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Wanna work as a civil engineer? Do not know if it is worth it? What career path in civil engineering should you take? Which pays the most? Which is the easiest and which is the hardest? These are the typical questions that go into someone’s mind when they want to study civil engineering. But do not worry. Based on the experience of 100 civil engineers, they will answer all your questions.
In a survey, we asked 100 civil engineers how much money they make. We found that a civil engineer’s average salary in the US is $106,314.07. Civil engineers could expect to make around $178,640 within 10 of working in the industry. Starting salary is around $42,200 for a fresh university graduate salary.
| Civil Engineers | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Salary | $ 106,314 |
| Minimum | $ 42,200 |
| Maximum | $ 178,640 |
What Type Of Civil Engineer Make The Most?
Civil Engineering has 7 engineering subfields. Below is the average salary ranked from highest to lowest:
| Civil Engineering Subfield | Annual Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Construction Manager | $111,935 |
| Structural Engineering | $110,692 |
| Transportation Engineering | $107,392 |
| Material Engineer | $106,163 |
| Geotechnical Engineering | $103,097 |
| Hydraulic Engineer | $102,827 |
| Environmental Engineer | $102,090 |
Each of those subfields has different career paths and specific job roles. The following explains each subfield with the average salary you can expect working in every field.
1- Construction Management
Construction Management engineer deal with the construction and delivery of new structures. They are in charge of managing projects from start to finish and setting the project timeline and budget. Construction management is the biggest subfield in civil engineering and the highest paid. The average salary is around $111,935.
| Construction Manager | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Salary | $111,935 |
| Minimum | $42,200 |
| Maximum | $178,640 |
These are the career path in construction management:
- Project Manager
- Project Engineer
- Site Engineer
- Construction Manager
- Business Development Engineer
- Estimator Engineer
For more, read: Is Construction Management A Good Career?
2- Structural Engineering
Structural engineering is the second biggest and most difficult subfield in civil engineering. If you become a structural engineer, you will design and analyse structures. You will design buildings and bridges using computer-aided design software (CAD) and translate architectural drawings into structural drawings. The average salary for structural engineers is $110,692.
| Structural Engineering | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Salary | $110,692 |
| Minimum | $46,730 |
| Maximum | $174,260 |
The career options in structural engineering:
- Structural Engineer
- Bridge Design Engineer
- Skyscraper Engineer
- Wind Engineer
- Civil Design Engineer
- Architecture Engineer
- Seismic Engineer
Thinking of becoming a structural engineer? Then read Civil Engineer Vs Structural Engineer: Which One Is For YOU? To see how much structural engineering is different from other fields.
3- Transportation Engineering
Transport engineering is the second most challenging subfield in civil engineering after structural engineering. This field deals with designing and planning roads, highways and bridges, traffic management, speed zone management, intersections, airports, railway design and modes of transport. The average salary is around $107,392.
| Transportation Engineering | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Salary | $107,392 |
| Minimum | $48,500 |
| Maximum | $159,109 |
The career options in transportation engineering:
- Airport Engineer
- Transport Planning Engineer
- Highway Engineer
- Road Management Engineer
- Bridge Engineer
- Rail Engineer
4- Material Engineering
Material engineering deals with designing, manufacturing and testing construction materials. Being a material engineer can mean different things. You can manufacture steel sections or general-purpose concrete, deliver precast concrete, prestressed concrete sections or fabricated steel sections, or be in charge of materials testings such as concrete and steel in a laboratory. The average salary is $106,163.
| Material Engineer | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Salary | $106,163 |
| Minimum | $45,175 |
| Maximum | $165,050 |
The career options in material engineering:
- Material Engineer
- Welding Engineer
- Steel Engineer
- Concrete Engineer
- Precast Engineer
5- Geotechnical Engineering
Geotechnical engineering deals with the design of foundations (shallow foundations and deep foundations), underground tunnelling, soil testing and improvements, shoring, retaining walls, underground water seepage control, and slop design. This is the third most challenging field in civil engineering. The average salary is $103,097.
