Career Options and Outlook - Virginia Military Institute
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Career Options and Outlook

Those majoring in civil engineering continue to be in high demand in today’s labor market, often in high-paying jobs. Careers are available in both the private sector and military service.


Private Sector Outlook, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Quick Facts: Civil Engineers – Private Sector
2024 Median Pay$99,590 per year
Typical Entry-Level EducationBachelor’s degree
Work Experience in a Related OccupationNone
On-the-job TrainingNone
Number of Jobs, 2023341,800
Job Outlook, 2023-336%
Employment Change, 2021-3122,100

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – According to indeed.com, the average yearly salary for a civil engineer in the U.S. Army is $85,422 per year.

U.S. Air Force Civil Engineering – According to indeed.com, the average yearly salary for a civil engineer in the U.S. Air Force is $70,000 per year.

U.S. Navy Civil Engineering Corps – According to indeed.com, the average yearly salary for a civil engineer in the U.S. Navy is $72,805 per year.

U.S. Coast Guard – According to indeed.com, the average U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineer yearly pay is approximately $105,172.

Where can I learn more about career options and salary potential for civil engineering majors?

Learn more about specific career paths for construction management, environmental engineering, fluid mechanics & hydraulic engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydrology & water resources engineering, structural engineering, and transportation & planning engineering on each sub-discipline page.

Want to learn more about potential career opportunities for your major?  “What You Can Do with a Major In…?,” brought to you by the VMI Office of Career Services, provides an overview of a variety of occupation options. Enroll today in FOCUS 2 using the access code “keydet” to sign-up and start to explore your options after VMI.

Here are some examples of occupations that may interest you:

OCCUPATIONUS NATIONAL MEAN SALARY
Biofuels Production Managers $105,000.00 
Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Manager $97,090.00
Civil Engineer $89,730.00 
Engineering Professor $107,490.00 
Transportation Engineer $89,730.00 
Water/Wastewater Engineers $94,360.00 

* Salary data provided by Focus2 and US Department of Labor (2022)

Questions? We’re Here to Help

Phone: (540) 464-7331

Civil and Environmental Engineering Department

609 Nichols Hall

Mailing Address

NAME (If to an individual)
Civil and Environmental Engineering
510 Burma Road
P.O. Box 1839
Lexington, VA, 24450

Other Carriers

NAME (If to an individual)
Civil and Environmental Engineering
510 Burma Road
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, VA, 24450