Civil engineer demographics and statistics in the US
Civil engineer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates civil engineer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our civil engineer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about civil engineers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 108,233 civil engineers currently employed in the United States.
- 16.4% of all civil engineers are women, while 83.6% are men.
- The average civil engineer age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of civil engineers is White (64.5%), followed by Asian (15.6%), Hispanic or Latino (11.2%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- Civil engineers are most in-demand in Phoenix, AZ.
- The construction industry is the highest-paying for civil engineers.
- 5% of all civil engineers are LGBT.
On this page
Civil engineer demographics by:
Civil engineer gender statistics
16.4% of civil engineers are women and 83.6% of civil engineers are men.
- Male, 83.6%
- Female, 16.4%
Civil engineer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 83.6% |
| Female | 16.4% |
Civil engineer gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$65,826
Female income
$63,837
Civil engineer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in civil engineer positions over time. Currently, 16.4% of civil engineers are female.
Civil engineer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 88.06% | 11.94% |
| 2011 | 88.30% | 11.70% |
| 2012 | 89.49% | 10.51% |
| 2013 | 88.19% | 11.81% |
| 2014 | 87.52% | 12.48% |
| 2015 | 87.46% | 12.54% |
| 2016 | 87.94% | 12.06% |
| 2017 | 86.00% | 14.00% |
| 2018 | 87.44% | 12.56% |
| 2019 | 85.60% | 14.40% |
| 2020 | 84.45% | 15.55% |
| 2021 | 83.55% | 16.45% |
Civil engineer related jobs gender ratio
We compared civil engineers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, senior electronics design engineer and refrigeration engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Engineer | 11% | 89% |
| Civil Engineer | 84% | 16% |
| Machine Tool Designer | 99% | 1% |
| Refrigeration Engineer | 99% | 1% |
| Senior Electronics Design Engineer | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Civil engineer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among civil engineers is White, which makes up 64.5% of all civil engineers. Comparatively, 15.6% of civil engineers are Asian and 11.2% of civil engineers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 64.5%
- Asian, 15.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.2%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Black or African American, 3.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Civil engineer race
| Civil engineer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 64.5% |
| Asian | 15.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.2% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Black or African American | 3.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Civil engineer race and ethnicity over time
See how civil engineer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Civil engineer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.08% | 4.67% | 13.83% | 8.23% |
| 2011 | 72.76% | 3.55% | 13.02% | 8.03% |
| 2012 | 70.68% | 4.48% | 13.39% | 8.83% |
| 2013 | 71.76% | 3.97% | 13.31% | 8.59% |
| 2014 | 71.02% | 4.36% | 13.84% | 8.27% |
| 2015 | 71.31% | 3.45% | 13.90% | 8.79% |
| 2016 | 69.74% | 3.60% | 14.48% | 9.66% |
| 2017 | 70.02% | 4.21% | 14.22% | 9.21% |
| 2018 | 70.20% | 4.10% | 13.31% | 10.05% |
| 2019 | 68.69% | 4.34% | 14.32% | 10.06% |
| 2020 | 66.29% | 3.67% | 14.24% | 11.07% |
| 2021 | 64.48% | 3.81% | 15.59% | 11.18% |
Civil engineer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian civil engineers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american civil engineers have the lowest average salary at $62,667.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $67,002 |
| White | $66,685 |
| Black or African American | $62,667 |
| Asian | $67,792 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $65,109 |
Average civil engineer age
See how the average age of civil engineers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Civil engineer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 37 | 32 |
| White | 40 | 35 |
| Black or African American | 42 | 34.5 |
| Asian | 41 | 34 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 32 |
Civil engineer age breakdown
The average age of civil engineers is 40+ years years old, representing 48% of the civil engineer population.
Civil engineer age breakdown
| Civil Engineer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 48% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Civil engineer educational attainment
The most common degree for civil engineers is bachelor's degree, with 77% of civil engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Master's, 12%
- Associate, 6%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Civil engineers by degree level
| Civil engineer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 77% |
| Master's | 12% |
| Associate | 6% |
| Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Civil engineer jobs you might like
Civil engineer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, civil engineers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $77,476 annually. With a Doctorate degree, civil engineers earn a median annual income of $76,928 compared to $69,954 for civil engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $77,476 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $69,954 |
| Doctorate Degree | $76,928 |
Civil engineer employment statistics
Most civil engineers work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where civil engineers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where civil engineers work.
Civil engineer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Civil engineer jobs by company type
Employees with the civil engineer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most civil engineers prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Civil engineer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 72% |
| Government | 15% |
Civil engineer jobs by industry
The most common industries for civil engineers are professional, government and construction.
Civil engineer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 35% |
| Government | 14% |
| Construction | 14% |
| Technology | 11% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Civil engineer turnover and employment statistics
Civil engineer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for civil engineers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Civil engineer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Civil engineer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.06% |
| 2011 | 3.46% |
| 2012 | 3.60% |
| 2013 | 2.77% |
| 2014 | 2.58% |
| 2015 | 1.81% |
| 2016 | 2.11% |
| 2017 | 1.73% |
| 2018 | 1.48% |
| 2019 | 1.25% |
| 2020 | 1.62% |
| 2021 | 1.69% |
Average civil engineer tenure
The average civil engineer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 9,819 civil engineers resumes in Zippia's database.
Civil engineer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Civil engineer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of civil engineers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Product Assurance Engineer | 3.67% | 109,448 |
| Civil Engineer | 4.76% | - |
| Specialist Field Engineer | 5.25% | 85,618 |
| Smart Grid Engineer | 6.39% | 19,880 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 7.54% | 42,086 |
| Associate Process Engineer | 8.92% | 57,344 |
| Welding Engineer | 10.43% | 39,405 |
Similar civil engineer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Product Assurance Engineer | 3.67% | 109,448 |
| Specialist Field Engineer | 5.25% | 85,618 |
| Smart Grid Engineer | 6.39% | 19,880 |
| Aerospace Engineer | 7.54% | 42,086 |
| Associate Process Engineer | 8.92% | 57,344 |
| Welding Engineer | 10.43% | 39,405 |
Foreign languages spoken by civil engineers
The most common foreign language among civil engineers is Spanish at 39.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Arabic at 13.0% and French is the third-most popular at 10.2%.
- Spanish, 39.4%
- Arabic, 13.0%
- French, 10.2%
- German, 4.3%
- Portuguese, 3.9%
- Other, 29.2%
Civil engineer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 39.4% |
| Arabic | 13.0% |
| French | 10.2% |
| German | 4.3% |
| Portuguese | 3.9% |
| Other | 29.2% |
