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How many years of college do I need for civil engineering?

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Myron’s Answer

It will take at least 4 years. A bachelor’s degree is almost always required. However, I have noticed that many organizations are now interested in having a master’s degree in civil engineering. This will require 5 years. Whatever you do, get an education across all parts of the civil engineering field. Do not specialize in your senior year. Save that for your masters degree work.
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Maya’s Answer

A typical civil engineering degree is a 4 year bachelors degree. Check the specific program at the colleges you are considering, though. The major, as with any engineering major, requires a lot of "credits" (a.k.a. class hours) which is why some colleges promote their degrees as 5 years instead of 4. I personally know people who have taken 3.5 years up to 6 years to finish.

A masters degree is certainly not necessary, but because the undergraduate degree is typically very broad (covers many areas such as geotechnical, construction, structural, water/hydraulics, environmental) that is why many people recommend you specialize.

Maya recommends the following next steps:

Check to see if the specific colleges you are interested say on their college of engineering website if the program is 4 or 5 years.
Check to see if the college is ABET accredited. If you want that Professional Engineering license at any point in your career (basically like a Board Certification in Law or Medicine) it is way easier/quicker to get with an ABET accredited undergraduate degree in engineering than without (though it is not impossible).
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Samuel’s Answer

Brayden, there are also some schools with a 5-year Bachelor's program, before you start your Master's degree. I agree that many in the Civil Engineering field enhance their career with a Master's Degree. If you don't have a passion for a particular specialty in Civil Engineering, it is good to focus on that passion in your Master's program. However, if you develop that passion during your undergrad work, it's ok to specialize in your thrid or fourth year, too.
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David E.’s Answer

In the United States if you are interested in a baccalaureate degree you will have to invest 3-4 years. There are now many programs where you can combine, for instance, engineering with a business degree in a five-year program. If you are interested in becoming a registered professional engineer you will need a bachelor's degree and also must have passed the engineer in training exam. There are also some technical schools that will offer an associate's degree but you will not be qualified to work and then undertake the professional practice exams, if you want to become a registered professional engineer you need a bachelor's degree. You can have a very successful career with just a two-year degree but you will have limits on how far you can go in the field of engineering.
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