Civil Engineering Vs. Computer Science: Salary, Job Outlooks, Requirements, Certificates

Both civil engineers and computer scientists build, but while civil engineers build structures, computer scientists build software. Also, a degree in civil engineering (CE) or computer science (CS) prepares students for a career in the engineering and technology industries. 

Regardless of this, they have their differences. So, in this civil engineering vs. computer science debate, you will know their similarities and differences to help you determine which career path is best for you.

Civil engineers and computer scientists differ in many ways, except that they are the brains behind advancing their fields. That is, while civil engineers are integral to the development of the modern world, computer scientists are needed to advance the digital world.

The differences between these two fields most often overshadow the similarities that may exist between them, as they are pretty obvious. You can easily spot them from their work environment, educational pathway, and salaries.

So, to better understand these fields, this article on civil engineering vs. computer science has been written. Here, you get to what civil engineers and computer scientists do, their job outlooks, how to become one, and the best civil engineering and computer science schools.

Here is a table of what to expect:

Before we go on, let’s get an overview of civil engineering and computer science.

What is Civil Engineering?

Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines. It deals with the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting public and environmental health and improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.

This can be on a vast scale, such as the development of nationwide transport systems or water supply networks, or a smaller scale, such as the development of individual roads or buildings.

Who is a Civil Engineer?

Civil engineers are simply the scientific minds behind the operation of our modern cities. They ensure the safe construction, process, and maintenance of structures, such as roads, bridges, buildings, and dams.

They shape, build, maintain, and expand societies. Be it a bridge, space satellite, dam, road, or tunnel, civil engineers are the people who design, construct, and manage the entire process, from development to evaluation.

Know more about the Civil Engineering Major: Which Option Pays More Than Others Here.

What is Computer Science?

Computer Science is the study of computers and computational systems. Unlike electrical and computer engineers, computer scientists deal mainly with software and software systems; this includes their theory, design, development, and application.

Simply put, computer science involves systematically studying methodical processes (such as algorithms) to aid the acquisition, representation, processing, storage, communication of, and access to information.

Computer science is considered by many of its practitioners to be a foundational science – one which makes other knowledge and achievements possible.

Who is a Computer Scientist?

Computer scientists design and analyze algorithms to solve programs and study the performance of computer hardware and software.

Computer scientists’ problems range from the abstract (determining what problems can be solved with computers and the complexity of the algorithms that solve them) to the tangible (designing applications that perform well on handheld devices, that are easy to use, and that uphold security measures).

Want to become an Aeronautical Engineer? See these Top 10 Universities Offering Aeronautical Engineering In the World

From the definitions above, you will notice that even though civil engineers and computer scientists operate in different areas, they are into the design and development of projects.

Now, let’s see their similarities and differences.

What are the Similarities Between Civil Engineering vs. Computer Science?

There are just a few similarities between CE and CS since they operate in different fields. The most common is that you need a bachelor’s degree to start a career in civil engineering or computer science.

Also, you need to take and pass mathematics classes to earn a degree in either of the two fields.

In addition, civil engineering and computer science programs generally take four to five years to complete and must be approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Lastly, the civil engineer and the computer scientist are involved in designing and developing different projects.

Civil Engineering vs Computer Science: What Is The Difference Between Two?

The main difference between these two professions is that while civil engineers are in the professional practice of designing and developing infrastructure projects, computer scientists are involved in designing, developing, and applying various software.

Apart from this significant difference, there are other distinctions between a civil engineer and a computer engineer.

Now, we are going to look at these differences in the following areas:

• Job/Duties
• Education
• Job Outlook
• Pay
• Cost

#1 Civil Engineering vs. Computer Science – Job/Duties

Civil engineers conceive, design, build, supervise, operate, construct, and maintain infrastructure projects and systems in the public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and water supply and sewage treatment systems.

On the other hand, computer scientists work on new and existing computer systems, using theory and algorithms to solve complex computing problems.

Now, let’s look at their functions independently.

What Do Civil Engineers Do?

The duties of civil engineers include:

• Analyzing long-range plans, survey reports, maps, and other data to plan and design projects.
• Considering construction costs, government regulations, potential environmental hazards, and other factors during a project’s planning and risk-analysis stages.
• Compiling and submitting permit applications to local, state, and federal agencies, verifying that projects comply with various regulations.
• Overseeing and analyzing soil testing results to determine the foundations’ adequacy and strength.
• Analyzing the results of tests on building materials, such as concrete, wood, asphalt, or steel, for use in particular projects.
• Preparing cost estimates for materials, equipment, or labor to determine a project’s economic feasibility.
• Using design software to plan and design transportation systems, hydraulic systems, and structures in line with industry and government standards.
• Performing or overseeing surveying operations to establish building locations, site layouts, reference points, grades, and elevations to guide construction.
• Managing the repair, maintenance, and replacement of public and private infrastructure.

What Do Computer Scientists Do?

Below are some major duties of a computer scientist:

• Inventing new computing languages, tools, and methods to improve how people work with computers.
• Developing and improving the software systems that form the basis of the modern computing experience.
• Conceptualizing computational and maths-related problems and challenges.
• Developing new products and solving practical computing problems.
• Conducting research involving experimentation and modeling.
• Working as part of a research team with programmers, IT professionals, and mechanical, electrical, or software engineers to solve problems and create new products.
• Studying, experimenting, and investigating technological fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual reality.
• Seeking to improve the performance of existing computer systems and software.
• Developing new hardware or computing techniques and materials.

