Civil Engineers Salary, Job Outlook & Education | Career Matchup
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Civil Engineers

17-2051

Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.

Median annual wage

$100,840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Projected change

6.4%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Annual openings

22.7k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2051

National employment

367,840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$100,840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Mean annual wage

$108,670

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Hourly median wage

$48.48

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Hourly mean wage

$52.24

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

10th percentile annual wage

$68,240

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

25th percentile annual wage

$79,930

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

75th percentile annual wage

$129,680

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

90th percentile annual wage

$163,220

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

National employment

367,840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2051

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

6.4%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Average annual openings

22.7k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2051

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

Bachelor's degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2051

Related work experience

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2051

On-the-job training

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2051

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

4.2 raw · CX scale
80% relative

Relative scale: 80% · raw 4.19 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Time pressure

4 raw · CX scale
75% relative

Relative scale: 75% · raw 4 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Spend time standing

2.2 raw · CX scale
30% relative

Relative scale: 30% · raw 2.19 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Exposed to contaminants

1.9 raw · CX scale
22% relative

Relative scale: 22% · raw 1.86 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Exposed to disease or infections

1.1 raw · CX scale
3% relative

Relative scale: 3% · raw 1.14 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

2 raw · CX scale
24% relative

Relative scale: 24% · raw 1.95 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Reading comprehension

5 raw · LV scale
71% relative

Relative scale: 71% · raw 5 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Mathematics

4.8 raw · LV scale
68% relative

Relative scale: 68% · raw 4.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Active learning

4.6 raw · LV scale
66% relative

Relative scale: 66% · raw 4.62 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Critical thinking

4.6 raw · LV scale
66% relative

Relative scale: 66% · raw 4.62 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Active listening

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Science

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Monitoring

3.9 raw · LV scale
55% relative

Relative scale: 55% · raw 3.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Speaking

3.9 raw · LV scale
55% relative

Relative scale: 55% · raw 3.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Dependability

2.7 raw · WI scale
94% relative

Relative scale: 94% · raw 2.65 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Attention to detail

2.6 raw · WI scale
93% relative

Relative scale: 93% · raw 2.57 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Stress tolerance

1.4 raw · WI scale
74% relative

Relative scale: 74% · raw 1.43 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

Cooperation

1.4 raw · WI scale
74% relative

Relative scale: 74% · raw 1.44 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2051.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 17-2051 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 17-2051 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 17-2051.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

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Median pay

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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2031

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Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2031

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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2151

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Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2151

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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2171

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Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2171

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Median pay

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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2141

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Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2141

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Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.