Median pay: $74,700
Top pay: $110,000
10-year job growth: 24%
Total jobs: 170,000
The job:
Masterminds behind the nation's bridges, roadways, water and sewer systems and other public works, civil engineers design infrastructure that's critical to our daily lives. You get to leave your mark while enjoying a workday that requires creative, hands-on problem solving. Although the economic slowdown may curb new construction, there's still strong demand for engineers to maintain and upgrade existing infrastructure as populations grow. If you care about public safety, enjoy working outdoors and have a flair for building things, this may be the job for you.
How to switch:
Earn a bachelor's degree in engineering to start. If you want to bid for government contracts, offer your services to the public, or perform consulting services, you'll need to be licensed as a Professional Engineer (find info about the process at ncees.org).
Quality of life ratings:
| Personal satisfaction |
Benefit to society |
Low stress |
Flexibility |
| B |
B |
C |
B |
By Donna Rosato and Grace Wong
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