Civil Engineering Major

• What is Civil Engineering?
• What are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?
• What Kinds of Students Major in Civil Engineering?
• What Courses Do Civil Engineering Majors Take?
• List of Civil Engineering Jobs
• What is the Median Salary Range for Civil Engineering Careers?
• College and University Departments to Consider

What is Civil Engineering?

Civil engineers play a major role in the development and management of society's physical infrastructure. They engage in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of buildings, bridges, dams, airports, highways, subways, transportation networks, energy resource development projects, offshore structures, canals, irrigation systems, subdivisions, harbors and water supply and waste treatment facilities. Civil engineers must have expertise in analysis, design, computer applications, and management. They work for all levels of government and in a variety of consulting engineering firms. Civil engineers study buildings, bridges, their foundations, and highways. They invent safer and more economical ways of construction, adapt the natural water supplies to people's needs, and find ways to control and reduce environmental pollution and hazardous wastes. Civil engineers must make decisions and consider a broad range of factors such as required resources, aesthetic values, and environmental, economic, legal, sociological, and technological limitations.

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What are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?

Various specializations related to a major in Civil Engineering may be offered by colleges and universities. These specializations may be of greater or lesser interest to you. A few of these specializations related to this field include, but are not limited to:

Civil Engineering	Civil or Structural Drafting
Environmental Engineering	Geophysical Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering Transportation	Highway Engineering
Pavement Materials	Structural Engineering
Water Resources Engineering

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What Kinds of Students Major in Civil Engineering?

Civil engineering students are characterized by their ability to create solutions. Where and how to build a road, home, civic center, or bridge can be seen as a problem. These students are able to analyze the information and develop a suitable solution. Students may like to build and create projects, to use their hands and draw.

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What Courses Do Civil Engineering Majors Take?

The required and elective courses you would take for Civil Engineering majors vary considerably among institutions. Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth of topics you are likely to experience were you to major in this field.

Bridge Engineering	Civil Engineering
Computer Programming	Construction Management
Construction Materials	Construction Safety
Earthquake Engineering	Engineering Economy
Engineering Hydrology	Engineering Measurements
Environmental Chemistry	Environmental Law
Environmental Microbiology	Geotechnical Engineering
Graphics	Highway & Transportation Engineering
Hydraulics	Pavement Design
Project Scheduling	Statistics Engineering
Timber Structures	Urban Engineering
Water and Waste Treatment	Water Rights

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List of Potential Jobs in Civil Engineering

These professions and professional organizations illustrate the types of positions you might qualify for if you complete this major. Some majors are more directly related to employment than others, however. You should consider the likelihood of employment after graduation carefully, if you do not plan to go on for graduate work in a field. Even with the completion of graduate work in some fields, however, employment is difficult, so you should determine what the prospects are for this or any major. Employment possibilities are often enhanced by the selecting employment-related courses and by the enrollment in second major or in a minor.

Department of Transportation	Construction Project Manager
Construction Site Inspector	Environmental Engineer
Geotechnical Engineer	Materials Engineer
Structural Engineer	Tunnel Cost Estimator
Tunnel Engineer	Wastewater Engineer

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What is the Median Salary Range for Civil Engineering Careers?

U.S. Median Salary(starting):$55,100

U.S. Median Salary(mid-career):$93,000

Note: These numbers are national averages so you could make more or less than these amounts. Actual expected salaries will vary depending on your chosen career path, experience, and even your geographic location. Are you interested in detailed information about the forecasted demand for a particular profession? Are you interested in the estimated salaries such positions are likely to pay? This government Web site allows you to search on a particular job, whether listed here or not, to give you this information.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Colleges and Universities offering majors in Civil Engineering

MyMajors complete list has 413 schools in the USA with a major in Civil Engineering.
-View the national listing!

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