Civil vs. Environmental Engineering: Careers, Salaries, and Degree Options

Civil and environmental engineers help design, build, and maintain the infrastructure and systems that support sustainable, resilient communities. Although the fields overlap, civil engineers generally focus on infrastructure and the built environment, while environmental engineers focus more directly on protecting human health and natural systems through work involving water quality, pollution control, remediation, and sustainability.

If you’re comparing civil and environmental engineering, this article explores the differences in responsibilities, salaries, job outlook, educational requirements, and the potential value of earning a specialized master’s degree.

Key takeaways

• Civil engineering focuses primarily on infrastructure and the built environment, while environmental engineering focuses on environmental health, pollution control, water systems, remediation, and sustainability.
• Both fields commonly overlap on projects involving drinking water, wastewater, stormwater management, sustainable construction, and climate resilience.
• Civil engineers may specialize in areas such as structural, transportation, geotechnical, and construction engineering, while environmental engineers often work in water treatment, consulting, remediation, and regulatory compliance.
• The current median annual wage is $141,000 for civil engineers and $93,560 for environmental engineers, although earnings vary by experience, location, industry, and specialization.
• A master’s degree can help engineers develop specialized expertise and prepare for advanced technical, research, project-management, or leadership roles.

Civil vs. environmental engineering: What’s the difference?

Civil engineering focuses broadly on planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining infrastructure and the built environment. Environmental engineering applies engineering and scientific principles to challenges involving water and air quality, waste treatment, pollution control, site remediation, and environmental health.

Although they are distinct career paths, the two disciplines frequently overlap. Civil and environmental engineers may work together on drinking-water systems, wastewater infrastructure, stormwater management, sustainable construction, coastal resilience, and climate-adaptation projects. For example, civil engineers plan, design, and supervise infrastructure projects, while environmental engineers would focus on developing solutions involving areas such as waste treatment, site remediation, and pollution-control technology.

Civil and environmental engineers help design, construct, and maintain the built and natural systems that communities depend on. As Jerome Hajjar, PhD, interim dean of Northeastern University’s College of Engineering and University Distinguished Professor and CDM Smith Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering puts it, “Civil and environmental engineering plays a vital role in human progress and quality of life.” Their work can include roads, bridges, airports, buildings, energy systems, drinking-water infrastructure, wastewater treatment, and transportation networks.

Across these projects, engineers must balance societal needs with environmental and public-health considerations. Their work can involve improving infrastructure, strengthening community resilience, preventing pollution, and addressing existing threats to human and environmental health.

4 factors to consider when pursuing a career in civil and environmental engineering

The demand for skilled professionals in the field of civil and environmental engineering has never been higher, but aspiring engineers need to navigate a multitude of considerations before embarking on this fulfilling career path.

Here’s an overview of the top four factors engineers should consider before pursuing a career in civil or environmental engineering.

1. Civil and environmental engineering career opportunities

Whether you’re a career changer or a young professional hoping to advance your career, employment opportunities are an important factor to consider before choosing a career path. Luckily, our analysis of job postings data shows that there are a large number of monthly job postings and hires in the broad and complex field of civil and environmental engineering, meaning an increased likelihood of quick entry into the field.

There are also many sub-disciplines of civil and environmental engineering, allowing professionals to tailor their careers to specific or broad challenges.

Civil engineering

A master’s degree in civil engineering may help professionals prepare for more specialized or advanced roles in areas such as structural engineering, transportation systems, geotechnical engineering, construction management, and water resources engineering. Graduate education can also support opportunities involving complex project design, technical consulting, research, project management, and engineering leadership.

Environmental engineering

For environmental engineering, a master’s degree can help professionals pursue specialized opportunities in water and wastewater treatment, environmental remediation, pollution control, sustainability, environmental consulting, and regulatory compliance. It can also provide preparation for advanced technical, research, project-management, or leadership roles focused on bigger environmental and public-health challenges.

