How to Become a Civil Engineer
Design, build, and supervise infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, and water systems. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $100,840 per year and faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$100,840/yr
Middle half
$79,930 to $129,680
Job growth
Faster than average
Openings / yr
23,600
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Structural Analysis
- AutoCAD
- Project Management
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Mathematics
Helpful certifications
- PE (Professional Engineer)
- FE (Fundamentals of Engineering)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
35/100
Work-life balance
62/100
Stress level
42/100
Satisfaction
74/100
Related careers
- Computer Hardware Engineer$161,740 median
- Petroleum Engineer$144,910 median
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960 median
- Nuclear Engineer$133,970 median
- Chemical Engineer$125,040 median
- Electrical Engineer$120,630 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Civil Engineer make?
The median pay for a Civil Engineer is $100,840 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $79,930 and $129,680 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Civil Engineer?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management.
Is Civil Engineer a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 23,600 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Civil Engineer use most?
Common skills for this role are Structural Analysis, AutoCAD, Project Management, Geotechnical Engineering, and Mathematics.
Planning to become a Civil Engineer?
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).