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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

2021 Median Pay

$88,050 per year / $42.33 per hour

Typical Entry-Level Education

Bachelor’s degree

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

None

On-the-job Training

None

Number of Jobs, 2021

318,300

Job Outlook, 2021-31

7% (As fast as average)

Employment Change, 2021-31

22,100


Military Careers in Civil Engineering

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


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:

OCCUPATION US 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)