How to Become a Civil Engineering Technician
Support civil engineers with the drafting, surveying, and field testing that turn plans into infrastructure. It typically requires an associate degree, with a median salary of $64,950 per year and slower than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$64,950/yr
Middle half
$51,490 to $80,650
Job growth
Slower than average
Openings / yr
5,500
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- CAD Drafting
- Materials Testing
- Surveying Support
- Mathematics
- Field Documentation
Helpful certifications
- NICET certification
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
60/100
Work-life balance
64/100
Stress level
47/100
Related careers
- Electrical Engineering Technician$78,190 median
- Mechanical Engineering Technician$74,510 median
- Wind Turbine Technician$64,120 median
- Plumber$63,800 median
- Electrician$63,190 median
- HVAC Technician$61,010 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Civil Engineering Technician make?
The median pay for a Civil Engineering Technician is $64,950 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $51,490 and $80,650 (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 Engineering Technician?
The usual entry point is an associate degree. Common majors are Civil Engineering Technology, Construction Management, and Engineering.
Is Civil Engineering Technician a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is slower than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 5,500 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Civil Engineering Technician use most?
Common skills for this role are CAD Drafting, Materials Testing, Surveying Support, Mathematics, and Field Documentation.
Planning to become a Civil Engineering Technician?
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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).