Career: Civil Engineers
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world still standing. And it does make people wonder: How did the Egyptians, working over forty-five hundred years ago, ever manage to build it? With a base that spreads over 13.1 acres and a height of 481 feet, it would be quite a project even today. Yet the Egyptians engineered ways to meet the huge challenges they faced. And they did it all without power tools, computers, trucks, or even pulleys.
Today’s civil engineers have it a lot easier, but their projects are no less fascinating. They help construct the wonders of the modern world.
Civil engineers design, plan, and run large building projects, such as bridges, buildings, roads, dams, and water-supply systems.
“Civil engineering is exciting because it involves the health, well-being, and safety of many people. Civil engineering problems are relevant to all people all of the time.”
Keith D. Hjelmstad, Professor and Associate Head, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign
Are You Ready To...?
- Solve complex problems
- Write reports
- Read blueprints
- Understand and meet building codes
- Work outside and inside
- Travel to different job sites
- Work as part of a team
It Helps to Be...
Someone who loves taking things apart and putting them back together. If you couldn’t get enough Lego time when you were young, this could be the career for you.
Make High School Count
- Go for challenging math and science courses, like calculus, physics, and chemistry.
- Take English classes seriously. You’ll need to write about your work for others.
- Sign up for computer science and computer-aided drafting.
- Join an engineering club or get others involved in engineering competitions, such as the one offered by the Junior Engineering Technical Society.
- Join the stage crew and help design and build sets for the school play.
- Work for or intern with a construction company to get a feel for the building process.
Did You Know?
- Civil engineers design roller coasters.
Outlook
Government economists expect job growth for civil engineers to be as fast as the average for all careers through 2014. Because there are usually fewer construction projects when the economy is bad, it could be hard to find work during a recession.
Compensation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average yearly earnings of civil engineers in 2006 as $72,120. A 2005 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers listed salary offers for civil engineering students about to graduate as the following:
- Bachelor’s degree candidates: $43,679
- Master’s degree candidates: $48,050
- Ph.D. candidates: $59,625
