What is a civil engineering degree? And could this degree provide a blueprint for your future?

From nationwide transport systems to sewer systems and buildings, civil engineers plan, design, survey, budget, and analyze vital infrastructure projects. 

Civil engineering students may choose a specialization in this broad degree. Options include construction management, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and water resources engineering. 

Getting a civil engineering degree will prepare you for careers such as: 

• Civil engineer
• Surveyor 
• Design engineer 
• Estimator
• Construction manager
• Project manager

Keep reading to learn more about what a civil engineering degree is and can do for you. 

What skills do civil engineering programs teach students?

A strong civil engineering program doesn't just give students a broad education in civil engineering specialties. Nor does it just teach students geology, statics, structural design, hydraulics and hydrology, calculus, and physics. It will also teach project management and communication skills needed on job sites. 

Civil engineering programs teach both technical ("hard") and people ("soft") skills. Skills vary by academic level. 

What kinds of civil engineering degrees are there?

From associate to Ph.D. programs, different civil engineering degrees will offer varying career opportunities. Below, we analyze each degree path, required courses, and potential career paths in civil engineering available after earning your degree. 

Associate degree in civil engineering technology

Length:Two years
Cost:$4,000-$30,000
Post-grad careers: Civil engineering technician, civil engineering specialist, engineering aid

When completing an associate degree in civil engineering technology, degree seekers complete coursework in surveying, computer-aided drafting, estimating, and cartography. Students will conduct field and lab testing, making it difficult to offer this program online. 

This degree can help you learn civil engineering fundamentals. However, graduates of associate programs are not qualified to work as full civil engineers. They may choose to work in assistant roles as civil engineering technicians, cartographers, land surveyors, CAD designers, and inspectors. 

These entry-level careers can be found at civil engineering firms, survey companies, public agencies, or material testing laboratories. 

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering

Length:Four years 
Cost:$18,000-$60,000
Post-grad careers: Surveyor, civil engineer, environmental engineer

A bachelor's in civil engineering degree typically takes four years. It requires courses like applied mathematics, engineering economics, fluid mechanics, construction materials, geotechnical engineering, geosurveying, and structural design. 

Students will complete mathematical and computational courses and learn to apply methods to real-world problems while considering environmental and ethical considerations. 

After foundational courses, programs focus on completing computer-aided design projects individually or in teams. Bachelor's degree programs offer technical electives that allow students to take more classes in their preferred sub-discipline.

Many civil engineering degree jobs require a minimum of a bachelor's. Graduates may consider a career as an environmental engineer, transport planner, structural engineer, geoengineer, or civil engineer. 

Though bachelor of arts degrees in civil engineering exist, they are rare. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, or ABET, only accredits bachelor of science degrees in civil engineering. Students hoping to pursue a Professional Engineer (PE) license