Civil Engineering Degrees


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Salaries For Degrees in Civil Engineering

People with a degree in Civil Engineering can be employed in a variety of jobs.  While no one can say with certainty what you personally will do with a degree in Civil Engineering, our survey panel picked the following jobs as likely options:

The median salary for people with a degree in Civil Engineering is $55,747.22.  The lifetime value of this degree is approximately $1,243,972.00.


Salaries are highly dependent on how skilled one is at negotiation, years of related experience, your employer, area, and a host of other factors.  The estimates we show on these pages are just that: estimates.  Your individual experience will likely vary.

Where does this come from?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a unit of the US government, classifies all workers into some 800-odd occupational categories.  We paid a team of freelancers to get their view on what type of degree a holder of each type of job would likely have majored in.  For pairs which had a high degree of consensus, we created a link between the degree and the job.

From this, we calculated the average salary for Civil Engineering degrees and converted it into a lifetime value.  We then compared it against other degrees at the same level of schooling (such as associate's, bachelor's, or master's), so that you can make informed educational and employment decisions.

What is Civil Engineering?

The roads you drive on, the public buildings you use, the water you drink, and the public transportation you take, among other things, were all made possible by people with degrees in civil engineering. Civil engineering uses applied math, physics and chemistry principles to design, construct and maintain public spaces.

Who Should Study Civil Engineering?

If you are skilled at math and science, and you want to put your skills to use in a public service profession, civil engineering is a great degree choice for you. Anyone who is attracted to the potential to have a hand in large-scale public systems would make an excellent Civil Engineering degree candidate.

What Does A Civil Engineering Degree Entail?

Civil engineering degrees are typically heavy in math and science courses. Geometry, trigonometry, calculus, Newtonian physics, chemical analysis, fluid dynamics, geology, project management, design, drafting, and other related topics are what you can expect to take classes in. Because civil engineering is such a vast area of expertise, you can be sure that none of your classes will prove useless. Civil engineering degree candidates will learn how to take scientific measurements, how to design and build structures that will stand the test of time, how to organize and deliver a project, and how to present their work legibly and effectively.

Hoover Dam.

Divisions of Civil Engineering

Because civil engineering is such a vast body of knowledge, there are a number of specializations that most colleges offer. It's important to think about what you want to specialize in, even if your college doesn't offer specialization programs. Some of the categories are:

  • Environmental Engineering - Focuses on pollution reduction, hazardous waste management, green engineering, and mitigating the effects of accidental contamination. This is a good specialty for degree seekers interested in keeping the environment clean.
  • Construction Engineering - Construction engineers tend to be the "general contractors" of the civil engineering world. They oversee large-scale public projects that require the inputs of many different types of civil engineers. This is a good specialty for anyone whose engineering interest spans a number of different topics.
  • Structural Engineering - Structural engineers are what most people think of when they think of civil engineers. They draw up blueprints for towers, bridges, tunnels, buildings and other structures to make sure that they are safe for their occupants and the surrounding civil environment. Structural engineers have to contend with wind, seismic, and occupancy loads, and are responsible for city skylines all over the world.
  • Geotechnical Engineering - Specializing in soil geology, geotechnical engineers are essential for any large-scale new construction project. Geotechnical engineers tend to design the foundations and retaining walls for buildings, as well as consult with engineers building bridges and roads to ensure that the earth is stable enough to hold the weight. This is a good specialty for anyone who wants to be on the front lines between human construction and nature.
  • Water Resources Engineering - Water resources engineers work to make sure that we all have enough fresh water to drink, as well as keeping us safe from flooding. Keeping reservoirs full, keeping rivers properly dammed and under control, and keeping levees maintained are all under the province of water resources engineers.
  • Surveying - The informational foundation upon which all of civil engineering rests, surveyors' job is to take accurate readings of the Earth's surface as well as existing construction in order to provide maps and figures so engineers can develop structures suited to their locations. Surveyors more than any other engineer spend time outdoors, so choose this specialty if you're not about the thought of spending all your time in an office!

What You Can Expect Upon Graduation

Most graduates of Civil Engineering programs get low-level, low-responsibility jobs involving taking measurements, entering data, or doing rudimentary design work with a civil engineering firm. This can be difficult for degree holders, but as you show yourself to be a responsible, hard worker, you will gradually acquire more and more responsibility in your firm.

Online Schools Offering Accredited Civil Engineering Degree Programs

  • Penn Foster Schools - Associate Degree / Civil Engineering Technology
  • University of North Dakota - Bachelor's Degree / Civil Engineering
  • Old Dominion University - Bachelor's Degree / Civil Engineering Technology
  • University of Tennessee - Master's Degree / Civil Engineering, Public Works Option
  • Old Dominion University - Master's Degree / Civil Engineering
  • Atlantic International University - Master's Degree / Civil Engineering
  • Auburn University - Master's Degree / Civil Engineering
  • Norwich University Online - Master's Degree / Civil Engineering

Top Colleges & Universities Offering Offline Civil Engineering Degrees

Famous Civil Engineering Students

  • John Smeaton, first holder of the (self-proclaimed) title of "civil engineer," designed the Eddystone Lighthouse in the late 1700s
  • Frank Crowe, designer of the Hoover Dam
  • Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil
  • Santiago Calatrava, world-famous structural engineer and architect
  • John Roebling, designer of the Brooklyn Bridge

 

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