Details Report for:
17-2051.00 - Civil Engineers
Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
Sample of reported job titles: City Engineer, Civil Engineer, County Engineer, Design Engineer, Project Engineer, Railroad Design Consultant, Structural Engineer
Also see: Transportation Engineers, Water/Wastewater Engineers
Tasks | Technology Skills | Tools Used | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Detailed Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Credentials | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
Tasks Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Category | Task |
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75 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
73 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
73 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
72 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
71 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
65 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
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Core | |
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Core | |
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Core | |
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Core | |
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Core | |
62 ![]() ![]() |
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60 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
57 ![]() ![]() |
Core | |
73 ![]() ![]() |
Supplemental | |
59 ![]() ![]() |
Supplemental | |
54 ![]() ![]() |
Supplemental |
Technology Skills Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Analytical or scientific software — Finite element analysis FEA software; HEC-HMS; Minitab
; The MathWorks MATLAB
(see all 11 examples)
- Business intelligence and data analysis software — Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition
- Calendar and scheduling software — Scheduling software
- Computer aided design CAD software — Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
; Autodesk Revit
; Bentley MicroStation
; Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
(see all 20 examples)
- Data base user interface and query software — Data entry software
; Microsoft Access
- Development environment software — C; Microsoft Visual Basic
; National Instruments LabVIEW
; Verilog (see all 5 examples)
- Document management software — Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Electronic mail software — Email software; Microsoft Exchange
; Microsoft Outlook
- Enterprise application integration software — Extensible markup language XML
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software — Microsoft Dynamics
; Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
; SAP
- File versioning software — Apache Subversion SVN
- Graphics or photo imaging software — Adobe Systems Adobe Fireworks; Bentley GeoPak Bridge; SmugMug Flickr
; Trimble SketchUp Pro
(see all 5 examples)
- Industrial control software — Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Internet browser software — Microsoft Internet Explorer; Web browser software
- Map creation software — ESRI ArcGIS software
; ESRI ArcView; Geographic information system GIS software
; Intergraph MGE (see all 6 examples)
- Object or component oriented development software — Microsoft ActiveX
- Office suite software — Corel WordPerfect; Microsoft Office
- Operating system software — Shell script
- Presentation software — Microsoft PowerPoint
- Project management software — Cost estimating software; Microsoft Project
; Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
; The Gordian Group PROGEN Online
- Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software — Microsoft Word
Hot Technology — a technology requirement frequently included in employer job postings.
Tools Used Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Anemometers
- Compasses — Dividers
- Desktop computers
- Digital cameras
- Distance meters — Electronic distance measuring devices; Rhodes arcs
- Electronic counters — Traffic counters
- Global positioning system GPS receiver — Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Level sensors or transmitters — Transit levels
- Levels — Laser levels; Precision levels
- Map measurers — Planimeters
- Measuring rods — Surveying rods
- Measuring wheels for distance — Surveying wheels
- Microfiche or microfilm viewers — Microfilm readers
- Notebook computers — Laptop computers
- Photocopiers — Blueprint copiers
- Protractors
- Rulers — Steel rules
- Scales — Drafting scales; Rolling scales
- Speed sensors — Radar guns
- Tape measures — Measuring tapes
- Theodolites — Total stations
- Thickness measuring devices — Thickness gauges
- Triangles — Drafting triangles
- Two way radios
Knowledge Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Knowledge |
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90 ![]() ![]() |
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86 ![]() ![]() |
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83 ![]() ![]() |
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81 ![]() ![]() |
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76 ![]() ![]() |
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11 ![]() ![]() |
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7 ![]() ![]() |
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6 ![]() ![]() |
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2 ![]() ![]() |
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0 ![]() |
Skills Save Table (XLS/CSV)
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Skill |
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---|---|---|
75 ![]() ![]() |
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75 ![]() ![]() |
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72 ![]() ![]() |
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31 ![]() ![]() |
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25 ![]() ![]() |
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19 ![]() ![]() |
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10 ![]() ![]() |
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10 ![]() ![]() |
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10 ![]() ![]() |
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0 ![]() |
Abilities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Work Activities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
![]() Importance |
Work Activity |
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---|---|---|
85 ![]() ![]() |
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80 ![]() ![]() |
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77 ![]() ![]() |
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Detailed Work Activities Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Inspect facilities or sites to determine if they meet specifications or standards.
- Estimate technical or resource requirements for development or production projects.
- Recommend technical design or process changes to improve efficiency, quality, or performance.
- Design systems to reduce harmful emissions.
- Test characteristics of materials or structures.
- Direct construction activities.
- Estimate operational costs.
- Survey land or bodies of water to measure or determine features.
- Create graphical representations of civil structures.
- Develop technical methods or processes.
- Investigate the environmental impact of projects.
- Explain project details to the general public.
- Incorporate green features into the design of structures or facilities.
- Prepare proposal documents.
- Coordinate safety or regulatory compliance activities.
- Evaluate technical data to determine effect on designs or plans.
- Implement design or process improvements.
- Analyze operational data to evaluate operations, processes or products.
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Work Context Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Job Zone Save Table (XLS/CSV)
Title | Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed |
Education | Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. |
Related Experience | A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. |
Job Training | Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training. |
Job Zone Examples | Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators. |
SVP Range | (7.0 to < 8.0) |
Education
Interests Save Table (XLS/CSV)
![]() Occupational Interest |
Interest |
|
---|---|---|
95 ![]() ![]() |
Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others. ![]() |
|
83 ![]() ![]() |
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56 ![]() ![]() |
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28 ![]() ![]() |
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28 ![]() ![]() |
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6 ![]() ![]() |
Work Styles Save Table (XLS/CSV)
![]() Importance |
Work Style |
|
---|---|---|
97 ![]() ![]() |
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86 ![]() ![]() |
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Related Occupations Save Table (XLS/CSV)
11-9021.00 | Construction Managers ![]() |
11-9041.00 | Architectural and Engineering Managers |
13-1081.01 | Logistics Engineers |
17-2021.00 | Agricultural Engineers |
17-2051.01 | Transportation Engineers |
17-2081.00 | Environmental Engineers |
17-2111.02 | Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers |
17-2151.00 | Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers |
17-2199.03 | Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar |
19-1031.00 | Conservation Scientists ![]() |
Wages & Employment Trends
Median wages (2019) | $41.86 hourly, $87,060 annual |
State wages | |
Local wages | |
Employment (2019) | 329,200 employees |
Projected growth (2019-2029) | ![]() |
Projected job openings (2019-2029) | 22,900 |
State trends | |
Top industries (2019) | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54% employed in this sector)
Government (25%)
Construction (11%)
|
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 wage data
and 2019-2029 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2019-2029). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
- American Concrete Institute
- American Congress of Surveying and Mapping
- American Council of Engineering Companies
- American Public Works Association
- American Society of Civil Engineers
- American Water Works Association
- ASTM International
- Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
- Institute of Transportation Engineers
- National Association of County Engineers
- National Society of Professional Engineers
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Civil engineers
- Society of American Military Engineers
- Society of Women Engineers
- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers