Why Choose Civil Engineering? Career Impact and Opportunities

Civil engineers are involved in all aspects of planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining buildings and infrastructure so that they’re functional and structurally sound. They often work with other professionals such as architects, urban planners, and construction managers to complete complex projects that benefit society.¹

This article will explore the benefits of civil engineering as a career, including the potential salaries and impact you can make on society.

What Makes Civil Engineering a High-Demand Career?

From water treatment facilities to skyscrapers to dams, civil engineers oversee the projects that enable society to operate effectively. Civil engineers follow projects from concept through to execution. They perform site analyses to evaluate the environmental, safety, community, and structural condition and requirements. They coordinate with other professionals to make sure projects meet plan specifications and solve problems that arise on site.²

The field of civil engineering is growing faster than average. There are currently 341,800 jobs in the US, and civil engineering career prospects are expected to grow by 22,100 (6%) in the next decade. Civil engineers work in both the private and public sectors, with almost half working for engineering services firms and almost a quarter working for federal, state, and local governments.¹

Career Benefits That Make Civil Engineering Stand Out

There are many advantages of being a civil engineer, including the salary, varied career options, stability, and importance to society.

Civil Engineering Salary Expectations and Advancement Opportunities

Civil engineers earn a median salary of $95,890 annually. After you obtain professional certification and work experience, you can move into leadership positions such as lead project engineer, project manager, chief engineer, or director of engineering. These positions typically provide higher salaries and more responsibilities.²

Versatile Career Paths

With a civil engineering degree, you can choose from many different career paths, including consulting, working for public agencies, or working in industries such as manufacturing or construction. As a generalist at a small firm, you may consult on projects of all scopes and in all industries. If you join a larger firm and specialize, you may be working exclusively in one particular area.³

Long-Term Stability and Societal Relevance

Regardless of the state of the economy, society needs civil engineers to protect the public interest. Because of this, civil engineers enjoy a high level of job security. Civil engineers often work on projects that are crucial to public safety, such as critical infrastructure construction and repair.⁴

Civil Engineering Impact on Society

Civil engineers are unsung heroes who shape the world we live in, turning dreams into roads, bridges, clean water systems, and sustainable cities that uplift entire communities. Their work goes far beyond concrete and steel—it’s about creating safer, smarter, and more resilient environments where people can thrive. Every part of our built environment that enables society was designed or touched by a civil engineer. From rebuilding disaster-struck areas to designing green infrastructure that protects our planet, civil engineers use innovation and compassion to solve real-world problems.⁵ If you want to leave a lasting mark on the world, to build a better future from the ground up, then civil engineering isn’t just a career—it’s a calling.

Skills Required for Civil Engineering

Because of the many lives that are at stake with large construction and infrastructure projects and the complexity in designing them, civil engineers need advanced technical skills to perform their jobs. These include strong math and physics skills to ensure projects are stable and functional. They also need problem-solving skills to find the best design for a particular project given its unique site-specific constraints. They need to know how to use drafting software as well as have strong analytical skills for understanding the potential impacts of a project’s design. They need analytical skills and a strong attention to detail so they can look at a problem from multiple angles and find the best solution.⁶

In addition to technical skills, civil engineers also need soft skills. They frequently collaborate with other professionals, and they need to communicate effectively with them. They have to understand factors outside of their specialty that can impact projects and communicate technical information to others as well, so they need exceptional communication skills. They also need leadership, time management, and organization skills to handle the complicated aspects of big projects.⁶

Preparing for a Career in Civil Engineering

You’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree to become a civil engineer, although you may also want to pursue a master’s degree. Your degree should be from an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited engineering school. This accreditation is necessary for you to become licensed. After you finish your bachelor’s degree, you can take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and become an engineer intern. You can work in junior-level roles and get hands-on, real-world experience as an engineering intern.⁶

After passing the FE exam and working for at least four years, you can earn your Professional Engineer (PE) license. You can continue your education as a civil engineer by obtaining additional qualifications for specialized fields or seeking business credentials to go into project management. These additional certifications can prepare you to work in specialized fields or take on more senior-level roles.⁶

Start a Rewarding Career With a BS in Civil Engineering

Bradley University offers an ABET-accredited online BS in Civil Engineering where you can learn the skills and knowledge you need to begin a new, rewarding career. Learn asynchronously on your own schedule within the structure provided by expert faculty mentors who keep you on track. You’ll participate in approximately 10 days of on-campus labs to gain hands-on experience. You can choose from different elective options to focus on your areas of interest and expand your skill set.

Choose from these intake dates to start when it’s convenient for you. You don’t need to submit test scores if you graduated from an accredited high school in the US within the year prior to enrolling. Applying for financial aid can make tuition affordable and reduce the cost of earning your degree. Contact one of our admissions outreach advisors today to learn more.