Full civil checking in.
Without a full BS with an ABET accredited Civil Engineering, obtaining professional licensure is dramatically more difficult and thus has a lower ceiling on average for those with a tech degree.
I also have a 4 year degree from an ABET accredited school. It's definitely the way to go if you plan on digging into the bulk of what you can do in CE
I would put a point here that this information is highly state dependant. Some states like Illinois will require 8 years of PE supervision for non ABET degrees, while other states like Georgia and PA will accept the NCEES credentials evaluation as equivalent, you can even submit SAT and AP scores for that.
I did 2.5 years in a chem e program and then went on to be a tech. I worked as an intern in school for an environmental firm for 2ish years, spent another 7 as a tech and now I’m a PM.
I’ve had bosses with less education than me. I currently have guys working for me as techs with masters degrees.
Having a piece of paper doesn’t mean you move up, but it sure as hell makes it easier. I had to prove myself to get a chance, whereas having a 4 year degree is proof enough to get you the chance in the first place in most cases. Once you get the chance, you still have to earn it whether you have that degree or not.
Moving up is also not something everyone wants. There’s a lot of value in being the guy on a site and not having to deal with anyone’s bullshit. I know very competent, intelligent guys who work in the field, because a. good bosses know their value and take care to make it worth it for them to stay in the field and b. fuck all the politics bullshit you have to deal with in an office. I’m not high up enough to have any say in how we take care of our field staff, but I hope I remember that when I do.
You ever miss Chem E? I dropped out of Chem E as well, switched to Civil & finished school. Sometimes I think about what would have been if I stuck it out through Chem E
Eh, I thought it would be more flashy. My unga bunga brain got bored calculating flow rates of water through pipes and doing energy balances over and over again. Civil is more tangible.
I was my own worst enemy in school though and threw away a full ride for being lazy. I think less about what could have been and more about being better now so that I can take advantage of the opportunities I’ve earned as an adult, rather than the ones I fucked up when I was a child.
I went straight to a 4 year BS in Civil and work as a CE.
My last Tech at my old job initially wanted to be a CE but didn't want the debt, so he got two Associates degrees for much cheaper. I can't remember what they were in, but they are CE/construction related. He is still working as a Tech.
That same city did open another Tech position recently that allowed for either an Associates (like most Techs) but also a 4 year CE degree (no EIT required). Pay was the same for either education level, but I guess if someone couldn't pass the FE exam or hadn't yet, it could have been an option.
I did civil engineering technology. Almost about to apply for my P. Eng.
Non-accredited paths work too.
People forget the min. education is a 3 year technology program
That may be true in Canada but US license requirements vary state by state. It will vary from being allowed to take the exams with 8 years of experience to not being able to take the exams at all depending on the state.
Ptech here. I already had gone to university in a different field, had decent big student debt, didn't feel like doubling it.
Went into the tech side as I'm a handons kind of person. Do I regret it, not really, I still get to do design and work in the field, I'm happy with my current pay. The potential higher pay of being an engineer comes with the added responsibilities and stresses
I had a former supervisor when I was an intern. He was another odd major, but earned his experience and got his EIT and PE eventually. It’s doable, but the path is def longer than traditional.
An accredited Civil Engineering degree will give you far more options and opportunities than a Civil Engineering Technology degree. Pay is generally significantly better too, once you get licensed.
You'll occasionally see a lot of posts on here from bitter CET grads who try to convince people that the degree is just as good, but the reality is that a Technology degree is objectively less rigorous and has significant knowledge gaps compared to and engineering degree.
As an engineering manager, I can tell you that I never consider CET applicants for a design position. They are only ever looked at for field positions. Not only do I need engineers who can get licensed in as many jurisdictions as possible without any unnecessary complications or delays, but I also don't have time to fill in the knowledge gaps of a CET grad.
That said, if you like working exclusively outdoors and making even less money than a civil engineer's already low salary, that might be fine for you. But you should know that going in.
I have a BA In Economics but am a tech/designer. I could have gone the long route to a PE, but several PE’s I knew got in trouble (sued) for stamping plans that failed (walls & a water tower that collapsed) and I decided that I didn’t want to get sued in the future.
I had a Tech who had a BS in History and he was a great Tech and did a lot of design on top of being out in the field. He was also great for the trivia team. :D
Did a tech, worked using it briefly, went back to complete 4 year degree. For me it was financial reasons mentioned above, and personal reasons I needed to complete the degree. Mind blowingly different career options available to me with the degree at the time, and earning improvement.
The older / more experienced people I worked with as tech who were also the techs were very very capable and knowledgeable in all of the drafting and design work they did, this largely being the nuts and bolts drafting and design of municipal systems.
Around me Techs are basically inspectors and material testers. We don’t diversify much past that.
I continued on and got a CM degree and do estimating now so. Who knows what’s the best path
Full civil checking in. Without a full BS with an ABET accredited Civil Engineering, obtaining professional licensure is dramatically more difficult and thus has a lower ceiling on average for those with a tech degree.
