Careers

Civil Engineering Careers

Read on to learn about typical courses, resources, and careers in this field.

Staff Writer

2022-11-13 • 15 min read

Civil engineering aims to shape and improve lives and the physical environment through the inventive application of engineering principles and knowledge.

Civil engineers oversee and maintain infrastructure projects from the design to the completion.

Their work is centered on the sustainable layout for the built and natural environment, both onshore and offshore.

This is your career choice if you want to make positive improvements to society in sustainable design using building techniques.

Read on to find everything you need in your civil engineering career.

Why Choose Civil Engineering?

Civil engineers shape the world we live in. They design, build and maintain the infrastructure that is ignored.

Their proficiency is essential for a sustainable future in the world.

This is the right career path if you want to make a difference.

This career allows you to create your ideas into reality.

How to Start your Civil Engineering Journey

Starting a career in this field requires at least a bachelor's degree. However, several roles need more advanced degrees.

Graduates who obtain a degree in civil engineering can prepare for many careers, depending on their area of specialization.

Many degree programs in this sector emphasize transferable skills such as attention to detail, problem-solving, organization, critical thinking, communication skills, etc.

These skills are vital for a successful career in civil engineering.

Education Requirements

Associate Degree

Associate degrees develop students' skills in applying civil and structural engineering technology.

Students gain specialized knowledge of environmental engineering, drafting and modeling structural, project management, etc.

Graduates of associate's degree programs can seek various career opportunities, such as estimator, drafter, project managers, etc.

Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor's degree in this field teaches students how to design society's infrastructure.

Graduates can start careers as civil or environmental engineers, technologists, or technicians, civil engineering technicians, construction managers, architectural and engineering managers, etc.

Master's Degree

A master's degree in civil engineering builds upon a bachelor's degree and explores advanced engineering aspects.

Students attain a deeper understanding of how projects influence the environment and people at this level.

With a graduate degree, you can work as a senior civil engineer, environmental engineer, etc.

Doctorate in Civil Engineering

With a doctorate civil engineering degree, candidates are allowed a specialization area.

Most doctorate civil engineering programs consist of coursework, examinations, and research toward a dissertation.

To enroll in these research-focused programs, applicants need a master's in civil engineering or a closely related area.

Graduates with doctorate civil engineering degrees are qualified to enter careers as educators in universities, Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Senior Project Engineer, Construction Engineers, etc.

Employment Prospects

Civil engineering graduates qualify for several high-demand roles with high job satisfaction ratings.

With your associate's or bachelor's degree, you can work in an entry position with room for improvement.

On average, demand for employment in architecture and engineering occupations enjoys 200,900 openings each year.

However, on average, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), also projects 24,200 openings for civil engineers each year.

Civil Engineering Career Forecast

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that architecture and engineering occupations will grow by 4% from 2021 to 2031.

However, within this sector, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that civil engineers will see 7% job growth during the same period.

Most civil engineering roles pay over $80,000, with several openings yearly.

Lucrative Civil Engineering Career Paths

Civil Engineering is an extensive field with numerous career paths and job prospects in different sectors.

Here are some of the Civil Engineering careers.

Structural Engineer

Structural engineers design and develop various forms of infrastructures that are important in creating a community.

Structural engineers work closely with the construction sector.

Structural engineers must have strong communication skills.

Average Salary

Structural engineers earn a median annual salary of $71,934.

Roles and Responsibilities

Prepare reports, designs, and drawings
Select appropriate construction materials
Provide technical advice
Obtain planning and building regulations approval
Monitor and inspect work undertaken by contractors
Administer contracts
Inspect properties to check conditions
Evaluate solar array support structures

Industries Employing Structural Engineers

Engineering
Federal government
Construction

Environmental Engineer

Environmental engineers employ the principles of engineering, biology, soil science, and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental issues.

They also address global issues, such as climate change, unsafe water, and environmental sustainability.

Average Salary

Environmental engineers earn a median annual salary of $96,820.

Roles and Responsibilities

Prepare and update environmental investigation records
Design environmental protection projects
Obtain and maintain standard operating procedures
Provide technical support for environmental projects
Analyze scientific data
Inspect industrial and metropolitan facilities

Industries Employing Environmental Engineers

Engineering services
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services
Government

Geotechnical Engineer

Geotechnical engineers analyze the impact of geological formations on construction projects.

