Roads, bridges and ports are just a few civil engineering projects that you rely on every day, whether you know it or not.
For example, even if you don’t drive, you probably buy products transported to the store or your home by a truck or delivery driver. And if that product was made overseas, it likely arrived in the U.S. through a port or airport.
Civil engineers plan, design and manage the infrastructure you rely on, directly or indirectly. The study has existed for thousands of years under various names. Across cultures and eras, you can find engineering marvels like the Giza pyramid complex, the Great Wall of China, the Colosseum in Rome and Machu Picchu in Peru.
But these feats are only one aspect of civil engineering. Much less flashy but much more important is the infrastructure so common that we take it for granted: roads, railways, ports, tunnels, dams and even our water supply systems.
“When you flush the toilet or take a shower, that water doesn’t just go away,” says University of the Pacific civil engineering Professor Camilla Saviz. “It goes to a wastewater treatment plant. It gets treated, then either gets reused or discharged into the environment. So, in a nutshell, civil engineers build the systems that keep society working.”
Given their importance, it’s no wonder that U.S. News’ Best Engineering Jobs 2025 report ranks the field as the seventh best, crediting that primarily to wage potential and employment. Those wages sit at a median of $95,890 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BLS data also indicates civil engineering employment will grow by 6% inside of the next decade, higher than the average growth of 4%.
If you’re thinking about studying civil engineering in college or changing your major, this article will cover the basics of what you need to know.
Civil engineering pathways
Civil engineering isn’t just a very old field, it’s also very broad. Its subfields include infrastructure, environmental, structural, water resources, architectural, construction, transportation engineering and more.
Generally, universities offer several of those fields as concentrations in their civil engineering programs. Students in those programs typically take basic courses covering most civil engineering subfields and then take electives to specialize in one or more concentrations.
Here are some of the concentrations you may be able to study:
Infrastructure systems engineering
Infrastructure systems engineering is one of the discipline’s broadest subfields and incorporates elements from other areas. Infrastructure systems engineers have a bird’s eye view of their projects. They design, manage and supervise the construction of structures, foundations or systems that may affect whole communities like water supply, flood control, water treatment and transportation.
“They’re the ones translating the plans and making sure what’s built is correct,” says Saviz. “They’re also there in case something unexpected happens. You dig a trench and there’s a pipe that wasn’t supposed to be there. They’re the ones who adapt and keep the project going.”
Structural engineering
These engineers use their knowledge of physics and materials to design safe and stable structures like buildings, tunnels and bridges. They work with architects who determine a structure’s appearance and functionality. Guided by that vision, structural engineers design the framework, which you could also think of as the “skeleton,” that keeps the structure standing for years to come.
These engineers are also often involved in the actual construction process to make sure the project is proceeding according to plan.
Environmental engineering
Environmental engineers design solutions to mitigate or alleviate the effects of waste and pollutants, such as constructing systems for water treatment, waste disposal or air/water pollution control.
Education in this subfield can also be useful even if you don’t end up working directly with those systems.
“They come across it in consulting or working in regulatory agencies because of water quality and environmental quality regulations,” Saviz says.
Water resources engineering
The management of our water resources is a vast field. Engineers working in this field are concerned with available water resources and their storage, distribution, quality and estimated demands.
This is important not only for personal usage, but also for public works and the agricultural industry. This topic can become especially complex considering water resource regulations and its potential transportation across cities, counties or even states.
Depending on their position in industry—regulation or consulting —water resources engineers may handle data analysis and collection, system design, construction management or some combination of these skills.
Civil engineering major requirements
Outside of these specialized classes, your education as a civil engineer will heavily rely on your knowledge of mathematics and science subjects like physics and chemistry.
If these are subjects you already excel in, then you’re in a good position to enter a college-level engineering program. You will want to take the highest-level classes you have access to. For example, you’ll be better prepared for college math if you have taken calculus or Advanced Placement calculus.
But even if math and science aren’t your best subjects, you can still seek extra help as a high school student. You should speak with your teachers, who may be able to give you extra support for cracking those tougher concepts. Your school may also have staff or peer tutors who can help guide you through these classes.
What does a civil engineer do?
Civil engineering is a vast field. What a civil engineer does can depend heavily on their specializations, their industry and where they practice their trade.
“You can find your passion and go there,” Saviz says.
This is one of the best parts of civil engineering: its flexibility. Although civil engineering is formally separated into different subfields, they overlap with each other. Generally, civil engineering degree programs acknowledge this cross-specialization by encouraging or requiring you to take classes in two or more concentrations.
Civil engineers are employed by the government, by consulting firms, by educational institutions and by industry. Working for a public agency at the local, state or federal level can empower you to make positive community changes. Working in industry, whether in construction or a specialized field, can involve you in work that’s reshaping our world.
You could also go into consulting and provide specialized services to industry and government on varied projects and design challenges. Finally, you might find yourself in education, mentoring a future generation of changemakers or doing cutting-edge research.
Unlike other fields, civil engineers tend to have more flexibility in career paths.
“Every village, every town, every city, every county needs civil engineers because of the infrastructure aspect. You’re not tied to once place like the tech sector is,” Saviz says.
Civil engineering at Pacific
If you’re interested in a degree in civil engineering, Pacific can give you the tools and experience you need to stand out among your peers as you enter the workforce.
With an average class size of 24 students and a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you’ll have more chances to interact with your professors and peers. As Saviz points out, this can be especially helpful in the working world.
“Students work really closely together,” she says. “They’re sometimes colleagues in the same company. Or one might be a consultant while the other is on the project management side. And finding jobs, they recruit each other. … They make lifelong friends. It really helps our students find a community.”
Pacific emphasizes hands-on education, including a lab component in most classes. Students are also encouraged to use the labs, with faculty supervision, for projects with student teams, clubs or other opportunities.
“We have a lot of projects, field trips and many more labs than most universities,” Saviz says. “Each of our core classes had a lab with it. So, our students get to apply their knowledge to design stuff. Design a building, design an experiment, use software.”
Before graduating, you’ll also gain practical and professional experience through Pacific’s Cooperative Education (CO-OP) program, and you’ll complete a senior project.
Pacific partners with companies to offer paid, full-time internships exclusively to our students through an online job board. Applying and getting those opportunities will teach you how to build a resume, interview and ultimately build connections in industry.
With all that experience at your back, you’ll tackle a team-based project in your senior year to showcase your education and experience. Although most are theoretical in nature, some students end up working on actual projects.
“One group did a women and family shelter design in Modesto,” Saviz recalls. “Another group did a park upgrade in Stockton. One did a hotel design. [And when] the City of Stockton wanted to expand their animal shelter, [one group] did the design of the expansion.”
Once you earn your civil engineering degree, you’ll stand out among your peers with your education, professional experience and actual examples of your work.
As a civil engineer, you’ll play a critical role in building and maintaining the infrastructure that keeps daily life running—roads, bridges, water systems, and more. Your skills will be in demand across both public and private sectors, shaping the spaces we live and work in.
If you think it’s your calling, then Pacific’s civil engineering program can empower you with the tools, experience and connections to be a changemaker and leader.