Civil Engineering Careers

Make a Real-World Impact with an Online Civil Engineering Degree

Experienced Faculty | Career-Focused Coursework

When you graduate from Ohio University's online MS in Civil Engineering program, you will be well-prepared to meet a fast-growing need. The urgency and complexity of repairing U.S. infrastructure continue to grow, and construction projects are bolstered by hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funds from major legislation like the Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act. The result: companies are struggling to find enough qualified civil engineers to keep up. "Nearly all of our MSCE graduates are getting multiple job offers," says Dr. Guy Riefler, Program Director, "and every CEE employer I talk to says they expect the market to continue to tighten over the next few years."

What Makes Us Unique?

  • Master how to effectively supervise, plan, design, construct, and operate the infrastructures essential to connect the modern world
  • Learn from a faculty of experienced engineers in a diverse range of civil engineering specialties
  • Choose a focus in Construction Engineering and Management, Environmental Engineering, Structural Engineering, or Transportation Engineering
  • Complete the MSCE program through 100% online coursework in as few as six semesters

Expand Your Engineering Career and Design Strong Communities

Mastering advanced technical and leadership skills in the online MSCE program can help you achieve senior and leadership roles in civil engineering and substantially increase your earnings. The listed examples represent annual average salaries for each.

  • Civil Engineer

    $99,590

    per year1

  • Construction Manager

    $106,980

    per year2

  • Environmental Engineer

    $104,170

    per year3

  • Engineering Manager

    $167,740

    per year4

Become a Leader with Your Civil Engineering Degree

Strengthen your skillset, confidence and resume with the online MS in Civil Engineering degree. Upon completing the program, you'll be prepared to step into roles such as Construction Manager, Engineering Manager and more. You'll meet growing needs in fields projected to continue growing by almost 9% each year through 20342 — and thanks to recent infrastructure investments, those figures are likely underestimating the pace of growth. As the needs of the civil engineering field become more complex, master's-level engineers with leadership and problem-solving skills will play a vital role.

  • About 23,600 openings for civil engineers are projected each year, on average, from 2024 to 20341
  • About 46,800 openings for construction managers are projected each year, on average, from 2024 to 20342
  • About 14,500 openings for architectural and engineering managers are projected each year, on average, from 2024 to 20344

Program Outcomes and Skills Acquired

What You'll Learn

  • Acquire specialized knowledge in areas including computer-aided structural design, environmental analysis of transportation systems, structural reliability, forensic analysis of construction failures and more 
  • Hone skills in cutting-edge engineering principles, advanced computational tools, and analytical techniques to solve complex engineering problems

Skills You'll Gain

  • Advance your knowledge base beyond the undergraduate level, particularly in your chosen specialty
  • Design systems under various constraints for one or more areas of technical specialization
  • Develop leadership skills necessary to assume progressively more responsible roles in their profession
  • Exhibit effective communication skills necessary to interact in a diverse professional environment
  • Employ modern engineering and computational tools

Career Services

Ohio University's online students have access to free career support through OHIO Online Career Services. Connect with a personal career coach, access AI-assisted resume and interview tools, explore job search resources, and tap into alumni networking — all designed to support you wherever you are in your career journey.

Learn about Career Services

Personalized Career Coaching

Schedule a one-on-one appointment with the OHIO Online Career Services team for personalized guidance on career goals, job search strategy, and professional development.

Job Search Resources

The OHIO Online Career Hub provides resume templates, interview practice tools, job boards, and professional development webinars.

Professional Development Sessions

OHIO students can also participate in free professional development sessions led by industry experts. These live, virtual sessions cover topics like career self-concept, basic job search skills, and how to qualify for promotions and prepare for leadership opportunities.

Sources

  1. Civil Engineers. BLS.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/civil-engineers.htm.
  2. Construction Managers. BLS.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/construction-managers.htm.
  3. Environmental Engineers. BLS.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm.
  4. Architectural and Engineering Managers. BLS.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/architectural-and-engineering-managers.htm.