We surveyed 5,255 civil engineers to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical civil engineer. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as a civil engineer?
Low
High
Working as a civil engineer typically requires higher levels of intelligence when compared with the average career. This means that civil engineers are required to actively learn new things related to their discipline and solve complex problems.
Can I learn to become a civil engineer?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a civil engineer typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a civil engineer?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically difficult to find a job as a civil engineer. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for civil engineers.
Do civil engineers work full-time or part-time?
88% of civil engineers work in full-time roles while 12% work part-time.
Is being a civil engineer stressful?
Low
High
Stress is very commonplace for civil engineers, contributing negatively towards career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as a civil engineer?
Low
High
Organization is considered a very important trait for civil engineers, and is critical to success in the field.
How competitive is the workplace for civil engineers?
Low
High
Civil engineers tend to see lots of competition in the workplace, with desire to get ahead of co-workers being common.
Does being a civil engineer require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Civil engineers will have to sometimes face time pressure on the job.
Are civil engineers allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Civil engineers rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.
Do civil engineers have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
While sometimes the direction is set, occasionally civil engineers will have some flexibility over the direction of their work.
Is being a civil engineer physically demanding?
Low
High
Being a civil engineer may occasionally require demanding physical activity, which may make it not a suitable career choice for everyone.
Are civil engineers exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
The workload of a civil engineer changes frequently, with their day-to-day rarely being the same.
Does being a civil engineer require attention to detail?
Low
High
Attention to detail is a vital skill for civil engineers, as small mistakes can make or break one's ability to succeed in the career.
Does being a good civil engineer require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
The ability to be compassion and empathetic isn't considered fundamental to success as a civil engineer.