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What is a civil engineer/project manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Karen Panetta Ph.D.

Civil Engineers are highly trained professionals who plan, design, and oversee the construction of major public works projects. They can be employed by either the government or private entities like construction firms, consultancy firms, or even universities. Most of the work is done in an office setting, but they also go to project sites to ensure projects are running smoothly.

A successful civil engineer should have experience in civil engineering work and communication skills, technical skills, attention to detail, and analytical skills. They should also have critical thinking skills to solve technical problems and develop creative solutions.

Civil engineers work full time 40 hours a week from Monday to Friday from 9 to 5. They work on a project by project basis and may need to work extra hours to ensure the projects meet their intended deadlines.

What general advice would you give to a civil engineer/project manager?

Karen Panetta Ph.D.Karen Panetta Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Dean of Graduate Education, School of Engineering, Tufts University

This is a different generation of graduates, and many employers are going to want to know how you dealt with and responded to the COVID crisis. The response to this tells so much about an individual's ability to deal with and overcome adversity. They seek innovative, upbeat, and definite answers that show that students are prepared for anything and will be resourceful.

They are also looking to see what personal actions and community involvement students participated in. For instance, online tutoring for kids whose parents needed help homeschooling their kids while they worked, or using their engineering skills to 3D print PPE for local nursing homes and other at-risk populations.

Every engineering student comes out with technical skills, but the ones that used them, and showed their compassion for humanity, will be the ones that companies will want to hire.
ScoreCivil Engineer/Project ManagerUS Average
Salary
6.5

Avg. Salary $83,264

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.3

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 11.21%

Black or African American 4.09%

Hispanic or Latino 11.98%

Unknown 4.72%

White 67.69%

Gender

female 12.01%

male 87.99%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
7.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Civil engineer/project manager career paths

Key steps to become a civil engineer/project manager

  1. Explore civil engineer/project manager education requirements

    Most common civil engineer/project manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.7 %

    Master's

    15.9 %

    Associate

    7.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific civil engineer/project manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Civil 3D15.43%
    Project Management14.95%
    Business Development5.81%
    Site Development5.03%
    Hec Ras3.79%
  3. Complete relevant civil engineer/project manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New civil engineer/project managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a civil engineer/project manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real civil engineer/project manager resumes.
  4. Research civil engineer/project manager duties and responsibilities

    • Manage new and retrofit projects for households, retail, commercial, and industrial applications.
    • Deliver product quality initiatives including audit procedures and staff training to achieve and maintain ISO and CMMI certification.
    • Manage various wastewater capital improvement projects.
    • Manage collocation facility and service delivery infrastructure.
  5. Prepare your civil engineer/project manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your civil engineer/project manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a civil engineer/project manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable civil engineer/project manager resume templates

    Build a professional civil engineer/project manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your civil engineer/project manager resume.
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
    Civil Engineer/Project Manager Resume
  6. Apply for civil engineer/project manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a civil engineer/project manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first civil engineer/project manager job

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Average civil engineer/project manager salary

The average civil engineer/project manager salary in the United States is $83,264 per year or $40 per hour. Civil engineer/project manager salaries range between $61,000 and $113,000 per year.

Average civil engineer/project manager salary
$83,264 Yearly
$40.03 hourly

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How do civil engineer/project managers rate their job?

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Civil engineer/project manager reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

I Wana build my career in airport engineering

Cons

Less money in this civil engineering works


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

The salary and the benefits that come with a job.

Cons

Possible trouble finding jobs.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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