Civil Engineer

What is this job like?		Back to Top

Civil engineers design things. These might be roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, or water supply and sewage systems. They must consider many factors in their designs, from the costs to making sure the structure will stay intact during bad weather. This is one of the oldest types of engineering.

Many civil engineers manage people and projects. A civil engineer may oversee a construction site or be a city engineer. Others may work in design, construction, research, and teaching. There are many specialties within civil engineering, such as structural, construction, environment, and transportation.

Civil engineers usually work in areas that are industry and business centers. Often they work at construction sites. Sometimes they work in places that are far away from cities. Most engineers work a 40-hour week. Some are required to travel.

How do you get ready?		Back to Top

A bachelor's degree in engineering is needed for almost all entry-level engineering jobs. College grads with a degree in a science or mathematics may get some jobs. A civil engineer must get a license from the State to offer services directly to the public. A license requires 4 years of relevant work experience and passing an exam. Beginning engineers often work under an experienced engineer to get their required work experience. To teach engineering, a graduate degree, like a Ph.D., is needed.

Getting into engineering school requires a strong report card in math and science, and courses in English, social studies, and computers. Also, some schools prepare an engineer to get a job after graduation while others prepare an engineer for graduate school. It is a good idea to learn about the school before you attend.

In a typical college, the first 2 years are for studying math, science, engineering basics, the arts, and social sciences. In the last 2 years, most courses are in engineering, mostly in a single branch. Civil engineering is one of the more common branches of engineering.

Engineers should be creative, curious, analytical, and detail-oriented. They should be able to work as part of a team. People skills are important. This is because engineers often work with people in a wide range of fields.

How much does this job pay?		Back to Top

The middle half of all civil engineers earned between $54,520 and $86,260 per year in 2006. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $44,810. The highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $104,420.

According to a 2007 salary survey, people with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering started at $48,509 a year on average. People with a master's degree started at $48,280 a year. People with a Ph.D. started at $62,275 a year.

How many jobs are there?		Back to Top

Civil engineers held about 256,000 jobs in 2006. Almost half worked for firms that did architectural, engineering, and related services work. Mostly they came up with designs for new construction projects. Almost one-third were in some level of government. The rest mostly worked in the construction industry.

What about the future?		Back to Top

It is expected that civil engineer jobs will increase faster than average through 2016. More civil engineers will be needed to design and build things as the population grows. For example, they will need to fix and replace buildings and roads as they continue to become old, unsafe, and worn out.

Some job openings will occur to replace those who go to other jobs or leave the labor force. Job openings will also depend on where you live. There may not be as many jobs when the economy is doing poorly. This is because there is often less construction at such times.

Are there other jobs like this?		Back to Top

• Agricultural and food scientists
• Architects
• Biological scientists
• Chemists
• Computer and information systems managers
• Engineering and natural sciences managers
• Environmental scientists
• Geoscientists
• Sales engineers
• Science technicians

Where can you find more information?		Back to Top

More BLS information about civil engineers can be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Handbook also shows where to find out even more about this job.

Last Modified Date: April 29, 2008