Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
- Median pay
- $64,950
- Doing it now
- 70,900
- By 2035
- Up 3.2%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
a year
across the country
6,100 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Calculate dimensions, square footage, profile and component specifications, and material quantities, using calculator or computer.
- Draft detailed dimensional drawings and design layouts for projects to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Analyze proposed site factors and design maps, graphs, tracings, and diagrams to illustrate findings.
- Read and review project blueprints and structural specifications to determine dimensions of structure or system and material requirements.
- Prepare reports and document project activities and data.
- Confer with supervisor to determine project details such as plan preparation, acceptance testing, and evaluation of field conditions.
- Report maintenance problems occurring at project site to supervisor and negotiate changes to resolve system conflicts.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Civil Engineering Technologies/TechniciansSee 35 colleges that teach it
- Engineering Technologies/Technicians, GeneralSee 74 colleges that teach it
- Architectural Engineering Technologies/TechniciansSee 17 colleges that teach it
- Construction Engineering Technology/TechnicianSee 70 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Analytical and curious
Organised and precise
Careers like this one
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $64,950 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.