They use advanced knowledge of scientific and mathematical processes to evaluate the earth's formation beneath and around buildings and structures.

Average Salary

Geotechnical engineers earn a median annual salary of $68,771.

Roles and Responsibilities

Collect soil samples from locations
Assess the geological risks of an area
Choose the best place for a construction project
Prepare reports about the geological conditions of a location
Determine how to complete a construction project

Industries Employing Geotechnical Engineers

Engineering
Government
Construction

Transportation Engineer

Transportation engineers plan and maintain transportation systems.

They research new projects and extend through the ongoing care of existing structures and systems.

Communication skills and attention to detail is an important attributes in this role.

Average Salary

Transportation engineers earn a median annual salary of $71,137.

Roles and Responsibilities

Supervise work on a construction site
Determine the traffic effect caused by new development plans
Set goals for new projects
Prepare work plans
Create transportation models
Prepare reports on traffic and transportation issues
Prepare budgets and schedules for transportation projects
Provide recommendations for traffic policies

Industries Employing Transportation Engineers

Transportation
Engineering
Federal agencies

Water Resource Engineer

Water resource engineers calculate water resources and suggest changes to the current resource model.

They have extensive technical knowledge to revise current parameters and prepare hydraulic models.

Water resources engineers design documents and proposals with detailed specifications for water resources projects.

Average Salary

Water resource engineers earn a median annual salary of $70,459.

Roles and Responsibilities

Conduct analysis to collect data and assess sites.
Write reports and correspondence
Design and update plans to meet industry and government standards
Facilitate project management
Model and map recommended and current projects.

Industries Employing Water Resource Engineers

Government
Engineering
Private organizations

Civil Engineer

Civil engineers design and oversee the construction of public works and other large infrastructure projects.

Most civil engineers work with federal, state and local government agencies.

Average Salary

Civil engineers earn a median annual salary of $88,050.

Roles and Responsibilities

Analyze plans and design projects
Consider construction costs
Compile and submit permit applications
Oversee and analyze the results of soil testing
Evaluate the results of tests on building materials
Use design software to plan and design transportation systems.
Manage the maintenance and replacement of infrastructures
Oversee construction

Industries Employing Civil Engineers

Government
Construction
Engineering services

Engineering Project Manager

Engineering project managers lead and direct specialized engineers in specific projects.

Strong communication skills and critical thinking are essential in this position.

Average Salary

Engineering project managers earn a median annual salary of $96,939.

Roles and Responsibilities

Ensure adherence to safety guidelines
Motivate and encourage team members
Creating schedules
Close project processes
Prepare proposals and other reports

Industries Employing Engineering Project Managers

Government
Engineering
Project Management

Design Engineer

Design Engineers turn ideas for products into functional prototypes by employing efficient and cheap processes.

They prepare design briefs t and use engineering software to refine and develop their product.

Average Salary

Design engineers earn a median annual salary of $70,212.

Roles and Responsibilities

Assess design briefs
Conduct research on user experience
Develop solutions that solve user problems
Create multiple iterations of design prototypes
Evaluate design solutions against industry standards and regulations
Document and present the design process

Industries Employing Design Engineers

Engineering
Government
Research and development companies
Construction firms
Product manufacturing plants.

Land Surveyor

Land surveyors make precise measurements to determine property borders.

They give data relevant to the shape and pattern of the Earth's surface for map-making, construction, and engineering projects.

Average Salary

Land surveyors earn a median annual salary of $61,600.

Roles and Responsibilities

Measure distances and angles between points
Determine the exact location of essential features
Research land records
Look for evidence of previous boundaries
Record the results of surveying
Prepare plots, maps, and reports

Industries Employing Land Surveyors

Architectural, engineering, and related services
Government
Construction
Self-employed workers
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Civil Engineering Technologist and Technician

Civil engineering technologists and technicians help civil engineers plan, design, and build infrastructure projects.

Average Salary

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians earn a median annual salary of $58,320.