2. Civil vs. environmental engineering salaries

Financial stability is an important factor to consider when advancing your education for a specialized career path. No matter what profession you choose, civil and environmental engineers are significantly rewarded for their work in creating a modern and sustainable society.

Civil engineering 

While earning potential depends on a number of factors, civil engineers reportedly earn a median pre-tax annual salary of $141,000, according to the ASCE. This above-average salary underscores the financial rewards and stability that come with pursuing a career in civil engineering, making it an appealing choice for those seeking both professional fulfillment and financial success.

Environmental engineering 

Professionals working in environmental engineering are also considered high earners. According to Indeed, the median annual salary for environmental engineers is $93,560, but can earn upward of $143,124 annually depending on their educational background, years of experience, and professional skill set.

3. Job outlook and industry demand

Employment growth in civil and environmental engineering is expected to be supported by infrastructure investment, aging water and transportation systems, environmental concerns, and the need for more resilient communities. However, projected employment growth and annual job openings are different measurements, so both should be considered when evaluating demand.

Civil engineering

Civil engineer employment is projected to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the 3% average projected for all occupations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects continued investment in roads, bridges, buildings, water systems, and other infrastructures to support demand for civil engineers, although employment may fluctuate with public-project funding. The occupation is projected to add approximately 23,600 jobs during that period.

Environmental engineering 

Employment of environmental engineers is projected to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034, slightly above the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to add a projected 3,000 job openings each year on average, as professionals enter other occupations or leave the workforce.

Continued investments in drinking-water, wastewater, stormwater, pollution-control, and remediation projects may also support demand for environmental engineering expertise. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides more than $50 billion for improvements to the nation’s drinking-water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.

4. What education do civil and environmental engineers need?

Civil and environmental engineers usually enter the field with a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related discipline. However, data shows that advanced degrees are also common, specifically among environmental engineers. A master’s degree is not required for every civil or environmental engineering role, but it may help professionals develop specialized technical expertise, prepare for certain advanced or leadership positions, or transition into a new area of engineering.

Civil engineering

Civil engineers typically enter the field with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a related discipline. According to Data USA’s 2024 workforce data, approximately 59% of civil engineers held a bachelor’s degree as their highest level of education, while about 28% held a graduate degree. Data USA’s graduate-degree category includes master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees, so it should not be interpreted as the percentage of civil engineers with a master’s degree specifically.

While an advanced degree is not required for every civil engineering position, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering may help professionals build expertise in areas such as structural, transportation, geotechnical, construction, or water resources engineering. It may also support advancement into certain technical, research, project-management, or leadership roles.

Environmental engineering 

Environmental engineering shows a somewhat different education profile than civil engineering. For environmental engineers, Data USA’s 2024 workforce data notes that approximately 51% held a bachelor’s degree as their highest level of education, compared with about 59% of civil engineers. Environmental engineers were also more likely to hold a graduate degree—approximately 40%, compared to 28% of civil engineers.

This data suggest that advanced education is more common in environmental engineering, potentially reflecting the field’s interdisciplinary and specialized work in areas such as water treatment, environmental remediation, pollution control, and sustainability. For professionals seeking deeper expertise or preparation for advanced roles, a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering can provide opportunities to specialize and apply engineering principles to complex environmental challenges.

How to choose between civil and environmental engineering

The fields of civil and environmental engineering both offer unique and rewarding career paths, each with its own set of challenges and opportunities. Whether your passion lies in designing and constructing infrastructure or addressing environmental sustainability, both disciplines play a vital role in shaping the world we live in.

However, if you’re hoping to maximize your potential and develop your core engineering skills, pursuing a master’s degree from Northeastern University’s College of Engineering can make a huge difference in your career. As a leading co-op program that allows students to alternate between academic and paid industry work, professionals can finance their education while learning on the job. By choosing a master’s degree at Northeastern, you can open the door to a future where you can create a more sustainable world with civil and environmental engineering. Reach out to an enrollment counselor today to further your education.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2023. It has since been updated for relevance and accuracy.