Salary Information

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median salary for civil engineers as of 2010 was $77,560. The middle 50 percent of workers in this field earned between $61,590 and $97,990. Although military experience won't necessarily affect your salary, engineering experience while in the military can help you negotiate for a higher pay grade.
  
  

Industry Information

• In 2010, the highest demand for civil engineers was architectural and engineering services, nonresidential building and government at the state, local and federal levels. The highest paying positions were in commercial and industrial equipment, hardware manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, heavy and civil engineering and natural gas pipelines. For people with military experience, government positions may be attractive as they often give seniority-based pay bumps for time served.
  
  

Regional Information

• The BLS reports that the states with the highest demand for civil engineers in 2010 were California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania.The top paying positions were in California, Louisiana, Alaska, Texas and New Jersey. Civil engineers wiling to relocate might want to consider California and Texas, which appear on both lists.
  
  

Job Outlook

• The BLS predicts that jobs in civil engineering will grow by 24 percent between 2008 and 2018, triple the 8 percent expected for U.S. jobs as a whole. They credit this aggressive growth to growing populations and an increased need to improve the national infrastructure as some structured wear out, and new technology demands continuing improvements.