Career Information

Civil Engineers: Career, Salary and Education Information

Career Profile: What do Civil Engineers do?
Civil engineers supervise and direct the design and construction of roads, bridges, water supply
systems, and structures. They take the local environment into account, anticipating earthquakes
and hurricanes as well as the stress of daily use. Civil engineers, who work in engineering's
oldest discipline, have long been valued for their ability to create the structures and systems used
every day.
Citizens rely on civil engineers to keep structures safe and create new systems for more efficient
living. These specialized engineers can be found wherever population growth and expansion call
for new or updated transportation, structural, and geotechnical engineering.
A Day in the Life of a Civil Engineer
Civil engineers comprise the most popular engineering specialty, with 256,000 engineers
nationwide in the field. The daily duties of individual civil engineers depend on job
specializations. A large amount of technical and computer work is typically required, and civil
engineers must be familiar with different schematics, maps, and drafting software.
The career may require travel, as civil engineers move from place to place to work on different
projects. Civil engineers can spend time outside, surveying the progress of construction and
taking a close look at problems.
Civil Engineer Training and Education
A bachelor's degree is the standard for many entry-level jobs in civil engineering, although more
advanced careers may require more training. All engineers offering their services directly to the
public must be licensed and many civil engineers hold official professional engineer (PE)
certification.
Training programs tend to group courses into different emphases, typically geotechnical
engineering, structural engineering, and transportation engineering. Popular coursework includes
instruction in surveying, highway engineering, land surveying, water quality engineering, and
computer methods.
Civil Engineer Employment & Outlook
Civil engineers should be the largest job increase among all engineers in the coming years, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports. An 18 percent employment growth is expected with
46,000 jobs across the civil engineering industry.
The increase is due in part to a general population growth and the related need to improve civil
infrastructure nationwide. Civil engineers are needed to repair existing roads and other public
structures, as well as design and create new structures. An increasing emphasis on "green"

building is expected to increase the need for civil engineers with experience in pollution control
systems.
Typical Civil Engineer Salary
Mean annual wages for civil engineers was $75,230 in 2007, according to the BLS. Those
working in architectural, engineering, and related services saw earnings of $76,540, while those
working for state and local government earned $67,880 and $74,030, respectively. The state of
Washington had the highest concentration of civil engineers in 2007, with mean annual earnings
of $77,540.
Education and Training: Bachelor's degree plus training; license
Salary: Variessee profile
Employment Outlook: Good

Definition and Nature of the Work

Civil engineers plan and design bridges and tunnels, as well as highways, airfields, harbors,
water and sewage systems, and buildings. They also supervise the construction of such projects
to ensure that they are built according to carefully drafted plans. Civil engineers are employed by
all levels of government, by construction companies, and by engineering and architectural firms.
Some civil engineers do independent consulting work. Others work for public utility companies
or in the iron and steel industry. Still other civil engineers teach at colleges and universities.
Civil engineering is such a broad and varied field that most engineers specialize in one area.
Some of the main specializations include structural, construction, hydraulics, sanitary,
environmental, transportation, and soil mechanics engineering.
Structural engineers are experts in building structures safely and efficiently. They work with
architects to design large buildings, bridges, and tunnels. Construction engineers supervise the
actual construction of projects once they are designed. They decide on the best materials and
methods to use in building such structures as skyscrapers. Civil engineers who work in
hydraulics design canals, flood-control systems, and irrigation systems. They study water sources
and try to develop ways of using water that will benefit the community. For example, a hydraulic
engineer might design a dam in a river to create a reservoir to safeguard the water supply of an
area.
Sanitary engineers design systems to purify water and treat wastes to provide a safe and
economical supply of water. They work with environmental engineers to control water and air
pollution. Transportation engineers plan highways, subways, airports, and railroads. Those who
specialize in soil mechanics develop ways to use soil so that building foundations can be
improved.

URGENCY
COURSE

REASON(S)

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

TO INCLUDE MS PROJECT
for planning

HIGH

GETTING PROFESSIONAL
STATUS-LICENSE

To approve (certify)
drawings on behalf of
Africom with limited
external certification
To be able to do Check or
do Designs
For Fibre project
documentation

HIGH

For Cost Estimation

MEDIUM

STRUCTURAL DESIGN
TRAINING
DRAWING
/DRAFTING/MAPPING
TRAINING WITH SOFTWARES
LIKE AUTOCAD CIVIL 3D
CCS TRAINING

HIGH
HIGH