Civil engineer
You design and build roads, bridges, railways and water systems. Get in with a degree or a degree apprenticeship. Chartered Engineer (CEng) is a legally protected title you can earn later.
ONS
- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
Medians for full-time employee jobs. ONS hides estimates it rates unreliable (CV over 20%).
View sourceEngC
- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
CEng, IEng, EngTech and ICTTech are legally protected titles, awarded through licensed professional engineering institutions.
View sourceHow to get there
2 routes. Engineering degree · Degree apprenticeship
Engineering degree Degree
Search for accredited courses through the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).
- School2 or 3 A levels
Including maths and a science.
NCS
Civil engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- DegreeAccredited MEng, or BEng + master's
The academic qualifications that make CEng applications simplest.
EngC
Chartered Engineer (CEng)Engineering Council- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- WorkWork as a graduate civil engineer
NCS
Civil engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- GoalChartered Engineer (CEng)
Through a licensed institution such as ICE, after showing the UK-SPEC competences.
EngC
Chartered Engineer (CEng)Engineering Council- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
Degree apprenticeship Level 6
With an engineering or construction company.
- SchoolGCSEs + A levels
Or equivalent.
NCS
Civil engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- Level 6Civil Engineer Degree Apprenticeship
Around 5 years.
NCS
Civil engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- GoalCivil engineer
You can still become CEng without an accredited degree, through a work-based assessment.
EngC
Chartered Engineer (CEng)Engineering Council- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- Technician first?
- You could work as a civil engineering technician and study on the job.
NCS
Civil engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
At school
GCSEs (Years 10–11) and A levels (Years 12–13), or equivalents.
- A levels
- 2 or 3 A levels including maths and a science for a degree.
NCS
Civil engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- GCSEs
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 plus A levels for a higher or degree apprenticeship.
NCS
Civil engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026
- UCAS points
- An A* = 56 points. Many courses ask for grades instead of points.
UCAS
The new UCAS Tariff: ten things applicants need to knowUCAS- Checked
- 9 Oct 2026
An A* at A level is worth 56 Tariff points. Only about a third of courses use Tariff points in their entry requirements; most ask for grades.
View source
Pay by region
Pay is in pounds (£) per year, before tax, for full-time employees. ASHE counts employees only, so self-employed people (most barristers, many contractors) are not in these figures.
Civil engineers SOC 2121
- UK median £51,366
- Bottom 25% under £39,802
- Top 25% over £65,000
| Region (where people work) | Median pay | Jobs | How exact |
|---|---|---|---|
| South East | £55,451 | — | Rough estimate |
| Scotland | £55,172 | — | Rough estimate |
| London | £52,970 | — | Rough estimate |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £48,751 | — | Rough estimate |
| North West | £48,087 | — | Rough estimate |
Regions where ONS did not publish a reliable figure are left out. "Rough estimate" = ONS rates it CV 10–20%: use it with care. A region is listed only where ONS published a median for that job.ONS
Starting vs experienced (National Careers Service)
- Civil engineer: starter £29,000 · experienced £63,000
NCS
Civil engineer — job profileNational Careers Service (GOV.UK)- Checked
- 23 Oct 2026