What Careers are Available with a Civil Engineering Degree?

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Many students do not know about the different careers available with a civil engineering degree. This is partly because most them associate civil engineering with constructing roads and building bridges. Civil engineering is a vast field of academia with several career opportunities. Here is a list of jobs you could do with a degree in civil engineering.

Structural Engineer

A structural engineer specializes on designing buildings, roads, railways, tunnels, stadiums, etc. They mainly focus on the technical aspects of these structures. This includes making sure that the structures can support the loads they will be subjected to by calculating the potential stresses, deflections and buckling. The engineer also investigates the site to identify the suitability of the soil requirements of the structure to be constructed. Structural engineers earn an average salary of $76,469 per year.

Contracting Civil Engineer

Contracting civil engineers convert the plans of the structural designer and architect into a reality. They oversee all the construction processes to ensure everything done meets the requirements indicated in the original design plan. A contracting engineer also plays a managerial role at the site by organizing the labor and materials used. This includes scheduling work routines, liaising with subcontractors, monitoring provision of materials and ensuring quality workmanship. Contracting civil engineers earn a median salary of $83,540 per year.

Water Engineer

Water engineers specialize in projects designed to facilitate the provision of clean water, flood control, wastewater disposal and conservation of water resources. A water engineer designs various structures, such as dams, flood walls, pumping stations, canals, pipework and earthworks. They also review technical submissions and prepares tender documents for construction. Water engineers earn $79,340 per year.

Building Control Surveyor

A building control surveyor ensures that all projects follow the regulations stipulated by relevant authorities. In order to determine compliance, the surveyor examines the plans, drawings and specifications to identify potential areas of weakness before approving the project. They also inspect the project against the health regulations, fire safety, environmental sustainability, energy efficiency and building accessibility. Building control surveyors earn an average salary of $56,068 per year.

Construction Engineer

Construction engineers play a key role in successfully completing projects. The projects they work on may include designing drainage systems, constructing buildings or developing roads and railways. Construction engineers often use computers to come up with models of the project to ensure it follows the structural principles, government codes and environmental regulations. They also work with quantity surveyors to determine the total cost of the project. Construction engineers earn $70,544 per year.

Transport Engineer

A transport engineer focuses on the design, construction and maintenance of transit systems. Most transport engineers deal with highways because of their overt use. They evaluate the plans and proposals drafted by other engineers and recommend changes if necessary. They are also involved in preparing engineering data, designing transit means and developing driving policies. Transport engineers may also work with contractors to oversee the plan and calculate the cost of constructing a particular system. They make $69,186 per year, according to Glassdoor.

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Civil engineering is a wide academic field with a lot of prospects for majors. You get to benefit from lucrative salaries, satisfying work conditions and several opportunities for career advancement. The list discussed above is just a fraction of the careers available with a civil engineering degree.