Civil engineering is a growing and dynamic field with many opportunities for specialization and growth. Engineers design public and private infrastructure and buildings for functionality and safety. Just some of the projects civil engineers work on include schools, hospitals, bridges, water treatment facilities, and roads. Civil engineers often work as part of a construction and development team.
It takes a minimum of eight years to become a civil engineer, and some states require engineers to be licensed, which can take longer. Many senior-level positions may also require a graduate degree or substantial experience. Regardless of which path you choose, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the field to grow 6% over the decade.
In this article, we’ll explore how long it takes to become a civil engineer, the process, and career outlook.
The Typical Timeline: From High School to PE Licensure
The timeline to become a licensed civil engineer is roughly eight years but can take longer depending on your other time commitments and motivation. You need to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering, gain four years of experience in the field, and pass an exam before becoming licensed.
Each state is slightly different, so the licensing process can be longer in some states and shorter in others. Most states require the Principals and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam to get licenses. Many states also require state-specific exams.
Some states, like California, require additional exams for some specialty engineering licenses. For example, civil engineers in California are required to pass the California Civil Exams on Seismic Principles and Engineering Surveying. Professional engineering courses can help you prepare to pass state-specific exams.
While it’s not necessary for engineers to become licensed, you will not be permitted to submit plans to public works departments or work in the public sector without being licensed. Since the bulk of work as a civil engineer revolves around plan submittals and public safety, it is best practice to become licensed.
If you intend to prepare design work for any public use in any engineering field most states and federal agencies require a professional engineering license. Civil engineering is also the most likely discipline to require a professional license, and this vocation carries the highest number of professional licenses nationally.
The Path to Becoming a Civil Engineer
The path to becoming a civil engineer includes education, passing one or more exams, and gaining real-life experience under a licensed professional engineer.
Education. A high school diploma or GED is required. To prepare for the rigors of earning a degree in engineering, many high schoolers take additional courses in math and science and join robotics or engineering clubs.
Most states require at least a four-year engineering degree from a college or university accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). In college, you will take classes in structural analysis, materials science, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, engineering mechanics and systems, mathematics, physics, and computer aided design (CAD). Many college programs offer internships so you can begin to gain hands-on experience in the field. Internships also offer an open-door for a job upon graduation.
Exams. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) facilitates the Fundamentals in Engineering (FE) and PE exams. Licensees are required to pass both.
Experience. Most states require at least four years of experience working under a licensed professional engineer.
Post-Graduation Steps to Licensure
Here’s a closer look at the steps required after graduating with an undergraduate degree in engineering.
Step 1: Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam
The FE exam is the first step to becoming licensed. It’s often taken during the senior year of college or shortly after graduation while the information is still fresh. The exam includes 110 questions with a six-hour time limit. The exam itself is five hours and 20 minutes. The remaining time is allocated toward breaks, tutorials, and paperwork.
The civil engineering exam includes:
- Mathematics and Statistics (8-12 questions)
- Ethics and Professional Practice (4-6 questions)
- Engineering Economics (5-8 questions)
- Statics (8-12 questions)
- Dynamics (4-6 questions)
- Mechanics of Materials (7-11 questions)
- Materials (5-8 questions)
- Fluid Mechanics (6-9 questions)
- Surveying (6-9 questions)
- Water Resources and Environmental Engineering (10-15 questions)
- Structural Engineering (10-15 questions)
- Geotechnical Engineering (10-15 questions)
- Transportation Engineering (9-14 questions)
- Construction Engineering (8-12 questions)
Step 2: Gaining Professional Experience
Upon graduation, the next step is gaining hands-on experience under a licensed professional engineer. Oftentimes, interns will continue working for the same firm where they completed their internship. However, there is an advantage to working for more than one company to gain experience across all aspects of civil engineering, including structural, transportation, geotechnical, and environmental projects.
Keep in mind that you will need to pass the PE exam, so the more you know about the broad scope of civil engineering, the more prepared you will be to take the exam.
Additionally, you will gain soft skills in teamwork, communication, and leadership. These are valuable as you will often work as part of a team.