#2 Civil Engineering vs. Computer Science – Education

To get an entry-level position as a civil engineer, you need a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, in one of its specialties, or civil engineering technology.

However, you will need a graduate degree and a license to be promoted to senior positions. Licensure requirements typically vary from state to state.

Typical Coursework in a Civil Engineering Program

Students earning a degree in civil engineering take classes such as:

• Thermodynamics
• Structural Analysis
• Statistics
• Mathematics
• Fluid Dynamics
• Engineering Mechanics and Systems

These classes, however, vary depending on the specialty.

Typical Coursework in a Computer Science Program

Computer science students take classes in the following core courses:

• Theory of computation
• Fundamentals of computer science
• Compilers and operating systems
• Information theory
• Basic programming
• Systems and architecture
• Software development and testing
• Web applications and databases
• Algorithms and data structures
• Principles of computer hardware
• Mathematical concepts (such as formal methods, Boolean algebra, discreet mathematics, set theory, probability, statistics, linear algebra, differential equations, and calculus).

#3 Civil Engineering vs. Computer Science – Job Outlook

According to the US BLS, the employment of civil engineers is projected to grow by 2 percent from 2019 to 2029. Reason is that as infrastructure continues to age, civil engineers will be needed to manage projects to rebuild, repair, and upgrade bridges, roads, levees, dams, airports, buildings, and structures of all types.

On the other hand, employment in computer and information technology occupations (of which being a computer scientist is part) is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

The demand for these workers will stem from greater emphasis on cloud computing, the collection and storage of big data, and information security.

#4 Civil Engineering vs. Computer Science – Pay/Salary

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for civil engineers is $87,060. Meanwhile, from Indeed’s report, the average salary for a civil engineer is $86,938 per year in the United States.

On the other hand, the US BS reports that the median annual wage for computer and information research scientists is $122,840. That is to say; computer scientists earn $59.06 per hour per hour.

Also, Indeed reports that the average salary for a computer scientist is $107,536 per year in the United States.

READ ALSO: Civil Engineer vs Architect: Salary, Job Outlook, Requirements, Certificates

#5 Civil Engineering vs. Computer Science – Cost

The annual cost of tuition for a degree in civil engineering or computer science varies greatly depending on the degree program or the kind of college or university you’ll be attending. That is, whether you’ll be attending it in-state or out-of-state.

What is the Cost of a Civil Engineering Program?

As seen on CollegeTuitionCompare, the average undergraduate tuition & fees of the best civil engineering colleges are $13,327 for state residents and $43,927 for out-of-state students in 2019-2020.

On the other hand, the average cost for civil engineering graduate programs is $15,517 for state residents and $36,413 for out-of-state students. 

What is the Cost of a Computer Science Program?

Still, from CollegeTuitionCompare, the average tuition & fees for computer science programs are $3,403 for state residents and $10,822 for out-of-state students for the academic year 2019-2020. 

Note that the report above was made using civil engineering and computer science schools in the USA.

Now that you know the accrediting body, programs, and cost of becoming a civil engineer or a computer scientist, let’s look at some of their best schools.

What are the Best Civil Engineering Schools?

Here is a list of some universities that offer the world’s best undergraduate civil engineering programs. Do well to click on each of the CE schools for more information on the program.

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Delft University of Technology
• University of Cambridge
• The University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
• Imperial College London
• ETH Zurich-Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
• Politecnico Di Milano
• Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
• National University Of Singapore
• Tsinghua University
• The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney)
• Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU)
• Stanford University
• The University of Sydney
• The University of Melbourne

See how the above CE schools were ranked here: 15 Top Undergraduate Civil Engineering Schools

What Are The Best Schools For Computer Science?

Various universities all over the world offer programs in computer science. However, here are the top 10 computer science schools in the world:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• University of California Berkeley
• Princeton University
• The University of Texas at Austin
• Tsinghua University
• Nanyang Technological University
• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Get detailed information on the schools above here: 10 Best Computer Science Universities In the World 

Should I Become A Civil Engineer or Computer Scientist?

Generally, civil engineering and computer science are both unique fields that are distinct from each other. However, knowing what to pursue depends on your individual and career goals.

If you really want to be part of those who plan, design, and construct cities and other infrastructures, you can become a civil engineer.

On the other hand, computer science is a broad field, encompassing programming, networking, information technology (IT), and UX/UI. So, if you have a keen eye for detail and enjoy working with high precision, earning a computer science degree might be an ideal path for you.

However, if you don’t mind doing anything but want to do your job and earn more, you can compare the salaries of the two and go for the higher one.

You may also like to read Computer Science vs. Mechanical Engineering: Salary, Similarities, Differences & Job Outlook

FAQs On Civil Engineering vs Computer Science

Conclusion

Pursuing a career in either civil engineering or computer science field is dependent on your passion, individual, and career goals.

However, the article above has been written to help you compare and contrast their similarities and differences. You will get the vital information you need – from their job outlook to their pay, schools, and cost of programs, and also know which is best for you between two.

I hope this read helps you in your decision-making.

Good Luck And Success!!!

References

• USBLS – Occupational Outlook Handbook of Civil Engineers
• USBLS – Occupational Outlook Handbook of Computer and Information Research Scientists
• TopUniversities – Computer Science Degrees
• TopUniversities – Civil Engineering Degrees
• TargetJobs – Computer Scientist: Job Description

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