Civil engineers are highly trained professionals who are essential to shaping the world we live in today. Their role is to design and plan the world's infrastructure such as bridges, roads, buildings and sewage systems. They also supervise the construction of these structures to ensure they are built in the way they had planned. Civil engineers are mostly hired by government agencies as well as by construction companies and architectural firms. Some civil engineers are consultants who can be hired for particular jobs.

Usually civil engineers choose to specialize in one particular area such as construction, hydraulics, transportation or soil mechanics as there is so much involved in each area to be good at everything.

Civil engineers usually work with a range of experts during the design and planning process including builders, architects and other engineers. Safety is an important aspect of the jobs that civil engineers do. When designing a structure they must ensure that it will be safe and remain safe in all possible circumstances.

It is not easy to get into civil engineering, and they must excel at mathematics and the physical sciences to be able to succeed in this industry. They must also be able to think logically and creatively and have good communication skills as they will regularly be working in teams.

 

 

To become a civil engineer you must first obtain a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. Most courses usually take between four and five years to complete. Entry into civil engineering courses are highly competitive, and top grades in high school and proven competence in the sciences and maths are essential for entry. Many civil engineering degree programs also incorporate work experience into the course to better prepare you for entry into the industry. Masters degrees are also essential for those that want to pursue a career in the research or development side of civil engineering.

There are many great schools across the USA that offer civil engineering degrees. The top five in the country are: University of California, Berkeley; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stanford University; and University of Texas, Austin.

After you have obtained a bachelor or masters degree in civil engineering you can then start work. However, if you want to work freelance or start a private practice you must first obtain a state license. To do this you must have a minimum of four years work experience in your chosen field before sitting a state exam. You must then continue to update your training throughout your career. If you work for a company, they will usually pay for extra training and tuition whilst you are working for them, to ensure that you stay up to date with the rapidly enhancing technology in the industry.

 

 

 

 

There are many opportunities to advance in the field of civil engineering. Civil engineers usually start as juniors then will progress up to assistant engineer and then to associate engineer. They can then eventually progress to being the head of the department after they are experienced enough. The best advancement opportunities occur in large firms. Smaller firms usually advance their civil engineers to more specialized roles.

There are approximately 237,000 civil engineers currently employed in the USA at the moment, and they are set to see a steady increase into the future, with good career prospects.

Salaries for civil engineers vary depending on qualifications and experience as well as the company that they work for. The average salary for civil engineers holding bachelor degrees is approximately $44,000 per year. For those that also hold a masters degree the annual average salary is approximately $48,000 per year. Civil engineers with doctorate degrees earn on average $59,600 per year. The top ten percent of highest earning civil engineers earn upwards of $95,000 per year. Most full-time employed civil engineers receive benefits such as health care, retirement plans, and paid vacations.

It is a very rewarding and exciting career to get into, with something new and different happening every single day. It is very hard to get into, but the hard work pays off.