Civil Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering - Which Has a Better Scope?

Civil engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the construction and maintenance of public and private buildings, dams, roads, canals, and other structures. Mechanical engineering is the field of engineering that involves working on physical machines based on the theories of force, work, and motion.

Table of Contents

What is Civil Engineering?
What is Mechanical Engineering?
Differences Between Civil Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering
Top Colleges for Civil Engineering
Top Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Skills Required for Civil Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering
Job Scope for Civil Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering

Civil engineering deals with the construction as well as maintenance of buildings, canals, dams, roads, and other construction works, whereas mechanical engineering focuses on the employment of the theories of work, force, and motion on the working of machines.

Irrespective of the discipline chosen, it is important to devote time to studying the subject thoroughly for a comprehensive understanding of the subject. When given to choose one option, the students must choose the subject as per one’s interest, and also according to the job opportunities offered by the subject.

What is Civil Engineering?

Civil engineering is associated with the construction, design, and maintenance of buildings, bridges, canals, roads, dams etc. The specialisations under civil engineering include water resources, forensics, environment, construction and architecture.

The sectors for which civil engineers work include public, private, cities, and governments. The various projects included in civil engineering include airports, dams, bridges, hydraulic systems, environmental effects, etc.

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical engineering is associated with the designing and construction of equipment or machines. The work in mechanical engineering is analysed through the principles of motion, work, and force. A mechanical engineer will ensure that the equipment functions safely and efficiently and in an economic way.

There are several disciplines under mechanical engineering, which include aerospace, energy, design, acoustics, robotics, composites, biotechnology, etc.

Also Check: Aeronautical Engineering vs Aerospace Engineering - Which Has a Better Scope?

Differences Between Civil Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering

There are major differences between civil and mechanical engineering when it comes to the areas they cover and the job scopes. The differences have been charted in the table below:

Parameters	Civil Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Focus Areas	Pavements, bridges, buildings, dams, roads, design and manufacture of materials with which construction is done	Product development and design, industrial fluid mechanics, dynamics and strength of structures
Major Elements	Surveying, materials science, coastal construction, transportation, etc.	Mechatronics, robotics, thermodynamics, mechanics, fluid, mechanics, etc.
Job Profile	Mining Engineer, Coastal Engineer, Structural Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer	Electrical Engineer, Automotive Engineer, Chemical Engineer, Aerospace Engineer, Industrial Engineer
Average Salary (Annual)	INR 4,60,000	INR 4,30,000
Top Recruiters	IRCON International Ltd., L&T ECC, Punj Lloyd Group, Gammon India Ltd., Hindustan Construction Company	Tata Consultancy Services, L&T Technology Services, Larsen & Toubro, Tech Mahindra, HCLTech

Also Check: Electrical Engineering Vs Electronics and Communication Engineering: Which One to Choose?

Top Colleges for Civil Engineering

Shared below are few of the top colleges in India for Civil Engineering. Students who wish to study civil engineering can take a look at the list below:

Also Check: Top Civil Engineering Colleges in India

Top Colleges for Mechanical Engineering

Students who are interested in Mechanical Engineering can check the list of the top colleges in India for mechanical engineering:

Also Check: Top Mechanical Engineering Colleges in India

Skills Required for Civil Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering

Needless to say both the branches of engineering need a separate set of skills. It is important for the students to acquire these skills while doing their courses. These skills are what the employers look for when they recruit candidates for different job profiles.

The skills required for civil and mechanical engineering have been shared in the table below:

Civil Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Project Management	Project Management
Technical Writing	Computer Aided Design (CAD) & Visualization
Maintenance of Infrastructure	Mechanical Analysis
Planning and Designing of Buildings/Constructions	Manufacturing

Also Check: Skill Development Courses List for Students

Job Scope for Civil Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering

Both the fields of engineering, namely Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, have a wide range of options when it comes to career. A civil engineer is required to give technical ideas in the construction and maintenance of buildings, roads, dams, etc.

The job scope of a civil engineer includes the following areas: