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(June 2017) (
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Construction engineering
, also known as 
construction operations
,
[1]
 is a 
professional subdiscipline of civil engineering that deals with the designing, 
planning, construction, and 
operations management
 of infrastructure such as 
roadways, tunnels, bridges, airports, railroads, facilities, buildings, dams, utilities 
and other projects.
[2]
 Construction engineers learn some of the design aspects 
similar to civil engineers as well as 
project management
 aspects. 
At the educational level, civil engineering students concentrate primarily on the 
design work which is more analytical, gearing them toward a career as a design 
professional. This essentially requires them to take a multitude of challenging 
engineering science and design courses as part of obtaining a 4-year accredited 
degree. Education for construction engineers is primarily focused on construction 
procedures, methods, costs, schedules and personnel management. Their primary 
concern is to deliver a project on time within budget and of the desired quality. 
Regarding educational requirements, construction engineering students take basic 
design courses in civil engineering, as well as 
construction management
 courses. 
Work activities 
Being a sub-discipline of civil engineering, construction engineers apply their 
knowledge and business, technical and management skills obtained from their 
undergraduate degree to oversee projects that include bridges, buildings and 
housing projects. Construction engineers are heavily involved in the design and 
management/ allocation of funds in these projects. They are charged with risk 
analysis, costing and planning. A career in design work does require a professional 
engineer license (PE). Individuals who pursue this career path are strongly advised 
to sit for the 
Engineer in Training
 exam (EIT), also, referred to as the 
Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE) while in college as it takes five years' (4 
years in USA) post-graduate to obtain the PE license. Some states have recently 
changed the PE license exam pre-requisite of 4 years work experience after 
graduation to become a licensed Professional Engineer where an 
EIT
 is eligible to 
take the PE Exam in as little as 6 months after taking the FE exam.
[3]
 
Entry-level construction engineers position is typically project engineers or 
assistant project engineers. They are responsible for preparing purchasing 
requisitions, processing change orders, preparing monthly budgeting reports and 
handling meeting minutes. The construction management position does not 
necessarily require a PE license; however, possessing one does make the individual 

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more marketable, as the PE license allows the individual to sign off on temporary 
structure designs. 
 
A construction project. 
Abilities 
Construction engineers are problem solvers. They contribute to the creation of 
infrastructure that best meets the unique demands of its environment. They must be 
able to understand infrastructure life cycles. When compared and contrasted to 
design engineers, construction engineers bring to the table their own unique 
perspectives for solving technical challenges with clarity and imagination. While 
individuals considering this career path should certainly have a strong 
understanding of mathematics and science, many other skills are also highly 
desirable, including critical and analytical thinking, time management, people 
management and good communication skills. 
Educational requirements 
Individuals looking to obtain a construction engineering degree must first ensure 
that the program is accredited by the 
Accreditation Board for Engineering and 
Technology
 (ABET). ABET accreditation is assurance that a college or university 
program meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it 
prepares its students. In the US there are currently twenty-five programs that exist 
in the entire country so careful college consideration is advised.
[4]
 
A typical construction engineering curriculum is a mixture of 
engineering 
mechanics
, 
engineering design
, construction management and general science and 
mathematics. This usually leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. The B.S. degree 
along with some design or construction experience is sufficient for most entry-
level positions. Graduate schools may be an option for those who want to go 
further in depth of the construction and engineering subjects taught at the 
undergraduate level. In most cases construction engineering graduates look to 
either civil engineering, 
engineering management
 or 
business administration
 as a 
possible graduate degree. 
Job prospects 
Job prospects for construction engineers generally have a strong cyclical variation. 
For example, starting in 2008 and continuing until at least 2011, job prospects have 
been poor due to the collapse of housing bubbles in many parts of the world. This 
sharply reduced demand for construction, forced construction professionals 

---

towards infrastructure construction and therefore increased the competition faced 
by established and new construction engineers. This increased competition and a 
core reduction in quantity demand is in parallel with a possible shift in the demand 
for construction engineers due to the automation of many engineering tasks, 
overall resulting in reduced prospects for construction engineers. In early 2010, the 
United States construction industry had a 27% unemployment rate, this is nearly 
three times higher than the 9.7%
[5]
 national average unemployment rate. The 
construction unemployment rate (including tradesmen) is comparable to the United 
States 1933 unemployment rate—the lowest point of the 
Great Depression
—of 
25%.
[6]
 
Remuneration 
The average salary for a civil engineer in the UK depends on the sector and more 
specifically the level of experience of the individual. A 2010 survey of the 
remuneration and benefits of those occupying jobs in construction and the built 
environment industry
[7]
 showed that the average salary of a civil engineer in the UK 
is £29,582. In the United States, as of May 2013, the average was $85,640.
[8]
 The 
average salary varies depending on experience, for example the average annual 
salary for a civil engineer with between 3 and 6 years' experience is £23,813. For 
those with between 14 and 20 years' experience the average is £38,214.
[9]
 
See also
[

Architectural engineering
 

Building officials
 

Civil engineering 

Construction communication
 

Construction estimating software
 

Construction law
 

Construction management
 

Cost engineering
 

Cost overrun
 

Earthquake engineering
 

Engineering, procurement and construction
 (EPC) 

Engineering, procurement, construction and installation, (
EPCI
) 

Index of construction articles
 

International Building Code
 

Military engineering
 

Quantity surveyor
 

Structural engineering
 

Work breakdown structure
 

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