Civil Engineers
SOC Code: 17-2051.00
Architecture & EngineeringCivil engineers design, build, and maintain the infrastructure that modern society depends on — roads, bridges, dams, water systems, airports, and buildings. With a median salary of $99,590 and steady 5% growth, civil engineering offers the satisfaction of creating lasting physical structures while solving complex technical challenges. It's one of the oldest engineering disciplines, yet constantly evolving with new materials, sustainability requirements, and computational design tools.
Salary Overview
Median
$99,590
25th Percentile
$78,790
75th Percentile
$128,290
90th Percentile
$160,990
Salary Distribution
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Growth Rate
+5.0%
New Openings
23,600
Outlook
As fast as average
Key Skills
Knowledge Areas
What They Do
- Direct engineering activities, ensuring compliance with environmental, safety, or other governmental regulations.
- Manage and direct the construction, operations, or maintenance activities at project site.
- Inspect project sites to monitor progress and ensure conformance to design specifications and safety or sanitation standards.
- Compute load and grade requirements, water flow rates, or material stress factors to determine design specifications.
- Plan and design transportation or hydraulic systems or structures, using computer-assisted design or drawing tools.
- Provide technical advice to industrial or managerial personnel regarding design, construction, program modifications, or structural repairs.
- Analyze survey reports, maps, drawings, blueprints, aerial photography, or other topographical or geologic data.
- Direct or participate in surveying to lay out installations or establish reference points, grades, or elevations to guide construction.
Tools & Technology
★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)
Education Requirements
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Careers
Top Career Pivot Targets
View all 26 →Careers with the highest skill compatibility from Civil Engineers.
A Day in the Life
A civil engineer's day splits between office work and field visits. Office time involves computer-aided design (CAD work), structural calculations, cost estimations, and reviewing project specifications. On-site activities include surveying land, inspecting construction progress, testing materials, and ensuring work meets design specifications and safety codes. Engineers regularly meet with architects, contractors, and government officials to coordinate project requirements. During the design phase, the work is highly analytical; during construction, it becomes more hands-on and supervisory. Environmental impact assessments and permitting add regulatory complexity to every project.
Work Environment
Civil engineers split time between offices and construction sites, with the ratio depending on career stage and role. Design engineers spend most time at computers using CAD, BIM, and analysis software. Field engineers are on-site daily, inspecting construction, conducting surveys, and solving problems in real time — sometimes in challenging weather conditions. Consulting firm engineers balance multiple projects, juggling deadlines for different clients. Government engineers enjoy more regular hours and benefits but may deal with bureaucratic constraints. Travel is common, especially for engineers working on infrastructure projects in multiple locations. The work has a tangible quality that many engineers find rewarding — you can drive past a bridge you designed and point it out to your family.
Career Path & Advancement
Civil engineering follows a well-defined progression tied to licensure. Graduates begin as Engineers-in-Training (EIT) after passing the FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam. After 4 years of supervised experience, engineers take the PE (Professional Engineer) exam — a critical career milestone that enables independent project sign-off. Early career focuses on technical design and field work. Mid-career engineers (5-10 years) become project managers or senior design engineers leading project teams. Senior engineers advance to principal engineer, department head, or associate/partner at consulting firms. Some pursue public sector leadership in departments of transportation, water utilities, or city engineering. Others start their own consulting firms. Board certification through ASCE in specialties like structural, geotechnical, or environmental engineering enhances credibility and marketability.
Specializations
Structural engineering designs buildings, bridges, and other structures to withstand loads and environmental forces — arguably the most mathematically rigorous specialization. Geotechnical engineering analyzes soil, rock, and foundation conditions to support construction. Transportation engineering plans and designs highways, railways, airports, and public transit systems. Water resources engineering manages floods, designs dams, and develops water supply systems. Environmental engineering applies civil engineering principles to pollution control, waste management, and environmental remediation. Construction engineering bridges the gap between design and building, managing construction processes and logistics. Coastal engineering protects shorelines and designs ports and harbors. Each specialization has its own PE certification and professional community.
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- ✓Tangible, lasting impact — designing infrastructure that serves communities for decades
- ✓Strong job security with consistent demand across economic cycles
- ✓PE licensure provides a respected, portable professional credential
- ✓Diverse specializations from structural to transportation to environmental
- ✓Mix of office analytical work and outdoor field work prevents monotony
- ✓Clear career progression with well-defined milestones (EIT → PE → management)
- ✓Infrastructure investment creates strong project pipelines for years ahead
Challenges
- ✗PE licensure requires 4 years of supervised experience plus a demanding exam
- ✗Field work in harsh weather conditions — heat, rain, cold — is part of the job
- ✗Government and regulatory processes can make projects move slowly and bureaucratically
- ✗Liability exposure — engineering seal implies personal legal responsibility for designs
- ✗Salary growth can plateau without moving into management or starting a firm
- ✗Tight project budgets often create pressure to do more with fewer resources
- ✗Travel requirements can be significant, especially for infrastructure projects
Industry Insight
Civil engineering is being reshaped by climate resilience requirements, smart infrastructure technologies, and sustainable design practices. Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become standard, enabling 3D modeling and simulation before construction begins. Infrastructure spending legislation has created a pipeline of major projects in transportation, water systems, and broadband deployment. Specializations in earthquake engineering, green building design, water resource management, and transportation engineering offer particularly strong career trajectories. The integration of sensors and IoT technology into infrastructure is creating the emerging field of smart infrastructure engineering.
How to Break Into This Career
A bachelor's degree in civil engineering from an ABET-accredited program is the standard entry requirement. During college, internships and co-op programs with engineering firms, government agencies, or construction companies provide essential practical experience. Pass the FE exam during your senior year or shortly after graduation to earn your EIT designation — this is expected by most employers. Join ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) for networking and professional development. Early career positions at consulting firms, state departments of transportation, or local government engineering departments provide the supervised experience needed for PE licensure. A master's degree is becoming increasingly common for specializations like structural and geotechnical engineering but is not always required.
Career Pivot Tips
Civil engineering requires a bachelor's degree in civil engineering or a related field, plus PE (Professional Engineer) licensure for career advancement. Construction managers, surveyors, and architectural technicians have adjacent experience that can serve as a foundation. If you're pivoting out of civil engineering, your project management, technical analysis, and regulatory compliance skills transfer to construction management, environmental consulting, urban planning, real estate development, facilities management, or infrastructure-focused roles in government and policy.
Explore Career Pivots
See how Civil Engineers compares to other careers and find your best pivot opportunities.
Find Pivots from Civil Engineers