Average Salary Masters in Civil Engineering
Average Salary Masters in Civil Engineering
There are many types of civil engineers today, like most professions there has been specialization as technology has increasingly grown more complex. Among the disciplines in this category are structural engineering, transportation, urban engineering and environmental engineering, a relatively recent development in the field. Civil engineers working in the environmental field may find themselves involved in air quality or water quality projects, in other large public works endeavors such as sewer systems, or in the sustainability elements of a construction project or new building.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics provides some basic figures for salary averages in the field. According to their survey the median salary for a civil engineer as of May 2009 was $76,600. That figure is based on all engineers in the field, most of who are working with a bachelor's degree. The salary for professionals who have completed a masters in civil engineering is going to be higher as will the management opportunities. According to Payscale.com the average difference in annual salary can be $5,000 to $10,000 for a bachelor's degree versus a master's in civil engineering. The job opportunities in this field are projected to increase by 24% over the next ten years, much faster than the average increase of jobs overall.
Structural engineering job salaries vary by location and company as might be expected. For construction giant Bechtel Corp. the salary range for this position is $60,400 - $84.100. Seniority is obviously a factor in this salary range, but the global factor also enters into salary considerations for structural engineers as so many major construction firms have projects on multiple continents. Bechtel is just one example of a firm that has done major projects in the Middle East and defense-related projects in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In transportation engineering a professional who has completed a masters in engineering will earn a median salary of $62,000 according to Payscale. If the job is in the public sector, where much of the transportation planning and design takes place, the salary range is slightly higher, ranging from $53,000 to $73,000. But it is worth noting that government pay structures routinely reward graduate degrees and also require them for senior positions. Location also plays an important role; transportation engineers working for Caltrans, the State of California Department of Transportation, can top out at a salary of $95,000.
Environmental engineers earn about the same on an average as civil engineers in general. However the average salary for environmental health and safety engineer manager, the role that would require a master's in engineering, is over $100,000. The health and safety aspect of the field often crosses over into industrial engineering, but environmental concerns on the job site have created a niche for civil engineers as well.
Urban engineering is a term for the civil engineering projects that have to do with municipal infrastructure. These are the water systems, power systems and sewage systems that provide essential services for large urban centers. Work in this field can be limited by municipal salary structures, which provide a median salary for urban engineering of about $68,000. However working with an energy company designing power delivery systems may result in a much more beneficial salary structure.
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