Pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering at WPI can take you in many different directions. You can study broadly or specialize in one of these five subareas:
- Construction Engineering and Project Management: These engineers deal with the construction of engineered facilities while considering engineering economics, social science, management, business, labor, and legal relations. They also take into consideration the interaction of governmental and private interests as related to major construction projects.
- Environmental Engineering: Environmental engineers protect the earth’s air and water and look after public health.
- Structural and Geotechnical Engineering: The focus here is on analysis and design of infrastructure as well as the engineering behavior of earth materials.
- Transportation Engineering: This subarea deals with construction and maintenance of the transportation systems that move people and goods.
- Urban and Environmental Planning: Here, engineers examine the space where the natural world and the urban environment meet.
Another option to consider is the Environmental concentration, which follows the main Civil Engineering curriculum but allows students to specialize in an environmental engineering subarea, leading to an ABET-accredited degree.
Average Starting Salary
WPI Graduates:
- Bachelor’s: $58,289
- Master’s: $72,800
- PhD: N/A
Average National Starting Bachelor’s Degree Salary (reported by the NACE Salary Survey): $55,635
Download the WPI Post-Graduation Reports for more information on salaries.
Companies that have Hired WPI Civil Engineers
- CDM Smith
- Cutler Associates
- FM Global
- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
- National Grid
- Skanska USA Building
- Suffolk Construction
- U.S. Navy, Army, and Air Force
- Woodard & Curran
Download the WPI Post-Graduation Reports for more companies that have hired WPI graduates.
Sample Job Titles
- Civil Engineer
- Engineer I-II
- Environmental Engineer
- Field Engineer
- Project Engineer
- Staff Engineer
- Structural Engineer
- Transportation Engineer
Visit O*Net Online or MyPlan for more information on job titles.
Sample Graduate Schools
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- MIT
- University of California-Berkeley
- University of New Hampshire
- Virginia Tech
- WPI
Sample Professional Associations and Clubs
- American Academy of Environmental Engineers: Professional Association
- American Society of Civil Engineers: Professional Association
- Associated General Contractors of America: Professional Association
- Chi Epsilon (Civil Engineering National Honor Society): Professional Association
- Green Team: WPI Organization
- Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society: WPI Chapter
Sample MQP titles
- Alternative Route Design for the WRTA
- Design of the New WPI Residence Hall
- Incorporating Adsorbents into Porous Asphalt Design
- Maintenance and Expansion Evaluation of the Panama Canal
- Pedestrian Bridge Design
- Water Supply Yield for the Wachusett Reservoir
Visit WPI’s Electronic Projects Library for more MQP titles.
Popular Industries for Civil Engineers
- Architectural Engineering and Related Services
- Construction: Nonresidential Building Construction, Highway Street and Bridge
- Government (City, State, Federal)
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Visit MyPlan for a list of more industries.