Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is the branch of engineering that designs, builds, and maintains infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings, foundations, drainage systems, water networks, and public works.

Explore civil engineering disciplines, calculators, technical guides, equations, charts and tables, careers, and learning resources from one central hub.

Explore Civil Engineering Use Civil Engineering Calculators

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Explore Civil Engineering

Start with one of the four major civil engineering disciplines below. Each hub connects to focused guides, design topics, examples, and related engineering tools.

Other civil engineering specialties

Civil engineering also includes areas such as construction engineering, environmental engineering, surveying and geomatics, municipal engineering, coastal engineering, and materials engineering.

Civil Engineering Guides, Careers, and Education

Start with these core civil engineering guides to understand the profession, explore career paths, compare schools and salaries, find job information, and learn about major civil engineering companies.

What Is Civil Engineering?

Learn what civil engineering covers, how its major branches work together, what engineers evaluate, and how infrastructure projects move from concept through construction.

Read What Is Civil Engineering?

What Do Civil Engineers Do?

See what civil engineers actually do day to day, including design, analysis, field work, project deliverables, software, specialties, and career progression.

See What Civil Engineers Do

Top Civil Engineering Schools

Compare leading civil engineering programs using rankings, accreditation, specialty strength, cost, internships, labs, and career access.

Compare Civil Engineering Schools

Civil Engineering Salary

Review current civil engineering pay data, experience and PE-license effects, employer and location differences, total compensation, and salary negotiation.

View Civil Engineering Salary Guide

Civil Engineering Jobs

Explore civil engineering job types, skills, software, employers, education, FE and PE pathways, career progression, and the current job outlook.

Explore Civil Engineering Jobs

Civil Engineering Companies

Compare major civil engineering firms, company types, services, project fit, local versus national firms, and what to look for when choosing an employer or consultant.

Explore Civil Engineering Companies

Civil Engineering Calculators

Use engineering calculators to move from theory to practical calculations for structures, construction, hydraulics, drainage, and site work.

Browse all engineering calculators

Find additional engineering calculators for civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, HVAC, construction, mathematics, and related technical work.

View All Engineering Calculators

Civil Engineering Charts and Tables

Use quick-reference charts and tables when you need standard sizes, classifications, dimensions, material data, or field and design references without running a full calculation.

Structural references

Find references for structural shapes, rebar, fasteners, steel grades, joist spans, and other common design and construction data.

Geotechnical references

Review soil classification, sieve sizes, and other geotechnical reference data used in soil identification and engineering analysis.

Pipe and infrastructure references

Compare pipe sizes, dimensions, schedules, and related infrastructure reference data.

Browse charts and tables

Explore the complete Turn2Engineering collection of engineering charts, tables, size references, and technical lookup tools.

View Engineering Charts and Tables

Civil Engineering Topics

Browse technical subjects by discipline. These topic directories are designed to help you move from a broad civil engineering branch into focused design and analysis concepts.

What Is Civil Engineering?

Civil engineering is the engineering discipline responsible for much of the built environment and public infrastructure people use every day.

Civil engineers plan, analyze, design, support construction of, inspect, maintain, and improve infrastructure. Their work can involve buildings, bridges, roads, foundations, drainage systems, water infrastructure, transportation networks, utilities, and public works.

The field combines mathematics, physics, materials, soil behavior, fluid mechanics, design standards, construction methods, environmental conditions, economics, and engineering judgment. Because the discipline is broad, most civil engineers specialize in areas such as structural, geotechnical, transportation, water resources, construction, environmental, or municipal engineering.

For a deeper overview of the profession, branches, work settings, and examples, read What Is Civil Engineering?

Civil Engineering Learning Path

If you are new to civil engineering, use this sequence to build a foundation before moving into specialized design topics.

1. Understand the field

Learn what civil engineers do, how infrastructure projects are developed, and how the major civil engineering branches differ.

2. Build engineering fundamentals

Study statics, mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, engineering mathematics, materials, drawings, and basic engineering economics.

3. Choose a specialization

Move into structural, geotechnical, transportation, or water resources engineering based on the systems and project types that interest you most.

4. Learn design methods

Study discipline-specific topics such as structural loads, concrete and steel design, soil mechanics, hydrology, drainage, pavement design, and traffic engineering.

5. Practice with engineering tools

Use equations, worked examples, calculators, charts, and tables to connect engineering concepts to practical calculations and design decisions.

Civil Engineering Careers and Job Outlook

Civil engineers work across consulting, construction, public agencies, transportation departments, utilities, site development, infrastructure ownership, and related engineering organizations.

$99,590

Median annual wage for U.S. civil engineers in May 2024.

5%

Projected U.S. employment growth from 2024 to 2034.

23,600

Projected average annual openings over the 2024–2034 decade.

Bachelor’s degree

Typical entry-level education reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Career data source

Career figures on this page are based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook for Civil Engineers.

View BLS Civil Engineer Data

Civil Engineering Education, FE, and PE Licensure

Education and licensure requirements depend on the role and jurisdiction, but many U.S. civil engineers follow a path involving an engineering degree, the FE exam, qualifying engineering experience, and the PE exam.

Engineering education

Students considering civil engineering should verify the accreditation status of individual programs. ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission accredits eligible engineering programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.

Explore Civil Engineering Schools

Search ABET-Accredited Programs

FE and PE pathway

NCEES notes that engineering licensure requirements are set by individual state and territorial licensing boards. Candidates typically complete education, pass the FE and PE exams, and satisfy qualifying experience requirements.

Review NCEES Licensure Information

Professional responsibility

Licensure can be especially important for engineers who provide services directly to the public, take responsible charge of engineering work, or sign and seal engineering documents where required by law.

Civil Engineering Equations and Technical Resources

Use equations and technical references alongside calculators and discipline guides when you need to understand the relationships behind an engineering calculation.

Engineering equations

Review formulas, variables, and relationships used across mechanics, hydraulics, structures, soils, transportation, and other engineering subjects.

Browse Engineering Equations

Engineering calculators

Use interactive calculators when you want to apply formulas directly to engineering inputs and see calculated results.

Browse Engineering Calculators

Civil Engineering Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main branches of civil engineering?

Major civil engineering branches include structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, transportation engineering, and water resources engineering. The broader field also includes construction, environmental, municipal, coastal, surveying, and materials-related specialties.

What is the difference between civil engineering and structural engineering?

Civil engineering is the broader discipline covering infrastructure and the built environment. Structural engineering is a civil engineering specialty focused on the behavior and design of load-resisting systems such as buildings, bridges, frames, towers, and structural components.

Which civil engineering field should I choose?

Structural engineering may fit people interested in buildings and bridges; transportation engineering focuses on roads, traffic, and mobility; water resources engineering covers hydrology, drainage, and water systems; and geotechnical engineering focuses on soil, rock, foundations, and earth-retaining systems.

Do civil engineers need a PE license?

Not every civil engineering position requires PE licensure, and requirements vary by jurisdiction and type of practice. Licensure is particularly important for many engineers who provide services directly to the public or take legal responsibility for engineering work.

What tools do civil engineers use?

Civil engineers use engineering calculations, design standards, CAD and modeling software, spreadsheets, technical reports, survey and field data, equations, charts, and specialized analysis tools depending on their discipline.

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