Is Civil Engineering Hard? or is it an Easy Major?
With so many unlimited options, selecting the right major for higher education becomes quite difficult for students. And because you’re thinking of civil engineering as your major in higher studies, it seems like you are interested in this field of engineering. So you’re asking whether civil engineering is hard or stressful or if it is an easy task.
Well, the toughness of the subject depends upon your aptitude for the field. Yes, civil engineering is hard for those who have no interest in advanced math, technology, and science but if you have an interest in Math, Science, and Technology, you can learn civil engineering and it will not be as tough as it is for others.
This guide will tell you about several factors that you should consider before finalizing civil engineering as your major and why most students consider it one of the tough subjects to learn.
We will first look at the details of what civil engineering is, and what skills you should have, and then we will look at the average GPA and percentage of the students who study civil engineering and what is the scope of civil engineering.
What is Civil Engineering, and What Do You Have To Study?
Civil engineering is the bachelor’s degree program that is considered one of the toughest majors among other choices. To study civil engineering, you should have an aptitude for physics, science, technology, mathematics, design, creativity, and of course problem-solving.
Civil engineering involves designing, constructing, and maintenance of public and private infrastructure that affects the lives of the people living around them. From bridges to roads to drinking water supplies, buildings, factories, and other large infrastructures, nothing is complete without civil engineers.
Civil engineers are brilliant minds who protect, improve, and create the environment so we can live in it comfortably. They are responsible for construction of the building structures like roads, dams, power plants, airports, railways, and sewerage systems.
What You Have To Study In Civil Engineering?
To study civil engineering the first and foremost important thing and subject that you must have to study is of course advanced math. In addition to advanced math, you also have to learn geology, physics, and chemistry.
Science and technology are also involved in the subjects for getting a degree in civil engineering. You need to make sure that you have a keen interest in the scientific and mathematical field to get the title of a civil engineer.
How Hard Is It?
Studying civil engineering is not hard for those who have an interest in math, science, and technology. Those with a passion for physics, chemistry, geology, design, and geometry can learn civil engineering easily.
The first and foremost important thing when selecting the major is what your interest is. If you are interested in the field, nothing is difficult for you. Make sure to pick the major that you love, that is your passion, and that you are interested in.
Must-Have Skills To Be a Civil Engineer
Following are some of the must-have skills that you should have to get enrolled as a civil engineer or to study civil engineering. If you have an interest in engineering, you have to focus on these skills and have to grow them to become a professional engineer.
- You should have oral and verbal communication skills and should know how to explain your point.
- You should be creative enough to prepare presentations, give demonstrations, and craft designs of the infrastructure.
- Make sure you are a critical thinker. It is one of the most important skills for a civil engineer because critical thinking is logical and helps you in dealing with everyday situations in a better way. This critical thinking will also help you in breaking down the complex concepts and ideas that are one of the basic requirements of a civil engineer.
- You should have decision-making skills too. Decision-making will help you in making good decisions based on your experience, technical knowledge, and practice which will ultimately help you in developing efficient infrastructure bodies.
Civil Engineering, Marks, Scores, GPA
It has been estimated that every year only around 35 to 45% who get enrolled in civil engineering colleges pass in the first year. Because civil engineering is quite tough to study, the ratio of students who clear their first year without any failures is a lot less than those who reappear in their exams or repeat their semesters and then get clearance.
Moreover, it has also been observed that only 60% to 70% of the students qualify and get their graduation degree as civil engineers after passing all exams. The rest of the students either leave the college in between their studies or reappear again and again.
Good GPA For Civil Engineers
The average GPA for an engineer that is considered good is 3.0 or above. You need to get the most As and Bs in your subjects. So that when you combine them at the end, it becomes a 3.0 CGPA or more.
Moreover, a 3.0 CGPA is considered the minimum deadline to get into internships. So try your best to stay above a 3.0 CGPA to become eligible for getting the internship and job as a civil engineer.
