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Structural Engineering

Types of Degrees Structural Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Structural Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	4
Bachelor’s Degree	148
Master’s Degree	172
Doctor’s Degree	14

What Structural Engineering Majors Need to Know

Studies in Structural Engineering build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Structural Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Structural Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.1 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Structural Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Structural Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Structural Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Structural Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Autodesk Revit	Computer aided design CAD software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Structural Engineering graduates include:

• Industrial Engineering Professor
• Hydraulics Teacher
• Drafting Teacher
• Civil Engineering Professor
• Engineering Faculty Member
• Engineering Professor
• Lecturer
• Electrical Engineering Professor
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Professor
• Agricultural Engineering Teacher
• Mining Teacher
• Instructor
• Motion and Time Study Teacher
• Assistant Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Structural Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	37.3%
Doctoral degree	26.8%
Master’s degree	12.7%
Post-master’s certificate	8.6%
Post-doctoral training	8.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.1%
First professional degree	1.3%
Postsecondary certificate	0.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Structural Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 71.3% of Structural Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	97	28.7%
Men	241	71.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Structural Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	94	27.8%
Asian	67	19.8%
Hispanic or Latino	68	20.1%
Black or African American	3	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.3%
Two or More Races	12	3.6%
Race Unknown	8	2.4%
International Students	85	25.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Structural Engineering Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Structural Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$71,056
4 years	$78,886
5 years	$88,976

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $88,976 — roughly 25% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Structural Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Structural Engineering graduates earn a median of $78,886 four years after completion — roughly 108% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Civil Engineering	14.08
Civil Engineering, General	14.0801
Civil Engineering, Other	14.0899
Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering	14.0802
Transportation and Highway Engineering	14.0804
Water Resources Engineering	14.0805
Construction Engineering	14.3301
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General	14.0201
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other	14.0299
Agricultural Engineering	14.0301
Architectural Engineering	14.0401
Astronautical Engineering	14.0202

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.