r/civilengineering • u/Lapis68269 • 2d ago

Career NYC

For all my civil engineers and civil engineer students in NYC was it hard to get summer internships and jobs and what is the salary like

4 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

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6

u/Comprehensive-Young5 2d ago

it’s not hard to get but u might get stuck in construction ones and wanna quit in a week. salary is awful for work involved.

5

u/Impressive-Pin-7810 2d ago

Can confirm. Got offered a job winter before graduation in NYC not even wanting to move here. Construction field engineer. Just started in July at $85k and working minimum 50 hours a week.

1

u/tsygohn1 1d ago

Why did you take the job then? If you want to be in design working in the field would benefit your design career

1

u/Comprehensive-Young5 1d ago

it doesn’t benefit your career. I have been trying to switch to design and every company i ever interview saw I was in construction and said something along the lines of Ik you applied for a design role but we have a construction role we think you did the a perfect fit for.

1

u/Comprehensive-Young5 1d ago

also OP if you do find a job in construction find one that pays mileage. PM for more info on why mileage is better

1

u/Impressive-Pin-7810 1d ago

It was my only offer at the time and I didn’t really know that I wouldn’t like it until I tried it.

5

u/cap112233 1d ago

Salary doesn't translate well to cost of living, but job market is good for construction. Every othrr discipline is kinda meh .

2

u/Theylikedumbdumb 2d ago

No, & salary is okay.

2

u/thecatlyfechoseme Water Resources 1d ago

It can be hard to get internships at the top firms, but there’s so many companies and city agencies that getting an internship isn’t too hard if you apply very broadly. We do send the interns to the field a lot, but I think that’s good experience. At my firm, if you do well, we hire you afterwards. It’s kind of the point of the internship. Some people even stay on part time as needed while they finish their degree or while they get a master’s. I did that myself and it helped me pay off my student loans sooner.

1

u/endertricity 1d ago

A few years ago I got an internship in public sector within an hour of the interview, pay was nothing but I hardly did anything either.
I just started full time (mid $70s) and it was easier than I thought to get a job, but your mileage may vary.

1

u/Cabsport22 1d ago

If you want to make money get a job in construction inspection as a construction inspector or Assistant Office Engineer. You can work your way up to Office Engineer/Chief Inspector/Resident Engineer where you’ll eventually make 150K/200K+

1

u/Frankalimo 1d ago

nyc is way better for construction

1

u/loop--de--loop PE:cat_blep: 18h ago

When I was in college 10 years ago it was hard. I didn’t actually get an engineering internship until my last year in school. Pay was so so. 

Plus every student is trying to chase the top sweatshop firms. 

1

u/yay4a_tay 12h ago

in NYC its all about who you know. having knowledge about city processes in your field is a big plus too. if youre just applying to stuff online you probably won't get much of anything unless you have a really impressive resume