Career

Structural Engineer

Technology & Design

Designs the structural steel, concrete, and foundation systems that keep a building standing, pairing with the trades that actually build what the drawings specify.

What is a Structural Engineer?

A Structural Engineer designs the systems that carry a building's loads, foundations, structural steel or concrete framing, and the connections that hold it all together, then produces the calculations and drawings that prove the design meets code. It's a licensed profession like civil engineering, and in a meaningful number of states the licensing is a level stricter: some states require a separate Structural Engineer (SE) license, beyond a general PE, to stamp drawings for taller buildings or higher-risk structures, while others treat SE as an optional add-on credential to an existing PE.

What they do

Design structural systems (foundations, framing, connections) to meet code-required loads
Perform structural calculations for gravity, wind, and seismic loads
Produce structural drawings and specifications for construction
Review shop drawings and submittals from steel fabricators and concrete subcontractors
Respond to RFIs about structural conditions discovered during construction
Coordinate with architects, civil engineers, and MEP engineers on how systems fit together

A typical day

8:00 AMReview structural calculations for a foundation design against updated geotechnical data
10:00 AMReview structural steel shop drawings submitted by the fabricator
12:30 PMCoordinate with the architect on a structural conflict with a mechanical shaft location
2:00 PMRespond to an RFI about an unexpected structural condition uncovered during demolition
3:30 PMUpdate structural drawings to reflect an approved change

Skills

Structural analysis and design calculationsReading and producing structural drawingsUnderstanding of building codes and seismic/wind design requirementsReviewing shop drawings and submittalsCoordination with architects and other engineering disciplines

Software

Structural analysis and design software (e.g. structural modeling and BIM tools)

Pay expectations

Pay by experience, nationally

as of May 2025

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051), national data — BLS has no separate detailed occupation for structural engineering; it's classified under the broader Civil Engineers code, the same one the Civil Engineer page uses, so the figures are identical by design, not a copy-paste mistake

Reviewed May 2025. Pay reflects the national wage distribution for this occupation, not a promise for any one job: entry level is the lower part of that range, 5 years in sits around the national median, and 10 years in is the upper part, since pay isn't actually tracked by years on the job. Real pay varies a lot by state, metro area, union status, and employer — scale these up or down for your market. These figures are base pay only: overtime, shift differentials, and per-project bonuses are standard across most construction trades and routinely push real earnings above what's shown here.

What this chart doesn't capture

Making Principal at a structural firm means your stamp — and your firm's liability exposure — backs every calculation the firm signs off on; the ownership upside comes bundled with that exposure.

These figures are wage-and-salary pay only — the Bureau of Labor Statistics excludes principals' and partners' equity distributions from this survey entirely, since that income is a share of the firm's fee revenue, not a wage. Structural firm ownership stakes vary by firm size, project type, and the liability exposure a principal personally carries, and no single published figure captures it meaningfully. Worth understanding a specific firm's partnership track and buy-in terms directly before counting on a number.

Education

Required:: A bachelor's degree in civil or structural engineering from an ABET-accredited program, then passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, then typically four years of progressive experience under a licensed PE before sitting for the Professional Engineer (PE) Structural exam. A PE license is legally required to stamp structural drawings, and some states also require a separate Structural Engineer (SE) license, a stricter credential, for taller buildings or higher-risk essential facilities
Not necessary:: A background in construction trades; most structural engineers come directly from an engineering degree program

Career progression

1.Engineer in Training (EIT)
2.Structural Engineer
3.Senior Structural Engineer or Project Engineer (design firm side)
4.Principal Engineer or Engineering Manager

Who hires for this role

Structural Engineering and Design FirmsGeneral Contractors (some larger firms keep in-house structural engineers)Developers and Owners (for structural feasibility and due diligence)