Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

What Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians Do

Apply theory and principles of civil engineering in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of structures and facilities under the direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Self-employed

0.8%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• Engineering and Technologyimportance 4.5/5
• Mathematicsimportance 4.2/5
• Building and Constructionimportance 4.2/5
• Designimportance 4.2/5
• Administrativeimportance 3.6/5
• Administration and Managementimportance 3.6/5
• Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.5/5
• Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.5/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0/5
• E-Mail4.8/5
• Contact With Others4.5/5
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.5/5
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.5/5
• Telephone Conversations4.3/5

Related Careers

• Architectural and Civil Drafters
• Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
• Construction Managers
• Construction and Building Inspectors
• Electrical and Electronics Drafters
• Mechanical Drafters
• Civil Engineers
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Fire Inspectors and Investigators97% skill match
• Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers97% skill match
• Conservation Scientists96% skill match
• Animal Scientists96% skill match
• Environmental Engineers96% skill match
• Occupational Health and Safety Technicians95% skill match
• Soil and Plant Scientists95% skill match
• Microbiologists95% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.1/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
• Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
• Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
• Systems Analysisimportance 2.9/5
• Time Managementimportance 2.9/5
• Service Orientationimportance 2.8/5
• Systems Evaluationimportance 2.8/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Cautiousness
• Integrity
• Achievement Orientation
• Perseverance
• Intellectual Curiosity

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• RealisticHigh
• InvestigativeHigh
• ConventionalHigh
• ArtisticLow
• EnterprisingLow
• SocialLow

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where civil engineering technologists and technicians make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Dover, DE6.11× national avg
2. 2Ames, IA5.89× national avg
3. 3Springfield, IL5.01× national avg
4. 4Santa Fe, NM4.98× national avg
5. 5Charleston, WV4.55× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• Environmental EngineersAdvancement
• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsAdvancement
• Fire Inspectors and InvestigatorsCareer Change
• Materials ScientistsCareer Change

See the full career path from Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.