by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying General Civil Engineering covers Civil Engineering, General. A Program That Generally Prepares Individuals To Apply Mathematical And Scientific Principles To The Design, Development And Operational Evaluation Of Structural, Load-Bearing, Material Moving, Transportation, Water Resource, And Material Control Systems; And Environmental Safety Measures. Continue reading for the essential details every general civil engineering major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general civil engineering programs.
Nationwide, general civil engineering is a popular field of study, with 19,293 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Civil Engineering Schools ranking analyzes these 305 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general civil engineering students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general civil engineering programs later in this article.
Programs in General Civil Engineering develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general civil engineering graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a general civil engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a general civil engineering major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general civil engineering degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 82 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 13,451 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 4,620 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 1,140 |
People currently working in careers related to general civil engineering tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 37.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 26.8% |
| Master’s degree | 12.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 8.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 8.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.1% |
| First professional degree | 1.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general civil engineering careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in general civil engineering opens doors to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to general civil engineering.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general civil engineering.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Transportation Engineers | 392,941 | 1.1% |
| Water/Wastewater Engineers | 383,114 | 5.6% |
| Civil Engineers | 278,890 | 11.7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of general civil engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $71,056 |
| 4 years | $78,886 |
| 5 years | $88,976 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for general civil engineering graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general civil engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Transportation Engineers | $120,210 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Water/Wastewater Engineers | $86,573 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Civil Engineers | $72,457 |
With 305 different general civil engineering programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general civil engineering school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in general civil engineering, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Structural Engineering | 338 |
| Civil Engineering, Other | 173 |
| Transportation and Highway Engineering | 127 |
| Water Resources Engineering | 53 |
| Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 21 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