Step 3: Passing the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Exam
The final step before becoming licensed is passing the PE exam. The PE exam tests for a minimal competency level and is generally taken once engineers have four years of on-the-job experience post-graduation. NCEES offers more than 20 PE exams in different specialties. The civil engineering exam has 80 questions with a time limit of nine hours.
The exam itself is eight hours, and the remaining time includes breaks, tutorials, and paperwork.
Within civil engineering, you can take the PE exam in several topics:
- Construction
- Geotechnical
- Structural
- Transportation
- Water resources and environmental engineering
NCEES provides an electronic reference handbook and specified design standards that can be used during the exam.
Exam prep should include study guides, review courses, and practice tests. Most candidates begin preparing for the exam three to six months ahead of time and allocate a minimum of two to four hours a day to prepare for the exam in the six to eight weeks leading up to the scheduled test date.
Signing up for continuing education courses and exam preparation resources from test prep schools offer the best resources for passing the exam on the first try.
Alternative and Accelerated Paths
Many civil engineers get advanced degrees in civil engineering or an area of specialization. Motivated students can complete a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree program in five years. While the inherent advantage of accelerated programs is getting into the workforce more quickly, these only work for those that truly know which direction they would like to go.
Additionally, internships count toward the work-experience requirement to sit for the exam. Most internships are three to four months and are completed during the summer months of your junior and senior years.
In many states obtaining an advanced degree shortens the mandatory experience requirements. For example, in Kentucky if you obtain a master’s in civil engineering only three years or relevant supervised work experience is required. If you obtain a doctorate in Civil Engineering, then only one year of relevant work experience is required. There are other advantages like this when obtaining a Professional Engineering license.
If an accelerated program is not for you, there are part-time and online programs you can take while working in the field. The advantage of this route is learning what excites you most in the field and getting real-world experience. Make sure the college or university you attend is accredited by ABET. Not all states require that your education be obtained from an ABET-accredited school, but should you decide to seek a reciprocal license in another state, you might run into a problem if it is not.
Continuing Education and Career Growth
Career growth is dependent on what you know, which you gain through lifelong learning and experience. Some states also require continuing education to maintain licensure.
Regardless, continuing education is a great way to enhance your skillset and learn more about specialties in engineering—it is also a great way to stay current on trends in the industry.
Career Opportunities After Licensure
Several specialties exist within the broad field of civil engineering. For career advancement in a specialty area, you will usually need advanced certifications, a graduate degree, or extensive experience. Different specialties include:
- Construction engineers—specialize in designing buildings, roads, and dams. Construction engineers also design hospitals, schools, and other public buildings.
- Environmental engineers—ensure air and water quality is maintained during infrastructure and construction, especially for large-scale projects.
- Geotechnical engineers—design tunnels, embankments, pipelines, and foundations. Geotechnical engineers have a strong knowledge of how soil and other natural elements erode over time.
- Hydraulic engineers—work to maintain and improve water quality and control water to minimize and prevent flooding.
- Structural engineers—ensure the structural integrity of structures to withstand time and natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tornados, and hurricanes.
- Transportation engineers—maintain and design bridges, highways, harbors, ports, and airports. They work exclusively in transportation infrastructure.
- Urban engineers or regional planners—allocate the development of communal spaces for urban development and population growth.
- Utility engineers—design electricity, gas, and water systems.
Salaries and Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics salaries range between $62,220 and $150,640, with an average of $101,160 for civil engineers. Specialty engineers can earn substantially more. For example, engineers who work in oil and gas earn an average of $200,530 annually.
Salaries also vary depending on where you work in the US, with the highest average salaries in California, New York, and Alaska, ranging from $110,940 in Alaska to $115,100 in California. New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago metropolitan areas have the highest employment rates and also tend to pay better.
Income is only limited by ambition and opportunity. Many engineers move into management where their income is much higher. For example, some plant managers can earn from $500,000 to $3,000,000 a year in the oil and gas industry. Some managers and corporate executives with engineering degrees earn substantially more than this.
Conclusion
While it typically takes at least eight years to complete the education and experience requirements to become a licensed civil engineer, the career is worth the time commitment. Civil engineers are in demand in every state, and entry level civil engineers earn a decent living with ample room for career growth.
All aspects of engineering are worth pursuing and learning about through your continuing PDH education. Discover all the professional engineering courses McKissock Learning has to offer.