| Geotechnical Engineering | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Salary | $103,097 |
| Minimum | $46,800 |
| Maximum | $162,000 |
The career options in geotechnical engineering:
- Geotechnical engineer
- Tunnel Engineer
- Soil Engineer
- Foundation Engineer
6- Hydraulic Engineering
Hydraulic engineers are in charge of designing hydraulic systems, flood, stormwater, water distribution, and dam designs. Without hydraulic engineers, most cities will be flooded as they assess the likelihood of a flood in cities and towns and come up with solutions to combat flooding. The average salary is $102,827.
| Hydraulic Engineer | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Salary | $102,827 |
| Minimum | $46,430 |
| Maximum | $155,000 |
The career options in hydraulic engineering:
- Hydraulic Engineer
- Hydrology Engineer
- Flood Engineer
- Dam Engineer
- Water Distribution Engineer
7- Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineers deal with the impact of human activities and construction on the environment to minimise or prevent those pollutant activities. Environmental engineers can deal with improving sustainability on new construction projects, solid and wastewater treatment, recycling, irrigation and agricultural engineering. The average salary is $102,090.
| Environmental Engineer | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Average Annual Salary | $102,090 |
| Minimum | $42,780 |
| Maximum | $149,080 |
The career options in environmental engineering:
- Environmental Engineer
- Sustainability Engineer
- Water treatment Engineer
- Recycling Engineer
- Solid Waste Management Engineer
- Irrigation Engineer
- Agricultural Engineer
How Much Civil Engineers Make At Different Stages In Their Careers?
From the data we collected from the 100 engineers who participated in our survey, we came up with the average salary civil engineers should expect at different stages in their careers:
| Career Stage | Salary Range |
|---|---|
| Zero Experience: Student To Undergraduate | $32,000 – $40,100 |
| 0-2 Year Experience: Graduate | $42,200 – $48,500 |
| 2-3 Year Experience: Experienced | $52,500 – $75,300 |
| 3-5 Year Experience: Advanced | $79,500 – $94,100 |
| 5-7 Year Experience: Professional | $101,800 – $113,200 |
| 7-10 Year Experience: Senior | $120,250 – $137,000 |
| 10+ Year Experience: CEO Level | $149,000 – $178,600 |
Why Do Civil Engineers Make A Lot Of Money?
Civil engineers make a lot of money because the work is very challenging. Civil engineers work long hours, around 46.50 a week, and they are in charge of all aspects of construction, and without them, nothing is possible.
The technical work is not easy; it takes hours of design and checking for a design to be rolled out for construction and countless hours of construction and management to make it a reality.
This makes civil engineering a very challenging career. To learn more, read: How Hard Is Civil Engineering? 8 Insider Facts U Must Know.
Top 9 Highest Paying Cities For Civil Engineers In The US?
Based on the data we collected from the 100 civil engineers who participated in this survey, the following are the highest 9 paying cities for civil engineers in the US:
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York, NY | $109,500 |
| Lose Angelos, CA | $107,190 |
| Houston, TX | $104,220 |
| Chicago, IL | $101,320 |
| Seattle, WA | $101,050 |
| San Francisco, CA | $100,020 |
| San Jose, CA | $98,400 |
| Denver, CO | $97,250 |
| Dallas, TX | $95,500 |
In the US, it seems to always be a few careers in civil engineering that are always in high demand. You can learn about those here: 15 Civil Engineering Career Options That Are In High Demand.
Should You Become A Civil Engineer?
Civil engineering is a highly rewarding career, both financially and with the challenges it brings. You get to be part of a team and work on interesting projects. As a civil engineer, these are the reasons why you should become one:
- You Get To Plan Things
- You Get To Work On Mind-Blowing Projects
- Civil Engineers Are Well Payed
- Civil Engineers Are In High Demand
- Develop Exceptional Communication Skills
- Get The Chance To Travel Around
- You Will Gain Exceptional Analytical Skills
- Get The Chance To Manage Projects
- Get The Chance To Change The World
You can learn about those reasons in detail here: 9 Reasons To Study Civil Engineering (By A Civil Engineer).
