Careers · Explore one path
Civil Engineers
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.
Other titles employers use
City Engineer · Civil Engineer · County Engineer · Design Engineer · Engineer · Geotechnical Engineer · Licensed Engineer · Project Engineer
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, analytical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
Subjects to know
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- English Language
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.8 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.2 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.8 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.1 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 86%
- A master's degree 14%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Development environment software
- Project management software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Geographic information system
- Electronic mail software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 56,600
- Job openings each year
- 3,740
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.3%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 56,600 | 3,740 | 12.3% |
| Texas | 32,710 | 2,220 | 15.5% |
| Florida | 19,290 | 1,340 | 18.1% |
| New York | 17,820 | 130 | 8.0% |
| Washington | 15,090 | 1,230 | 15.2% |
| Colorado | 14,260 | 1,000 | 19.7% |
| Illinois | 14,220 | 880 | 5.3% |
| North Carolina | 12,800 | 860 | 13.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 12,590 | 780 | 5.7% |
| Virginia | 10,650 | 660 | 5.0% |
| Georgia | 9,810 | 650 | 12.1% |
| New Jersey | 8,500 | 520 | 4.8% |
| Ohio | 8,210 | 500 | 3.8% |
| Michigan | 7,790 | 470 | 3.3% |
| Wisconsin | 7,110 | 500 | 18.9% |
| Arizona | 6,420 | 430 | 12.0% |
| South Carolina | 6,370 | 410 | 10.0% |
| Maryland | 5,990 | 390 | 9.3% |
| Alabama | 5,840 | 360 | 4.5% |
| Missouri | 5,420 | 350 | 8.2% |
| Utah | 5,320 | 410 | 35.4% |
| Oregon | 5,060 | 350 | 16.6% |
| Indiana | 4,630 | 300 | 7.9% |
| Tennessee | 4,490 | 300 | 10.9% |
| Connecticut | 4,340 | 290 | 13.9% |
| Minnesota | 3,920 | 250 | 8.3% |
| Puerto Rico | 3,520 | 230 | 12.1% |
| Massachusetts | 3,410 | 210 | 6.2% |
| Nevada | 3,400 | 220 | 11.1% |
| Idaho | 3,150 | 220 | 18.0% |
| Kansas | 3,060 | 190 | 5.2% |
| Kentucky | 3,000 | 180 | 4.9% |
| Oklahoma | 2,960 | 190 | 9.2% |
| Louisiana | 2,780 | 180 | 7.8% |
| Iowa | 2,330 | 150 | 8.9% |
| Mississippi | 2,330 | 150 | 6.9% |
| Nebraska | 2,200 | 140 | 7.3% |
| Arkansas | 2,170 | 140 | 6.9% |
| Montana | 1,990 | 140 | 17.1% |
| New Hampshire | 1,980 | 130 | 13.8% |
| District of Columbia | 1,760 | 110 | 6.0% |
| South Dakota | 1,570 | 100 | 9.0% |
| New Mexico | 1,550 | 100 | 10.7% |
| Maine | 1,390 | 80 | 3.0% |
| West Virginia | 1,370 | 80 | 3.0% |
| North Dakota | 1,320 | 90 | 11.9% |
| Rhode Island | 1,280 | 80 | 7.6% |
| Alaska | 1,200 | 80 | 8.1% |
| Vermont | 1,140 | 80 | 12.9% |
| Wyoming | 1,020 | 70 | 14.6% |
| Delaware | 1,010 | 60 | — |
| Guam | 290 | 20 | — |
| Virgin Islands | 180 | 10 | −5.3% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Degrees each year
- 304
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Program entryFirst-year program admission
Open college VAVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Degrees each year
- 316
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college TXTexas A & M University-College Station
- Degrees each year
- 252
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Program entryDirect to college
Open college INPurdue University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 200
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college ILUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Degrees each year
- 180
- Admit rate
- 44%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Program entryDirect to major
Open college NJNew Jersey Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 177
- Admit rate
- 67%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Program entryFirst-year program admission
Open college PAPennsylvania State University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 160
- Admit rate
- 54%
- Annual cost after aid
- $26,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college FLUniversity of Central Florida
- Degrees each year
- 158
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college