Civil engineering technologists and technicians
SOC Code: 17-3022
Civil engineering technologists and technicians carries a 39% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $64,200 and +2.1% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 64,900 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 39% AI exposure, Civil engineering technologists and technicians sits 2 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 67% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
47/100
Civil engineering technologists and technicians, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage C+ $64,200
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth D +2.1%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 39% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Civil engineering technologists and technicians in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Associate / award entry with a named growth shelf
Entry credential Associate / award covers 99 of 832 occupations; BLS places this one in Average (378/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Civil engineering technologists and technicians sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Civil engineering technologists and technicians sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
39% Around the middle lower than 33% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Civil engineering technologists and technicians vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Civil engineering technologists and technicians is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Civil engineering technologists and technicians's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 17-3022) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Civil engineering technologists and technicians be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Civil engineering technologists and technicians. Public companies with meaningful exposure to this occupation, such as Nvidia Corp and Broadcom Inc., inherit a share of the same automation risk through their industry classification. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Calculate dimensions, square footage, profile and component specifications, and material quantities, using calculator or computer.
- 2. Inspect project site and evaluate contractor work to detect design malfunctions and ensure conformance to design specifications and applicable codes.
- 3. Read and review project blueprints and structural specifications to determine dimensions of structure or system and material requirements.
- 4. Draft detailed dimensional drawings and design layouts for projects to ensure conformance to specifications.
- 5. Conduct materials test and analysis, using tools and equipment and applying engineering knowledge.
- 6. Develop plans and estimate costs for installation of systems, utilization of facilities, or construction of structures.
- 7. Confer with supervisor to determine project details such as plan preparation, acceptance testing, and evaluation of field conditions.
- 8. Analyze proposed site factors and design maps, graphs, tracings, and diagrams to illustrate findings.
- 9. Prepare reports and document project activities and data.
- 10. Develop project budgets by estimating the cost of project activities.
Key Skills Required
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Mathematics
- Speaking
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Coordination
Knowledge Areas
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Building and Construction
- Design
- Administrative
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Mechanical
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Civil engineering technologists and technicians?
Civil engineering technologists and technicians has an AI exposure score of 39%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Civil engineering technologists and technicians?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Civil engineering technologists and technicians is projected to grow by 2.1% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 64,900 workers.
What skills are needed for Civil engineering technologists and technicians?
Key skills for Civil engineering technologists and technicians include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and others. Typical entry-level education is Associate's degree.
How much do Civil engineering technologists and technicians earn?
The median annual wage for Civil engineering technologists and technicians is $64,200, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Civil engineering technologists and technicians?
The typical entry-level education for Civil engineering technologists and technicians is Associate's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Civil engineering technologists and technicians?
Public companies with significant Civil engineering technologists and technicians workforce shares include Nvidia Corp, Broadcom Inc., Micron Technology Inc, among others. These employers are mapped by industry classification (SIC/NAICS) to BLS occupation-industry employment distributions. See the full employer rankings for AI displacement risk grades.
Employers with High AI Exposure in This Occupation Group
Public companies whose industry occupation mix includes a significant share of Civil engineering technologists and technicians roles.
| Company | AI Grade | Risk Score |
|---|---|---|
| Nvidia Corp | B | 41.4% |
| Broadcom Inc. | B | 41.4% |
| Micron Technology Inc | B | 41.4% |
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc | B | 41.4% |
| Applied Materials Inc /De | B | 41.4% |
| Intel Corp | B | 41.4% |
| Texas Instruments Inc | B | 41.4% |
| Analog Devices Inc | B | 41.4% |
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Civil engineering technologists and technicians: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (39% here).
- Architects, except landscape and naval · AI exposure 39%
- Biological technicians · AI exposure 39%
- Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters · AI exposure 39%
- Career/technical education teachers, middle school · AI exposure 39%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+2.1% here).
- Communications teachers, postsecondary · growth +2.1%
- Craft artists · growth +2.1%
- Directors, religious activities and education · growth +2.1%
- Economics teachers, postsecondary · growth +2.1%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 18 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Civil engineering technologists and technicians' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Civil engineering technologists and technicians side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).