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.
Also called: Airport Engineer, Architectural Engineer, Asphalt Engineer, Base Engineer, Bridge Design Engineer, Bridge Engineer
Median pay
$100,840
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$68,240 – $163,220
People employed
367,840
Holland code
RIC
Realistic · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Civil Engineers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What civil engineers do
- 01Direct engineering activities, ensuring compliance with environmental, safety, or other governmental regulations.
- 02Test soils or materials to determine the adequacy and strength of foundations, concrete, asphalt, or steel.
- 03Manage and direct the construction, operations, or maintenance activities at project site.
- 04Inspect project sites to monitor progress and ensure conformance to design specifications and safety or sanitation standards.
- 05Compute load and grade requirements, water flow rates, or material stress factors to determine design specifications.
- 06Plan and design transportation or hydraulic systems or structures, using computer-assisted design or drawing tools.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Mathematics
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Science
Knowledge
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- English Language
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from civil engineers
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval81% · −2%
- Construction Managers80% · +14%
- Water Resource Specialists77% · group pay
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers77% · group pay
- Materials Scientists72% · +17%
Change into civil engineers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval86% · $99,280
- Landscape Architects85% · $79,870
- Water Resource Specialists81% · $167,220
- Architectural and Civil Drafters80% · $66,150
- Construction Managers79% · $114,990
Majors that lead here
- Civil Engineering, General
- Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Transportation and Highway Engineering
- Water Resources Engineering
- Civil Engineering, Other
- Construction Engineering
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.