The job market for civil engineers in the United States

There are currently an estimated 303,500 civil engineers in the United States. The civil engineer job market is expected to grow by 10.6% between 2016 and 2026.

How employable are civil engineers?

CareerExplorer rates civil engineers with a B- employability rating, meaning this career should provide good employment opportunities for the foreseeable future. Over the next 10 years, it is expected the US will need 37,100 civil engineers. That number is based on 32,200 additional civil engineers, and the retirement of 4,900 existing civil engineers.

Are civil engineers in demand?

The job outlook in this sector will remain favorable. Aging infrastructure ensures that civil engineers will be needed and in demand to manage projects to reinforce and rebuild bridges, repair roads, design and build airports and tunnels, and upgrade levees and dams. Growing populations will necessitate increased maintenance and repair of existing water systems and waste treatment plants, as well as the construction of new and more efficient ones. The trend toward renewable energy will mean that more civil engineers will be needed to conduct required structural analyses, prepare related permit documents, and enforce government regulations. Although state and local budget constraints may periodically impact demand in the field, delayed projects will ultimately have to be completed to preserve or replace critical infrastructure. In other words, the mandatory nature of a significant part of the work carried out by civil engineers translates into typically long-term job stability for these professionals. In addition, civil engineering projects are less conducive to outsourcing, which is more common in other engineering disciplines. A population shift to the western and southern United States is expected to create more infrastructure development in these regions. Overall, civil engineering – among the oldest of all engineering professions – is projected to continue its healthy rate of job creation. Senior engineers should encounter considerable advancement opportunities as project managers or functional managers of design, construction, operation, or maintenance. The call for bigger and higher structures that are more resistant to natural disasters and the desire to better utilize living and working spaces will continue to present civil engineers with new challenges and new employment prospects.

What’s the supply of civil engineers?

The civil engineer industry is concentrated in California, Texas, Florida

Civil Engineer job market by state