Civil Engineer Jobs 101: A Guide For Prospective Students
If you have a keen interest in the construction, an interest in architecture, and an interest in building design, a civil engineer could be the career path that gets you through life. A civil engineer job lucrative, but does require extensive training and education because there are so many facets of the career. Here is a brief look at some of the most common questions about civil engineer jobs and the answers you should know as a prospect.
What exactly does a civil engineer do?
When you have gone to school for civil engineering, you will already know that there are numerous fields in which this skill set applies. For the most part, civil engineers are responsible for designing and overseeing construction projects. For example, if there will be a new bridge built, a civil engineer may be hired to help design the bridge and bring that design to life. Civil engineers can be a part of conceiving new construction ideas, operating an operation of contractors or builders, and help to maintain infrastructure.
How much does a civil engineer make?
The salary or wage of a civil engineer can vary according to the type of job, which as noted already, can be a vast and broad thing. In general terms, the median income for a civil engineer in the year 2106 was $83,540 per year or $40.16 per hour. Civil engineers most often work on a contracted basis, which means they will sign a contract with a particular company until a project is complete and the engineer's skill set is no longer needed. However, some large construction companies do have an in-house civil engineer who does multiple tasks for ongoing and new projects that the company handles.
Is it difficult to find work as a new civil engineer?
In most cases, it is not difficult to find a job position with a company as a civil engineer, whether it is as a contractor or a full-time employee. When you are just starting out, with no prior on-the-job experience, you may be a little less desirable than some other engineers who have a lot of years under their belt. For this reason, a lot of new civil engineers will temporarily adjust their income expectations to be more competitive in the job market. However, once you do have some experience, it is best to keep your rates in line with other engineers in the industry.
