Electrical Engineer vs Project Engineer
Measured from each occupation's own live postings: related jobs with a real gap between them. Posted pay favors the electrical engineer by about $5k at the midpoint.
The short answer
On pay, electrical engineers come out ahead by about $5k a year at the midpoint of posted bands: $66k–$118k against $64k–$109k for project engineers. These are advertised figures from postings that state a salary, not estimates.
On skills, they are related jobs with a real gap between them. There is a shared core, and then each side asks for things the other rarely does. The readiness numbers further down say how far a typical profile on each side already reaches into the other, and which direction is the easier move.
Electrical Engineer
electrical engineer jobs · electrical engineer salary · electrical engineer career guide · careers for electrical engineers
Project Engineer
project engineer jobs · project engineer salary · careers for project engineers
The overlap, measured
Switching, both directions
Electrical Engineer → Project Engineer
Transition estimate: 12–24 mo.
What project engineer postings ask for that electrical engineer profiles usually lack: Construction Administration, Brewing, Scheduling, Quality Control.
Project Engineer → Electrical Engineer
PE required for public-facing/utility sign-off; not for product roles
Transition estimate: 12–24 mo.
What electrical engineer postings ask for that project engineer profiles usually lack: Electrical Systems, SAP, Blueprint Reading, System Design.
Open electrical engineer roles
Senior Elektroingenieur (m/w/d) at CrbStuttgart, DETodayUnlock
Electrical Engineer - Fully Remote | Upto $70/hr at MercorUnited States · Remote1d agoApply- SUPERVISORY GENERAL/COMPUTER/ELECTRONICS ENGINEER/PHYSICIST at Naval Air Systems CommandPatuxent River, Maryland$144k–$197k1d agoApply
Advanced Electronics Engineer at PhilipsShenzhen1d agoUnlock
Open project engineer roles
Projektingenieur at Telematix AGBern, Bern, Switzerland · Remote1d agoApply
Projektingenieur:in Tiefbau at IUB Engineering AGBern, Bern, Switzerland · Remote1d agoApply
Ingénieur Projet H/F at AssystemLyon, FR1d agoUnlock
Project Engineer at Isuzu Motors South AfricaSouth Africa · Remote2d agoApply
See the whole board for both
927 open roles across the two.
Related comparisons
- MEP Engineer vs Project Engineer63% peak overlap
- Electrical Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer47% peak overlap
- Electrical Engineer vs MEP Engineer47% peak overlap
- Mechanical Engineer vs Project Engineer42% peak overlap
- Production Supervisor vs Project Engineer32% peak overlap
- Project Engineer vs Structural Engineer31% peak overlap
Which one do your skills favor?
Run the instrument with your own skills and both numbers recompute for you. Free.
Quick answers
Which pays more, electrical engineer or project engineer?
On pay, electrical engineers come out ahead by about $5k a year at the midpoint of posted bands: $66k–$118k against $64k–$109k for project engineers. These are advertised figures from postings that state a salary, not estimates. By seniority and country: electrical engineer salary and project engineer salary.
Are electrical engineer and project engineer the same job?
On skills, they are related jobs with a real gap between them. There is a shared core, and then each side asks for things the other rarely does. The skills both sets of postings want most are Project Management, BIM, AutoCAD, MEP, Procurement.
Can an electrical engineer become a project engineer?
Yes, and the numbers say how far along you already are: a typical electrical engineer profile covers 43% of what project engineer postings ask for. Our estimate for the move is 12–24 mo. The instrument lists the exact skills that make up the rest.
Can a project engineer become an electrical engineer?
Going the other way, a typical project engineer profile covers 37% of what electrical engineer postings ask for. Keep in mind: pe required for public-facing/utility sign-off; not for product roles. Our estimate for the move is 12–24 mo.
How many electrical engineer and project engineer jobs are open right now?
Right now our board has 640 electrical engineer openings and 287 project engineer openings, each linking to the original posting. The board refreshes every night, so the counts move with the market. Hiring the most electrical engineers at the moment: iPersonal AG (76), Spacex (21), Axon (9). For project engineers: Assystem (5), Spacex (5), Colliers Engineering & Design (4).
Pay is the posted middle half; readiness is how much of the other role’s skill demand a typical profile covers. Refreshed nightly.