I also have a 4 year degree from an ABET accredited school. It's definitely the way to go if you plan on digging into the bulk of what you can do in CE
Can confirm- As a former tech who went back for the BSCE for this reason.
I would put a point here that this information is highly state dependant. Some states like Illinois will require 8 years of PE supervision for non ABET degrees, while other states like Georgia and PA will accept the NCEES credentials evaluation as equivalent, you can even submit SAT and AP scores for that.
Our #1 tech did about half a BS, then decided school wasn’t for him.
I did 2.5 years in a chem e program and then went on to be a tech. I worked as an intern in school for an environmental firm for 2ish years, spent another 7 as a tech and now I’m a PM. I’ve had bosses with less education than me. I currently have guys working for me as techs with masters degrees. Having a piece of paper doesn’t mean you move up, but it sure as hell makes it easier. I had to prove myself to get a chance, whereas having a 4 year degree is proof enough to get you the chance in the first place in most cases. Once you get the chance, you still have to earn it whether you have that degree or not. Moving up is also not something everyone wants. There’s a lot of value in being the guy on a site and not having to deal with anyone’s bullshit. I know very competent, intelligent guys who work in the field, because a. good bosses know their value and take care to make it worth it for them to stay in the field and b. fuck all the politics bullshit you have to deal with in an office. I’m not high up enough to have any say in how we take care of our field staff, but I hope I remember that when I do.
You ever miss Chem E? I dropped out of Chem E as well, switched to Civil & finished school. Sometimes I think about what would have been if I stuck it out through Chem E
Eh, I thought it would be more flashy. My unga bunga brain got bored calculating flow rates of water through pipes and doing energy balances over and over again. Civil is more tangible. I was my own worst enemy in school though and threw away a full ride for being lazy. I think less about what could have been and more about being better now so that I can take advantage of the opportunities I’ve earned as an adult, rather than the ones I fucked up when I was a child.
I went straight to a 4 year BS in Civil and work as a CE. My last Tech at my old job initially wanted to be a CE but didn't want the debt, so he got two Associates degrees for much cheaper. I can't remember what they were in, but they are CE/construction related. He is still working as a Tech. That same city did open another Tech position recently that allowed for either an Associates (like most Techs) but also a 4 year CE degree (no EIT required). Pay was the same for either education level, but I guess if someone couldn't pass the FE exam or hadn't yet, it could have been an option.
Appreciate the insight
I did civil engineering technology. Almost about to apply for my P. Eng. Non-accredited paths work too. People forget the min. education is a 3 year technology program
That may be true in Canada but US license requirements vary state by state. It will vary from being allowed to take the exams with 8 years of experience to not being able to take the exams at all depending on the state.
Ptech here. I already had gone to university in a different field, had decent big student debt, didn't feel like doubling it. Went into the tech side as I'm a handons kind of person. Do I regret it, not really, I still get to do design and work in the field, I'm happy with my current pay. The potential higher pay of being an engineer comes with the added responsibilities and stresses
I had a former supervisor when I was an intern. He was another odd major, but earned his experience and got his EIT and PE eventually. It’s doable, but the path is def longer than traditional.
An accredited Civil Engineering degree will give you far more options and opportunities than a Civil Engineering Technology degree. Pay is generally significantly better too, once you get licensed. You'll occasionally see a lot of posts on here from bitter CET grads who try to convince people that the degree is just as good, but the reality is that a Technology degree is objectively less rigorous and has significant knowledge gaps compared to and engineering degree. As an engineering manager, I can tell you that I never consider CET applicants for a design position. They are only ever looked at for field positions. Not only do I need engineers who can get licensed in as many jurisdictions as possible without any unnecessary complications or delays, but I also don't have time to fill in the knowledge gaps of a CET grad. That said, if you like working exclusively outdoors and making even less money than a civil engineer's already low salary, that might be fine for you. But you should know that going in.
Thank you for the helps folks.
I have a BA In Economics but am a tech/designer. I could have gone the long route to a PE, but several PE’s I knew got in trouble (sued) for stamping plans that failed (walls & a water tower that collapsed) and I decided that I didn’t want to get sued in the future.
I had a Tech who had a BS in History and he was a great Tech and did a lot of design on top of being out in the field. He was also great for the trivia team. :D
4 year, plus a 1 year masters in Structural (try doing a poll)
4-year BS w/ PE.
Need your PE my guy
Did a tech, worked using it briefly, went back to complete 4 year degree. For me it was financial reasons mentioned above, and personal reasons I needed to complete the degree. Mind blowingly different career options available to me with the degree at the time, and earning improvement. The older / more experienced people I worked with as tech who were also the techs were very very capable and knowledgeable in all of the drafting and design work they did, this largely being the nuts and bolts drafting and design of municipal systems.
Around me Techs are basically inspectors and material testers. We don’t diversify much past that. I continued on and got a CM degree and do estimating now so. Who knows what’s the best path
BS & MS + PE