civil engineer and structural engineer?

Question

what is the difference between them.im currently majoring in civil engineering. everyone tells me that the money is in structual engineering. whats the difference? and do i need a seperate degree or somthing

Answer 1

Oh, god no. A structural engineer is NOT a cross between a civil engineer and an architect. Let's not get into that, and Architect is the profession that's dying out since they can't seem to get anything right, and the structural engineer is being forced to pick up the slack since we're so easier to sue. (I suppose that sounds both grouchy and arrogant, but I'm grouchy today. And it is a gross oversimplification to say architects are dying out, but look at the messes made by Frank Gehry and Micheal Graves, that guy couldn't design a decent looking teapot!)

Structural engineering is a speciality within Civil Engineering (especially in the US), just like Environmental Engineering is a specialty in Civil Engineering.

Most folks (In the US) when they say they are a civil engineer are saying they are working on larger projects like roads, bridges, transportation systems, dams, etc, but the less romantic civil engineers work as wastewater treatment plant deisngers, site development folks, drainage plans, detention and retention basins, water resources management, a whole bunch of other things as well that I don't remember right now.

Structural engineers have a tendency to be more on the building side of the career, dealing with Architects (hmmmm, 'nuff said), as well as working with electrical and mechanical engineers (who size ductwork, heating units, etc. that usually sit on the roof, piping for roof drains - which affects roof framing and roof pitch, as well as requiring coordination of the footings to make sure the structural engineer doesn't put a footing over a drainage pipe (rain or sewage) because eventually the footing will crush the pipe and you'll have sewage inside the building, and working with the architect to accomodate stairs, elevators, wall attachment to structure, wall openings for windows, doors, brick, parapets, etc. Parapets are one subject where a tall parapet both traps water if the roof drain clogs, and causes snow build up if it is tall as the snow drifts against the parapet).

I would suggest that Civils typically have the luxury of doing their own projects with a minimum of coordination with other trades.

Structural involves a lot of working with other folks and having to accomodate their needs/requirements.

To clarify, I have only found one school (in the UK) that grants a degree in structural engineering, any other school will give you a civil engineering degree when you graduate, but your focus will be structural, if you choose it.

You shouldn't need to switch majors or need a separate degree.
But I would suggest you not go into structural purely for money. As I said, Civil tends to work for transportation projects, and those tend to be government jobs in the US, at least some of them are, and I would suggest the salaries are somewhat depressed by that, private sector civil vs. private sector structural subspecialty probably aren't that much different, but talk to the career office at your school for more on that.

Answer 2

In the United States, there are a few states (such as California and Washington) that require a separate license to be a structural engineer. You first become a registered civil engineer. After gaining a couple of years of design experience as a civil engineer, you are then eligible to take the structural engineering test.

There has been some talk about requiring structural engineers to have at least a masters degree but I don't think that this is a requirement anywhere yet.

Answer 3

First you become a Civil, then a structural if you want to specialize. A civil engineer can design structures up to 4 stories.

Answer 4

A structural engineer would be somewhere in between a civil engineer and an architect. Structural engineers work on "structures" (buildings, bridges, water tanks, dams, etc) whereas civil engineers can work on structures, but also roads, surveys, drainage systems, etc.

Certainly you can work as a structural engineer with a BSCivilE -- my dad did.
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Answer 5

All of these answers are correct, but they are probably confusing you.

If structural engineering is an emphasis of your civil engineering degree, pick structural engineering. It allows you more options down the road, and you can always do any civil work anyway.

The money is probably about the same either way.

Answer 6

civil engineering is where you got your idea for a job by seeing someone else doit first
and the other is when you get the notion of drawing buildings