Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Using numbers, measurements, formulas, quantitative reasoning, and mathematical concepts.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Using computers, software, digital systems, and technology to complete work and solve problems.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Civil Engineering Technologist or Technician Civil engineering technicians prepare reports and document project activities and data. An associate’s degree, preferably in civil engineering technology, is typically required to enter the occupation.
Education
Prospective civil engineering technologists and technicians should take courses in science and math, such as chemistry, physics, geometry, and trigonometry. Employers may prefer to hire engineering technologists and technicians who have an associate’s degree from an accredited program, although a degree is not always required. Engineering technology programs also are available at technical or vocational schools that award a postgraduate certificate or diploma. Degree and nondegree programs may include coursework in subjects such as engineering, design, and sciences. Some employers require a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology for civil engineering technologists. Other Experience Some civil engineering technologists and technicians enter the occupation after gaining work experience in a related occupation, particularly as drafters or CAD operators. Drafters or CAD operators working for an engineering firm may advance to civil engineering technologist or technician positions as their knowledge of design and construction increases.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Certification is not required to enter this occupation, but it may help technologists and technicians develop in their careers. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop. Advancement Civil engineering technologists and technicians may advance in their careers by learning to design systems for a variety of projects, such as storm sewers, and to become skilled at reading graphical drawings of proposed projects. Technicians who obtain appropriate education or certification may advance to become technologists.
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Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of civil engineering technologists and technicians is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 6,100 openings for civil engineering technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment The country’s infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, levees, airports, and dams, will need to be repaired, maintained, and enhanced. In addition, more waste treatment plants will be needed to help clean the nation’s waterways, and water systems must be maintained to reduce or eliminate the loss of potable water. Civil engineers plan, design, and oversee this work, and civil engineering technologists and technicians will be needed to assist the engineers in these projects. However, employment growth in this occupation may be limited as improved drafting tools, such as computer-aided design (CAD) software, increase worker productivity. Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Civil engineering technologists and technicians 3% Drafters, engineering technicians, and mapping technicians 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Do
Civil engineering technologists and technicians help civil engineers plan, design, and build highways, bridges, utilities, and other infrastructure projects. They also help to plan, design, and build commercial, industrial, residential, and land development projects.
Duties
Civil engineering technologists and technicians typically do the following:
- Read and review project drawings and plans to determine the sizes of structures
- Confer with engineers to prepare plans
- Develop plans and estimate costs for constructing systems and operating facilities
- Use computer aided design (CAD) software to draft project drawings
- Conduct field surveys to collect data on site conditions and inspect structures
- Test appropriateness of construction materials and soil samples
- Observe project sites to ensure that construction conforms to design specifications and applicable codes
- Prepare reports and document project activities and data
- Set up and help maintain project files and records
Civil engineering technicians typically install, troubleshoot, and maintain designs created by engineers. They may work under the direction of engineers or engineering technologists.
Civil engineering technologists typically help licensed engineers improve designs or incorporate new technology. They may be team leaders, instructing civil engineering technicians on installing equipment, systems, or structures.
These technologists and technicians observe progress on a jobsite, collect data, and complete reports to document project activities. Because they are not licensed, civil engineering technologists and technicians cannot approve designs or supervise the overall project.
In addition, civil engineering technologists and technicians sometimes estimate construction costs, develop specifications, and prepare drawings. They also may set up and monitor various instruments for traffic studies. Their duties often require use of software to design projects, collect and analyze data, prepare reports, and manage files.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Civil engineering technologists and technicians held about 70,900 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of civil engineering technologists and technicians were as follows:
| Engineering services | 47% |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 23 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 19 |
| Construction | 3 |
Civil engineering technologists and technicians work in offices, helping civil engineers plan and design projects. They also visit construction jobsites to collect or test materials or to observe activities as a project inspector. They may work at several sites, using cars or trucks as a mobile office.
Civil engineering technologists and technicians frequently work on teams with civil engineers, surveyors and surveying technicians, construction workers, and others involved with projects.
Work Schedules
Civil engineering technologists and technicians usually work full time. When working at construction sites, their schedules may be subject to factors that affect construction, such as weather. Their schedules also may be tied to those of the construction projects they are involved with.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Critical-thinking skills. Civil engineering technologists and technicians carry out project plans and designs that engineers have approved. They must be able to understand and interpret the reports and documents describing these projects. Decision-making skills. Civil engineering technologists and technicians must be able to discern which information is most important and which actions will help keep a project on schedule. Math skills. Civil engineering technologists and technicians use math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting. Observational skills. Civil engineering technologists and technicians sometimes visit jobsites to assess a project and report back to the engineer. Problem-solving skills. As assistants to civil engineers, these technologists and technicians must be able to help engineers identify problems and design projects to solve them. Writing skills. Civil engineering technologists and technicians must be able to prepare reports that are well organized and clearly convey information.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about civil engineering technologists and technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.