Future of Civil Engineers
Although civil engineering is one of the oldest branches of engineering, the future of civil engineers is quite bright. Since civil engineers deal with the construction of large-scale structures like bridges, buildings, and roads, that means the future of civil engineers is always bright. This is because the construction of infrastructures and large structures is always a necessity.
If you are interested in civil engineering and are looking to get your graduation degree in this field, you can always do that. It has a lot of scope in the future and because emerging fields like nanotechnologies and artificial intelligence are now combining with civil engineering, civil engineers will find a great way to get a brighter future.
What Is The Scenario of Jobs In The US Market Right Now?
If you are looking for the scenario of a job in the US market as a civil engineer, let me tell you civil engineering offers a bright career to the students who get their graduations and masters degree in civil engineering. With lots of job opportunities, civil engineering is becoming one of the growing professions in the USA.
This is because the US is consistently modernizing and advancing its infrastructure. That is why there is a great demand for civil engineers in nearly every sector there.
Can You Get the Job As A Civil Engineer?
Yes, you can get a job as a civil engineer in many companies. The more you study, the more advanced jobs you get in civil engineering. And the more experience you gain there is a chance that you will get a better job.
Moreover, you have lots of career options as a civil engineer all around the world because infrastructure development, polishing, and maintenance are constantly happening throughout time. The only thing that you need to make sure of is to keep your mind positive, get a good education about civil engineering, and boost your skills so that opportunities can knock on your door.
Average Salary of A Civil Engineer
Following is the average salary of a civil engineer in different areas of the world to give you an idea of how much an engineer can earn.
USA
The average salary of a civil engineer in the USA revolves around $9000 to $11000 per month. With the increase in professional experience, the salary automatically increases.
Canada
In Canada, the average salary of a civil engineer is between $6800 to $7000 per month. It increases with the increase in professional experience and education.
Top Civil Engineering Colleges Abroad
Following is the List of universities that are considered the best universities outside the US to study civil engineering.
- Tongji University, located in Shanghai, China
- Hong Kong Polytechnic University, located in Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Ton Duc Thang University located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Tsinghua University, located in Beijing, China
- University of Cambridge, located in the UK
- Imperial College London, located in the UK
- ETH Zurich, located in Switzerland
- EPFL is located in Switzerland
- Politecnico di Milano located in Italy
- University of Oxford, located in Switzerland
- Polytechnic University of Catalonia, located in Spain
Is it hard to be a civil engineer?
Yes, civil engineering is comparatively harder than other forms of engineering. You have to perform lots of fieldwork in addition to the office work as a civil engineer. You have to be skilled enough with numerous abilities to be successful in this profession.
Is civil engineering stressful?
Yes, you can say somehow it is a stressful job. Although civil engineering is exciting and you might be very passionate about your job, it becomes quite stressful when it comes to managing and doing strenuous physical work all the time. Moreover, there are many psychological strategies that you can use to minimize your stress level as a civil engineer.
Should I study civil engineering?
Yes, civil engineering is a great field of study that will help you in the future. While studying civil engineering, you will learn various skills that you can use in the later times of your life. The study makes you a great problem solver, analyzer, decision maker, and observer who would be helping you in your life.
What skills should be present in a civil engineer?
Some of the important qualities that should be present in a civil engineer include communication skills, interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, and decision-making. They should also know math and algebra calculations and should know how to deal with stressful physical work as they have to spend most of their time in the field.
Selecting your major in advanced studies is quite difficult but if you have finalized civil engineering as your major, stick to it as it is one of the most interesting fields of study. Studying civil engineering not only increases your field experience but also provides you with vast information about technology, math, and science.
It also helps you in increasing your field experience because civil engineering is dependent upon fieldwork too additionally as computer work.
This above-mentioned article tells you everything you need to know before finalizing civil engineering as your major. Make sure to read the details attentively, so you can finalize whether you should go with civil engineering or should change your field of study.