Civil engineering is associated with tasks including building strong buildings to withstand the elements of nature, building bridges, planning communities or designing amusement park rides such as complex roller coaster pathways. They also focus on improving the efficiency of road and transportation systems. Civil engineers have an average salary of $78,560, as of May, 2008.
Mechanical engineers conduct research, design and manufacture tools, engines, machines and various other mechanical devices. Some of the machines they are responsible for creating include internal combustion engines, steam and gas turbines and refrigeration and air-conditioning machines. Mechanical engineers work in plants, automotive, production and technical sales departments.
Industrial engineers focus on analyzing and evaluating methods of production and how they can improve them. They focus on how to utilize the resources that are available, both with labor and equipment, and determine whether the planned method is feasible with the resources. Industrial engineers may work in the fields of manufacturing and administrative industries.
Chemical engineering focuses on programs to study math, physics, biology and chemistry along with molecular science. The fields that chemical engineering majors work in include alternative energy, biotechnology or advanced materials. A chemical engineer major is typically referred to as a process engineer in the workplace.