Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians: Career Overview
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.
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What Do Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of civil engineering technologists and technicians cover:
- 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.
- Report maintenance problems occurring at project site to supervisor and negotiate changes to resolve system conflicts.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective civil engineering technologists and technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Bridge Construction Inspector
- CADD Technician (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Technician)
- Civil Designer
- Civil Engineer Helper
- Civil Engineer's Aide
- Civil Engineering Assistant
- Civil Engineering Technician
- Civil Engineering Technologist
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 235,856 civil engineering technologists and technicians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +11.0% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $86,216 |
| Hourly median | $41.45 |
| 10th percentile | $58,349 |
| 25th percentile | $72,282 |
| 75th percentile | $100,149 |
| 90th percentile | $114,082 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $105,820 |
| Oregon | $86,170 |
| California | $81,240 |
| Minnesota | $78,220 |
| Washington | $78,110 |
| Connecticut | $75,230 |
| Illinois | $73,520 |
| Colorado | $72,760 |
| Nevada | $72,330 |
| Arizona | $69,800 |
| Vermont | $66,750 |
| Hawaii | $66,410 |
| Virginia | $65,480 |
| Iowa | $65,190 |
| New Jersey | $64,990 |
| Florida | $64,740 |
| Nebraska | $64,700 |
| Rhode Island | $64,620 |
| Massachusetts | $64,470 |
| Wisconsin | $64,310 |
| Indiana | $64,050 |
| New York | $63,790 |
| Idaho | $63,460 |
| Missouri | $63,320 |
| Louisiana | $63,050 |
| North Dakota | $62,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,160 |
| Tennessee | $61,920 |
| Maine | $61,860 |
| Utah | $61,770 |
| Oklahoma | $61,510 |
| Ohio | $61,220 |
| Texas | $61,190 |
| Michigan | $60,710 |
| North Carolina | $60,460 |
| Maryland | $60,450 |
| New Mexico | $60,360 |
| New Hampshire | $59,930 |
| South Dakota | $59,650 |
| Montana | $58,740 |
| Kansas | $58,700 |
| West Virginia | $58,440 |
| South Carolina | $58,380 |
| Wyoming | $57,700 |
| Georgia | $57,400 |
| Delaware | $56,880 |
| Kentucky | $53,450 |
| Alabama | $51,720 |
| Arkansas | $49,620 |
| Mississippi | $46,540 |
| Alaska | $45,390 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,360 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for civil engineering technologists and technicians vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $79,182 | 16.9% | 1.08 |
| Plains States | $66,525 | 9.1% | 1.51 |
| Great Lakes | $66,150 | 15.5% | 1.18 |
| Rocky Mountains | $65,946 | 5.1% | 1.35 |
| New England | $65,123 | 3.8% | 0.92 |
| Middle Atlantic | $63,532 | 9.6% | 0.82 |
| Southwest | $62,541 | 13.0% | 1.10 |
| Southeast | $58,678 | 26.3% | 1.34 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | CA | $95,680 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $93,770 | 330 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $90,540 | 1,050 |
| Bend, OR | OR | $90,480 | 40 |
| Corvallis, OR | OR | $90,480 | 30 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $89,060 | 770 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $87,960 | 70 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $87,820 | 60 |
Top Industries Employing Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
The largest employers of civil engineering technologists and technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 31,800 | $63,260 |
| Construction | 1,950 | $60,080 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 530 | $56,720 |
| Educational Services | 470 | $67,340 |
| Manufacturing | 450 | $67,140 |
| Utilities | 330 | $82,370 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 130 | $67,070 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 80 | $96,380 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of civil engineering technologists and technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Education and Training
Typical civil engineering technologists and technicians positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Construction Managers (Primary-Short)
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (Supplemental)
- Cost Estimators (Supplemental)
- Logistics Engineers (Supplemental)
- Project Management Specialists (Supplemental)
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (Supplemental)
- Civil Engineers (Supplemental)
- Transportation Engineers (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Aspiring civil engineering technologists and technicians typically earn programs in:
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
4 programs across 4 majors
Construction Trades
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 17-3022.00 (Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians).
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