Roles and Responsibilities

Read and review project drawings and plans
Prepare reports and document project activities and data
Confer with engineers to prepare plans
Develop strategies and estimate costs
Conduct field surveys to collect data
Test the appropriateness of construction materials and soil samples
Observe project sites
Set up and help maintain project files and records

Industries Employing Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Engineering
Government
Construction

Architect

Architects use their engineering, design, managing, and coordinating skills to create aesthetically fascinating and safe buildings that serve a purpose.

Average Salary

Architects earn a median annual salary of $80,180

Roles and Responsibilities

Meet with clients to determine objectives for structures
Give preliminary estimates on cost and construction time
Manage construction contracts
Prepare contract documents for building contractors
Prepare structure specifications
Prepare scaled drawings
Manage construction contracts

Industries Employing Architect

Architectural, engineering, and related services
Self-employed workers
Construction
Government

Civil Engineering Drafter

Civil engineering drafters use software to convert the designs of architects and engineers into technical drawings.

They design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.

Average Salary

Civil engineering drafters earn a median annual salary of $60,290.

Roles and Responsibilities

Design plans
Work from specifications created by engineers and architects
Design products with engineering and manufacturing techniques
Add details to architectural plans
Work under the supervision of engineers

Industries Employing Civil Engineering Drafters

Architectural, engineering, and related services
Manufacturing
Construction
Administrative and support
Waste management and remediation services

Traffic Engineer

Traffic engineers plan, design, and construct transportation infrastructure.

They develop plans that improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and increase safety on roadways.

Traffic engineers also monitor the effectiveness of these plans over time.

One of the essential skills in this role is communication skills.

Average Salary

Traffic engineers earn a median annual salary of $73,178.

Roles and Responsibilities

Analyzing traffic data
Perform construction inspections
Adjust traffic flow during significant road projects
Ensures signs and signals are visible and marked
Develop and update city transportation plans

Industries Employing Traffic Engineers

Engineering
Government
Architectural services

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Marine engineers and naval architects design, build and maintain ships.

Average Salary

Marine engineers and naval architects earn a median annual salary of $93,370.

Roles and Responsibilities

Prepare system layouts
Inspect marine equipment and machinery
Conduct performance tests on marine machinery and equipment
Design and oversee the testing of marine equipment
Investigate and test machinery
Coordinate activities with regulatory bodies
Prepare technical reports for use by engineers
Prepare cost estimates
Study design proposals and specifications
Develop sectional and waterline curves of the ship's hull
Design the complete layout of ships' interiors

Industries Employing Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Professional, scientific, and technical services
Government,
Water transportation
Engineering

Quantity surveyor

Quantity surveyors estimate and control costs for large construction projects.

They ensure structures meet legal and quality standards.

Quantity surveyors are involved at every stage of a project.

Average Salary

Quantity surveyors earn a median annual salary of $60,000.

Roles and Responsibilities

Assist in the identification of commercial risks
Prepare and manage material procurement schedules.
Encourage and develop a culture of contractual awareness
Prepare internal cost reports for upper management.

Industries Employing Quantity Surveyors

Government
Quantity surveyor consultancy firms,
Construction companies
Estate developer's firms,
Oil companies,
Universities

Urban designer

An urban designer is responsible for the use of land within a metropolitan area.

They focus on developing new residential housing to accommodate population growth and determine needs such as transportation and other services.

Urban designers must be familiar with building code regulations, environmental regulations, zoning regulations, etc., that may affect land use.

Urban designers consider the immediate needs of the community, as well as the long-term needs, which they factor into the development of available land.

Average Salary

Urban designers earn a median annual salary of $61,267.

Roles and Responsibilities

Participate in meetings with clients to collect information about their needs.
Develop plans for new communities
Create environmental impact analyses
Working with engineers and architects to develop drawings for construction projects such as roads and bridges
Prepare construction budgets
Perform public outreach to request input from residents
Prepare reports with design concepts and sketches of proposed plans using computer-aided design software.

Industries Employing Urban Designers

Architectural
Government
Construction

How to Boost your Civil Engineering Career

There are various ways to boost your career after obtaining a degree.

You can take professional certification courses in your career advancement, making yourself outstanding for hiring organizations.

Other ways to boost your career include:

Join a professional engineering organization
Keep building your skills
Attend conferences
Keep up with your industry
Internships
Networking

Pros and Cons of Civil Engineering Careers

With a degree in civil engineering, you can land high job demands.

