CIVIL ENGINEERS

Nature of the Work

Civil engineers, who work in the oldest branch of engineering, design and supervise the construction of roads, airports, tunnels, bridges, water supply and sewage systems, and buildings.  Major specialties within civil engineering are structural, water resources, environmental, construction, transportation, and geotechnical engineering.

Many civil engineers hold supervisory or administrative positions, ranging from supervisor of a construction site to city engineer.  Others may work in design, construction, research, and teaching.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

A bachelor's degree in engineering from an accredited engineering program is usually required for beginning engineering jobs.  College graduates with a degree in a physical science or mathematics may occasionally qualify for some engineering jobs, especially in engineering specialties in high demand.  Most engineering degrees are granted in branches such as electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering.  However, engineers trained in one branch may work in another.  This flexibility allows employers to meet staffing needs in new technologies and specialties in short supply.  It also allows engineers to shift to fields with better employment prospects, or ones that match their interests more closely.

Job Outlook

Employment of civil engineers is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005, spurred by population growth and an expanding economy.  More civil engineers will be needed to design and construct higher capacity transportation, water supply, and pollution control systems, large buildings, and other structures, and repair or replace existing roads, bridges, and other public structures.  Most job openings, however, will result from the need to replace civil engineers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.

Because construction and related industries including those providing design services employ many civil engineers, employment opportunities will vary by geographic area and may decrease during economic slowdowns, when construction often is curtailed.

Earnings

Starting salaries for engineers with the bachelor's degree are significantly higher than starting salaries of bachelor's degree graduates in other fields.  According to the College Placement Council, engineering graduates with a bachelor's degree averaged about $34,000 a year in private industry in 1992; those with a master's degree and no experience, $39,200 a year; and those with a Ph.D., $54,400.  The average starting salary for civil engineers with a bachelor's degree was $29,376.

Sources of Additional Information

American Society of Civil Engineers, 345 E.  47th St., New York, NY 10017.


