Job Satisfaction Among Civil Engineers High, New Salary Report Finds
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The just-released 2022 ASCE Civil Engineering Salary Report shows salaries rising among civil engineers.
But what may be even more notable about the report’s industry snapshot is what it says about the importance of engineers’ holistic job satisfaction in 2022.
Of salary survey respondents, 63.3% reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their financial compensation. That number was even higher, though, when asked about overall job satisfaction: 85.2% said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their civil engineering jobs.
“Money is an important factor, but it’s not the only important factor,” said ASCE 2022 President Dennis D. Truax, Ph.D., P.E., DEE, D.WRE, F.ASCE.
The high percentage of job satisfaction from civil engineers can be attributed in part to open pathways for career growth. Two-thirds of survey respondents said they were very satisfied or satisfied with the advancement opportunities afforded by their workplace. Personal motivation also plays a role in feelings of job satisfaction, particularly in a field like civil engineering that is often so service-oriented.
“The young people that are coming into this profession want to be impactful,” Truax said. “People are in this profession because they want to make change. Civil engineering is all about doing great things that have positive benefits for others.”
Job satisfaction can also derive from the various benefits an employer provides. Fully 98% of respondents to the salary survey said they were offered employer-sponsored health insurance, while 79% are vested in a retirement program through their employer. Nearly 83% of respondents are offered at least partial payment of their ASCE dues; nearly 79% have telework options.