Here are a few pros and cons of a career in civil engineering.

Pros

High-paying salary
Variety of job options
Positive job outlook
Positive impact
Working with others
Respected career

Cons

Pressure from stakeholders
Work pressure
High proficiency in sighting even minute errors
Risk on work sites
Long working hours

Skills You'll Develop While Studying Civil Engineering

Here are specific skills you will need to be proficient in, regardless of your role in civil engineering.

These skills are vital as they provide a framework for career growth.

Critical Thinking

Most civil engineering projects are sophisticated and have massive funds and reach.

As a result, critical thinking skills are essential to finding an optimized solution to a civil engineering crisis.

Employers often prefer applicants who can provide practical solutions and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Attention to details

Many of the projects mandate a high level of precision and perfection.

This competence is crucial for civil engineers who design and develop buildings in adherence to safety and construction rules.

Problem-solving

From the planning phase to the execution phase of a project, a civil engineer solves several problems.

They may face complicated technical difficulties related to building design or planning constraints.

Their ability to fix issues allows them to find practical solutions and assure project continuity.

Organization skills

Civil engineers' daily activities include monitoring the progress of a building under construction.

They ensure compliance with project proposals, design reports, budget plans, and rules associated with the project.

A civil engineer organizes all facets of the project to ensure that team members know their duties and responsibilities.

Teamwork

In any civil engineering project, an engineer works together as a team.

Teamwork skills are paramount in determining if you can collaborate and work together as a cohesive team.

This contributes to the project's timely completion and ensures that civil structures meet the expected standard.

How to Prepare for a Civil Engineering Career

1. Degree

Obtaining a civil engineering degree is vital in your career journey.

They will help you develop the necessary skills to be competitive in the industry and also help you to comprehend how to operate as a civil engineer.

**2. Internship **

While studying to become a civil engineer, you may complete an internship.

Internships enable you to make contacts in the field and better comprehend a civil engineer's daily tasks.

You can work on your engineering mastery through an internship and learn how to utilize civil engineering tools and software.

3. Pursue specialized certifications

To boost your odds of earning a civil engineer position after graduation, pursue specialized certifications.

Professional certifications are optional but help to establish your competency in expected skills.

They also show your commitment to your professional development.

4. Join a professional body

Joining a professional organization can create opportunities for students looking to expand their networks.

Civil Engineering Resources to Help Your Career

Below are educational and professional resources to help you start or advance a civil engineering career

How to Switch to a Civil Engineering Career

Professionals in different engineering sectors often switch careers to adapt to evolving technologies and the unstable global economy.

Due to the multidimensional nature of engineering research and training, job changes also happen externally.

Employers are open to people who have worked in related sectors, although you will need to do some extra learning or training.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Civil Engineering?

Civil engineering deals with the layout, construction, and sustenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works.

What certification do I need for a Civil Engineering career?

Civil engineering certifications come in different categories provided by multiple various institutions.

Below are a few of them:

Engineer In Training Certification (EIT)
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Certified Construction Manager (CCM)
LEED AP Building Design + Construction (LEED)
Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP)

Can I get a Civil Engineering degree online?

You can earn a civil engineering degree online from a highly recognized and authorized civil engineering program that you can complete at your pace.

What fields can Civil Engineering professionals work in?

Anyone with a civil engineering degree can work in any engineering-related industry, depending on their education level, skill sets, and experience.

Lucrative opportunities include :

Geotechnical engineer.
Environmental engineer.
Marine engineer.
Engineering manager.
Design engineer.
Construction managers
Water resource engineer.
Civil engineer, etc.

Is there a high demand for Civil Engineering majors?

Civil engineers are in high demand; according to the Bureau of labor statistics, employment for civil engineers will grow by 7% between 2021 and 2031.

Because of the increasing population, there is a tremendous need for new buildings and other infrastructure requirements.

Final Thoughts

Obtaining a degree in civil engineering can equip you for many positions in the engineering industry.

Depending on your interests, you can work in any space you choose. From civil engineering drafter to marine engineering, the possibilities are substantial.

Whatever your option, this guide will provide you with the essential information you need to break into the field of civil engineering.