Career Overview
Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
Also Known As
- Civil Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Project Engineer
- Structural Engineer
Alternate Job Titles
- Airport Engineer
- Architectural Engineer
- Asphalt Engineer
- Base Engineer
- Bridge Design Engineer
- Bridge Engineer
- Building Construction Engineer
- Building Engineer
- Cadastral Engineer
- Cartographic Engineer
- City Engineer
- Civil Engineer
- Civil Engineering Intern
- Civil Project Engineer
- Concrete Engineer
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Use drone technology for site surveying, inspection, and monitoring of infrastructure projects.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Physics
- Administration and Management
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Science
- Systems Analysis
- Time Management
- Operations Analysis
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Information Ordering
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Visualization
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Support
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Apache Subversion SVN
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Autodesk Revit
- Bentley MicroStation
- C
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Extensible markup language XML
Tools & Equipment
- Anemometers
- Blueprint copiers
- Compasses
- Desktop computers
- Digital cameras
- Dividers
- Drafting scales
- Drafting triangles
- Electronic distance measuring devices
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Laptop computers
- Laser levels
- Measuring tapes
- Microfilm readers
- Planimeters
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $65,920 |
| Median | $99,590 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $160,990 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 355,410
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $64,200
Transportation Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $99,590
Construction Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $106,980
Water/Wastewater Engineers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $99,590
Construction and Building Inspectors
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $72,120
Is This Career Right for You?
Discover your perfect career match with our free comprehensive assessment! Get personalized recommendations based on your interests, skills, and values.
Take the Free Career Assessment →
Want Personalized Guidance?
For customized career recommendations, college selection strategies, and expert application support, explore the MehtA+ Admissions Consulting Program. We help students identify the right opportunities and navigate the path to achieving their academic and career goals.
Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.