Architecture and Engineering Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 17-3022

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Median pay sits 46% below the mid peer in Architecture and Engineering Occupations (neighbors include Petroleum Engineers, Environmental Engineers, Marine Engineers and Naval Architects, Electronics Engineers, Except Computer).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians: Petroleum Engineers ($145K) , Environmental Engineers ($107K) , Marine Engineers and Naval Architects ($112K) , Electronics Engineers, Except Computer ($130K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 17-3022 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Calculate dimensions, square footage, profile and component specifications, and material quantities, using calculator or computer
  2. 2. Inspect project site and evaluate contractor work to detect design malfunctions and ensure conformance to design specifications and appli…
  3. 3. Read and review project blueprints and structural specifications to determine dimensions of structure or system and material requirements
  4. 4. Draft detailed dimensional drawings and design layouts for projects to ensure conformance to specifications
  5. 5. Conduct materials test and analysis, using tools and equipment and applying engineering knowledge
  6. 6. Develop plans and estimate costs for installation of systems, utilization of facilities, or construction of structures
  7. 7. Confer with supervisor to determine project details such as plan preparation, acceptance testing, and evaluation of field conditions
  8. 8. Analyze proposed site factors and design maps, graphs, tracings, and diagrams to illustrate findings
  9. 9. Prepare reports and document project activities and data
  10. 10. Develop project budgets by estimating the cost of project activities
  11. 11. Plan and conduct field surveys to locate new sites and analyze details of project sites
  12. 12. Respond to public suggestions and complaints

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians: O*NET ranks Critical Thinking first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 17-3022 - lead skill Critical Thinking at 3.9 ; lead knowledge Engineering and Technology. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Critical Thinking 3.9
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.8
  3. 3. Active Listening 3.8
  4. 4. Mathematics 3.6
  5. 5. Speaking 3.4
  6. 6. Writing 3.3
  7. 7. Monitoring 3.3
  8. 8. Complex Problem Solving 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Engineering and Technology 4.5
  2. 2. Mathematics 4.2
  3. 3. Building and Construction 4.2
  4. 4. Design 4.2
  5. 5. Administrative 3.6
  6. 6. Administration and Management 3.6
Pay vs Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers
-46%
vs mid peer median $120,630
This role $64,950/yr
$65K
National median
↑ +2%
Growth 2024-2034
5,500
Annual openings
68,520
Estimated US jobs
Petroleum Engineers
Highest-pay peer · $145K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Associate's degree

Top Paying States for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

1. Illinois $79,190
2. New York $73,790
3. Oregon $85,390
4. California $83,490
5. Minnesota $78,690
6. Nevada $74,810
7. Wisconsin $73,970
8. Washington $79,580
9. Vermont $74,100
10. Connecticut $73,430

Other Architecture and Engineering Occupations titles

  1. 1. Environmental Engineers $107,110
  2. 2. Marine Engineers and Naval Architects $112,230
  3. 3. Electronics Engineers, Except Computer $130,220
  4. 4. Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors $115,160
  5. 5. Petroleum Engineers $144,910
  6. 6. Electrical Engineers $120,630

Among Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers on this card, Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians sits 46% below the mid peer median ($120,630). Its own median is $64,950.

Employment Projections expect +2% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 5,500 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Illinois at $79,190. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Petroleum Engineers at $144,910. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay-rank #33 in Architecture and Engineering Occupations

On the Architecture and Engineering Occupations median table (36 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians lands at #33, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians pays 46% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 17-3022

Illinois · top state for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

$79K published median

New York · #2 state pay

$74K · behind Illinois

Petroleum Engineers

Highest-pay peer vs Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians · $145K

Environmental Engineers

Lower-pay peer beside Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians · $107K

Compare Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Against another occupation

Petroleum Engineers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians land on the Architecture and Engineering Occupations median table? ▼
Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians is pay-rank #33 of 36 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians ($66K), Architectural and Civil Drafters ($66K), Drafters, All Other ($64K), Calibration Technologists and Technicians ($68K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do civil engineering technologists and technicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians. Leading ones include: 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 appli…; 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 to ensure conformance to specifications. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for civil engineering technologists and technicians? ▼
For SOC 17-3022, O*NET importance scores lead with Critical Thinking (3.9), Reading Comprehension (3.8), Active Listening (3.8), Mathematics (3.6). Knowledge areas emphasize Engineering and Technology, Mathematics, Building and Construction. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $64,950 as the national median for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians. The published 10th-90th range is $44,220 to $98,980. Beside Petroleum Engineers ($144,910), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians is +2%. Projected annual openings: about 5,500. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
BLS assigns Associate's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
Illinois ($79,190), New York ($73,790), Oregon ($85,390) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 17-3022. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics