Civil engineering technicians help design and build the infrastructure around us — roads, bridges, water systems, and buildings. Working alongside engineers, they handle drafting, surveying support, testing materials, and inspecting work, bridging the gap between the design office and the job site.
Drafting, data entry, and field support under senior staff. Learning the workflow.
After NICET certification. Independent testing, inspection, and CAD work. Higher pay.
Leading field crews and complex projects. $70K–$85K.
Specializing in inspection, or continuing toward an engineering role.
Your skills and interests may align with more than one trade. Compare before committing.
Our Salary Compare tool shows Civil Engineering Technician wages at every experience level — and compares them against other trades and a 4-year degree path.
Compare Civil Engineering Technician Salaries →Registered apprenticeships pay you from day one. There is no national list of open seats — programs recruit on their own schedules. The way in is to find the programs near you and ask when they take applications.
Find programs near you → Browse Trade SchoolsThe DOL Partner Finder lists registered apprenticeship sponsors — employers and organizations that run programs. Search Engineering Technician and your state, then call the ones near you and ask when they accept applications. Some open once a year.y or ZIP to see what's open near you.