Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
What it pays
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians earn a median of $31.23/hr — about $65,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $21.26/hr; the top 10% earn $47.59/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians earn a median of $31.23/hr — about $65,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $21.26/hr; the top 10% earn $47.59/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Calculate dimensions, square footage, profile and component specifications, and material quantities, using calculator or computer.
- Read and review project blueprints and structural specifications to determine dimensions of structure or system and material requirements.
- Draft detailed dimensional drawings and design layouts for projects to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Confer with supervisor to determine project details such as plan preparation, acceptance testing, and evaluation of field conditions.
- Analyze proposed site factors and design maps, graphs, tracings, and diagrams to illustrate findings.
- Prepare reports and document project activities and data.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Associate degree. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0.8% of civil engineering technologists and technicians are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, analytical and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Architectural and Civil Drafters
- Mechanical Drafters
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Surveyors
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Quick questions
- How much does a civil engineering technologists and technician make?
- The median pay is $31.23 per hour — roughly $65,000 a year, with the real range running from about $21.26/hr (10th percentile) to $47.59/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a civil engineering technologists and technician?
- The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a civil engineering technologists and technician actually do all day?
- Calculate dimensions, square footage, profile and component specifications, and material quantities, using calculator or computer. Read and review project blueprints and structural specifications to determine dimensions of structure or system and material requirements. Draft detailed dimensional drawings and design layouts for projects to ensure conformance to specifications.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.