Civil engineers use science and math to plan, design, build, operate and maintain infrastructure that helps people and the planet.
What do civil engineers do?
Civil engineers have direct and lasting impact on how we live on this planet and interact with the environment. Civil engineers do this by using a diverse set of engineering skills to work on infrastructure and environmental challenges fundamental to our existence including things like safe shelter, clean water, clean air, mobility, sustainability, equity and resilience.
What makes civil engineering special?
- Big issues: Civil engineers work on society’s biggest issues: climate change, clean water, sanitation, smart cities, and sustainable/equitable/ resilient infrastructure. No matter where you are in civil engineering, you will be working on issues of global (and local) importance.
- Big impact: Civil engineers have a big impact on everyday life. Society trusts civil engineers with its safety and health asking them to ensure we have clean drinking water, earthquake-resistant buildings, wastewater collection and treatment, sustainable use of the planet’s resources, and much more.
- Big (and little) things: Civil engineers design and construct at a massive scale from floating bridges to light rail systems to 100-story buildings to the international space station. But, they also go small from biodigesters to water treatment membranes to micropiles. Pick your size.
- A place for everyone: There are opportunities in civil engineering for all types of people. Take a variety of classes to see where your passion lies. Use your math and physics skills to design complex buildings and structures, be an environmentalist by using hydraulic design to restore river habitat, or use your people and organizational skills to build a bridge across Lake Washington. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering you are qualified to work on something you love. No matter who you are.
More than 80%
of CEE students have had an internship by the time they graduate.
More than $400,000
is awarded each year by the CEE department in scholarships to its own students.
Annual Career Fair
connects students with over 80 employers.
Where do CEE alumni work?
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Air and space
Jobs: Aircraft/spacecraft structural analysis
Employers: Boeing, SpaceX, Department of Defense -
Computing, data and digital technologies
Jobs: Mathematical modeling, transportation data and technology, smart cities, big data, remote sensing
Employers: Amazon, Google, Uber, Zillow, Thornton Tomasetti -
Environment, sustainability and energy
Jobs: Climate change/adaptation, renewable energy, water treatment, sustainable infrastructure
Employers: Parametrix, Seattle Public Utilities, TRC Companies, UNICEF -
Health and medicine
Jobs: Drinking water treatment, air pollution control, health facilities construction, active transportation
Employers: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Aspect Consulting, Clark Construction -
Infrastructure, transportation and society
Jobs: Project management, construction, structural design, earthquake engineering, transportation design, urban planning
Employers: Jacobs, WSP, HDR, GeoEngineers, KPFF, Magnusson Klemencic, Kiewit, Stacy and Witbeck, Perteet, Sound Transit, Walsh Group, WSDOT -
Robotics and manufacturing
Jobs: Construction materials, tunneling, 3D printing, demolition
Employers: Lane Construction, Traylor Brothers, Kiewit, Clark Construction
What our graduates say
How can I learn more?
- Join a civil engineering student organization: Choose from the Concrete Canoe Team (yes, we build canoes out of concrete!), Steel Bridge Team, Engineers Without Borders and more!
- Study abroad: CIVE students travel to Rome, Jordan and India!
- Attend a workshop: ENGR 202 has a workshop run by CEE professor, David Shean.
- Contact our advising staff: We can help you find your fit in civil engineering! Email ceadvice@uw.edu to set up an advising appointment today!