Engineer ↔ B Civil Engineer

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Your route

3 moves

No pay difference shown for this route: solar Engineer: OEWS pay for an 'All Other' group; not specific to this occupation.

Gates on this route

Move 1, to Electronic Design Engineer: experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).
Move 2, to Solar Engineer: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 3, to Civil Engineer: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Mechanical Engineer to Electronic Design Engineer
- O*NET lists Electronics Engineers, Except Computer as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.87.
- Gates: experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).
- Skills to build: Speaking
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Electronic Design Engineer to Solar Engineer
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.87 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 3 Transfer move to the side
Solar Engineer to Civil Engineer
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.87 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).

Side by side

All Civil Engineers: Texas median $96,860, $15,550 less a year than all Mechanical Engineers ($112,410), every experience level.

More than 40 hours a week: Civil Engineer 57%, Mechanical Engineer 45%.

This level's pay

A $99,206 a year H-1B filings, n = 157, TX+AZ, 2026

B $89,256 a year H-1B filings, n = 65, TX+AZ, 2026

-$9,950 a year on one document, H-1B filings, n = 65, TX+AZ: SOC 17-2141 and job title contains every word of 'Mechanical Engineer' and no seniority word $99,206 to SOC 17-2051 and job title contains every word of 'Civil Engineer' and no seniority word $89,256. source

Gates on the route: Electronic Design Engineer: experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).

Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k

$112,410-$15,550$96,860

Gates on the route: Electronic Design Engineer: experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET, most common).

Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation

A +18.6% Texas, 1,350 openings a year

B +13.0% Texas, 2,520 openings a year

Over 40 h a week

45%+12 pts57%

Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first

1.8 / 5+0.11.9 / 5

Outdoors, all weather+0.85Outdoors, all weather: A 1.96, B 2.81
Protective gear+0.58Protective gear: A 1.23, B 1.81
High places+0.43High places: A 1.76, B 2.19
Very hot or cold+0.41Very hot or cold: A 1.83, B 2.24
Hazardous conditions-0.27Hazardous conditions: A 1.75, B 1.48

Degree

A Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 53%).

B Most people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher (O*NET: 100%).

License

A Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work.

B Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work.

Experience

A Most common related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (O*NET: 24%).

B Most common related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (O*NET: 29%).

Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5

You likely have: 6

Active Listening
Complex Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
Mathematics
Reading Comprehension
Science

To build: 2

Time Management +0.75
Speaking +0.50

Make this your goal

Save Mechanical Engineer to Civil Engineer as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 2 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.