Civil Engineering Technicians: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Job description

Civil Engineering Technicians 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.

• Calculate dimensions, square footage, profile and component specifications, and material quantities using calculator or computer.
• Inspect project site and evaluate contractor work to detect design malfunctions and ensure conformance to design specifications and applicable codes.
• Read and review project blueprints and structural specifications to determine dimensions of structure or system and material requirements.
• Draft detailed dimensional drawings and design layouts for projects and to ensure conformance to specifications.

Salary

Civil Engineering Technicians with little to no experience tend to make between $33290 and $40160 while the more experienced ones can earn over $65370 per year.

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Civil Engineering Technician is to move to a higher paying state like AK. Right now, the highest paying states for Civil Engineering Technicians are AK, CT, CA, WA and IL.

However, a higher pay at AK doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at AK might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Civil Engineering Technician is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.

Requirements

We asked other Civil Engineering Technicians what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Post-Secondary Certificate followed by a College Certificate.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Civil Engineering Technician.

What is the job like

63% of Civil Engineering Technicians said they were satisfied with their job and 63% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Is this right for me

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

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