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What is a civil engineering internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Karen Panetta Ph.D.,
George Deodatis
introduction image

A Civil Engineering Intern is a part-time position and an opportunity to learn more about engineering. The interns' responsibilities range from small things like phone calls and data entry to the documentation process and permit requests.

The intern will mostly be preparing maps, visiting construction sites, making sure all of the permits are valid, assisting a team of other professional engineer with designing and creating roadways, parks, traffic structures, and infrastructure design. Designing plans on its own is hard work, as it requires the collection and analysis of data, estimation of cost, budget planning, and so on. This and more make up the in-house mentorship on the basics of the industry.

The intern will have to have at least a basic understanding of engineering programs, such as Civil3D and AutoCAD. The candidate for this position must be in the process of gaining a Bachelor's degree or a higher diploma in Civil Engineering, Architecture, or a similar field.

What general advice would you give to a civil engineering internship?

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 Engineering InternshipUS Average
Salary
4.1

Avg. Salary $52,597

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.3

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 14.75%

Black or African American 3.89%

Hispanic or Latino 11.41%

Unknown 4.67%

White 64.98%

Gender

female 24.19%

male 75.81%

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 engineering internship career paths

Key steps to become a civil engineering internship

  1. Explore civil engineering internship education requirements

    Most common civil engineering internship degrees

    Bachelor's

    75.5 %

    Master's

    9.4 %

    Associate

    7.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific civil engineering internship skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Civil 3D22.67%
    GIS14.42%
    Roadway Design6.50%
    PowerPoint4.83%
    Construction Management4.04%
  3. Complete relevant civil engineering internship training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New civil engineering interns 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 engineering internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real civil engineering internship resumes.
  4. Research civil engineering internship duties and responsibilities

    • Assist and manage in the design and installation of central hydraulic systems that utilize PLC's.
    • Programme VBA tool to organize and manage operator-supply production data into a comprehensive data set.
    • Prepare summonses and other writs.
    • Create as-built drawings to reflect changes in the field during construction process.
  5. Prepare your civil engineering internship resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your civil engineering internship 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 engineering internship 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 engineering internship resume templates

    Build a professional civil engineering internship 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 engineering internship resume.
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
    Civil Engineering Internship Resume
  6. Apply for civil engineering internship jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a civil engineering internship 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 engineering internship job

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Average civil engineering internship salary

The average civil engineering internship salary in the United States is $52,597 per year or $25 per hour. Civil engineering internship salaries range between $34,000 and $80,000 per year.

Average civil engineering internship salary
$52,597 Yearly
$25.29 hourly

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How do civil engineering interns rate their job?

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Civil engineering internship reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

Learn much about different systems. Project management and worthy salary.

Cons

Stop and hold in regular degree of salary and responsibilities. I am so eager to learn much and so effective


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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