// FAQ
Engineering recruiting, answered
56 questions on licensure, pay, disciplines and how a search actually runs, the ones we are asked most often by engineers and by the firms hiring them. Each has its own page.
// 01
Working with Metro Associates
// 02
Hiring through a recruiter
- How much does it cost to hire an engineer through a recruiter?
- What is the difference between a recruiter, a staffing agency and a headhunter?
- Contingency or retained: which fits an engineering search?
- How long does it take to fill an engineering role?
- When is an outside recruiter better than hiring in-house?
- Can we hire contract or outsourced engineers instead of permanent staff?
// 03
Civil engineering recruiting →Civil engineering
- What does a civil engineer earn in the United States?
- Do you need a PE license to be a civil project manager?
- How does a PE license transfer between states?
- What is the difference between consulting-side and DOT-side civil work?
- Which civil engineering roles are hardest to fill?
- What project awards do civil engineering firms compete for?
// 04
MEP engineering recruiting →MEP engineering
- What does an MEP engineer earn in the United States?
- Which licenses and certifications matter most for MEP engineers?
- What is the difference between an MEP designer and an MEP engineer?
- Why do MEP job specs name a local code authority?
- What is commissioning, and why is it recruited separately?
- What awards recognize MEP engineering work?
// 05
Bridge & structural recruiting →Bridge & structural
- Do structural engineers need a PE or an SE license?
- What is the difference between bridge design and bridge inspection?
- What does a bridge engineer earn?
- Why is steel bridge experience recruited so specifically?
- What software do structural and bridge employers ask for?
- Can a building structural engineer move into bridge work?
// 06
Water & wastewater recruiting →Water & wastewater
- What does a water or wastewater engineer earn?
- What is the difference between a water engineer and a plant operator?
- Which utility owns the work in a given metro?
- What does PFAS work mean for water engineering hiring?
- What is the difference between collection systems and treatment work?
- What recognition exists for water and wastewater projects?
// 07
CEI & inspection recruiting →CEI & inspection
- What does CEI stand for, and what does the work involve?
- What certifications do construction inspectors need?
- What is the difference between an inspector and a resident engineer?
- Why do CEI roles name a specific DOT district?
- Is CEI work permanent or project-based?
- Can inspectors move into construction management?
// 08
Municipal engineering recruiting →Municipal engineering
- What does a municipal engineer do?
- What does a city engineer earn compared with consulting?
- Do municipal engineering roles require a PE?
- Who owns municipal engineering work in a given city?
- What does public works experience actually signal to an employer?
- What awards recognize municipal and public works projects?
// 09
Engineering pay recruiting →Engineering pay
- How much does a PE license add to an engineer's salary?
- Which engineering discipline pays the most?
- What should a civil engineer with ten years' experience earn?
- Can I get an engineering job with an FE or EIT but no PE?
- Do public-sector engineering salaries match consulting?
- What do construction inspectors earn compared with designers?
- Are these salary ranges national or local?
- What raises an engineering salary fastest?
Not the question you came with?
Most searches start with a conversation rather than a job description. Tell us the discipline, the state the seal has to be valid in, and what the team is short of.