How To Become A Civil/Structural Engineer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a civil/structural engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Karen Panetta Ph.D.

Civil/structural engineers oversee the completion of construction projects and administer all engineering activities for medium to large civil projects. They oversee the staff to ensure efficient working while also keeping an eye on financial investments. They also measure loads and presses to secure structural soundness, earning a median sum of $85,000 annually or $41 per hour.

Civil/structural engineers primarily design buildings, bridges, and other types of structures. They build structures based on technical specifications and track project progress. They also report on results and choose appropriate materials to ensure durability. A great civil/structural engineer has a keen eye for detail and possesses solid communication and math skills.

Civil/structural engineers typically hold a bachelor's or master's degree in civil engineering from an accredited university. Most employers prefer to hire candidates with proven experience as structural engineers who have an in-depth knowledge of construction methods and regulations. Earning a master's degree may also prove advantageous for individuals who are hoping to gain tremendous success in the field.

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

Karen Panetta Ph.D.

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/Structural EngineerUS Average

Salary

5.8

Avg. Salary $74,421

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.3

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.30%

Asian 17.33%

Black or African American 3.49%

Hispanic or Latino 10.30%

Unknown 4.55%

White 64.03%

Gender

female 13.74%

male 86.26%

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

Key steps to become a civil/structural engineer

Explore civil/structural engineer education requirements

Most common civil/structural engineer degrees

Bachelor's

72.2 %

Master's

19.6 %

Associate

4.0 %

Start to develop specific civil/structural engineer skills

Skills	Percentages
Structural Engineering	10.23%
Civil Engineering	8.26%
ACI	6.00%
Autocad	5.30%
Structural Analysis	5.23%

Complete relevant civil/structural engineer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New civil/structural engineers 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/structural engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real civil/structural engineer resumes.

Research civil/structural engineer duties and responsibilities

Authore substantiation documents in compliance with FAA regulations and customer requirements to achieve type certifications and supplemental type certifications.
Design, plot, and simulate reinforce concrete structural projects in accordance of ACI and ASCE codes.
Design the masonry & concrete retaining and perimeter walls of the project in accordance with ACI and IBC.
Analyze soil reports prepare by geotechnical engineers and implement their findings in civil and structural design drawings.

Prepare your civil/structural engineer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your civil/structural engineer 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/structural engineer 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/structural engineer resume templates

Build a professional civil/structural engineer 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/structural engineer resume.