Civil Engineer salary in the U.S.
Civil Engineers in the U.S. earn a median of $100,840 a year ($48.48 an hour), based on BLS data for 367,840 workers.
Pay ranges from $68,240 for the lowest-paid 10% to $163,220 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $108,670, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for civil engineers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $68,240 | $32.81 |
| 25th percentile | $79,930 | $38.43 |
| Median | $100,840 | $48.48 |
| 75th percentile | $129,680 | $62.34 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $163,220 | $78.47 |
| Average (mean) | $108,670 | $52.24 |
Half of civil engineers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,403.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,201.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,878.46 |
| Weekly | $1,939.23 |
| Hourly | $48.48 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Civil Engineer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $122,500 | 55,180 |
| Alaska | $114,730 | 1,670 |
| Washington | $110,000 | 12,590 |
| Massachusetts | $106,730 | 9,450 |
| Louisiana | $105,380 | 3,780 |
| Oregon | $105,250 | 4,890 |
| New Jersey | $104,660 | 6,900 |
| Nevada | $104,310 | 3,560 |
| New Mexico | $103,900 | 1,350 |
| District of Columbia | $103,880 | 1,650 |
| New York | $103,760 | 17,500 |
| Connecticut | $103,150 | 4,370 |
| Nebraska | $103,150 | 2,360 |
| South Carolina | $101,600 | 7,180 |
| Minnesota | $101,480 | 4,710 |
| Colorado | $101,420 | 13,290 |
| Kentucky | $100,930 | 2,690 |
| North Carolina | $100,730 | 12,810 |
| Maryland | $100,680 | 5,240 |
| Delaware | $100,220 | 920 |
| Mississippi | $100,170 | 1,770 |
| Illinois | $99,760 | 13,910 |
| Rhode Island | $99,300 | 1,270 |
| Alabama | $99,010 | 5,370 |
| Oklahoma | $98,760 | 2,180 |
| New Hampshire | $98,710 | 1,620 |
| South Dakota | $98,700 | 1,440 |
| Florida | $98,570 | 23,750 |
| Indiana | $98,270 | 4,030 |
| North Dakota | $98,190 | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $98,030 | 2,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,850 | 15,870 |
| Maine | $97,820 | 1,240 |
| Virginia | $97,120 | 11,350 |
| Kansas | $96,880 | 2,880 |
| Texas | $96,860 | 34,870 |
| Utah | $96,830 | 5,670 |
| Iowa | $96,430 | 2,500 |
| Ohio | $96,220 | 10,560 |
| Tennessee | $95,910 | 5,790 |
| Vermont | $95,600 | 770 |
| Wisconsin | $94,600 | 7,410 |
| Hawaii | $94,280 | 2,640 |
| Montana | $93,070 | 1,870 |
| Missouri | $92,750 | 5,760 |
| Michigan | $92,100 | 7,760 |
| Wyoming | $90,590 | 990 |
| Arizona | $89,660 | 5,940 |
| West Virginia | $86,930 | 1,300 |
| Arkansas | $85,020 | 1,870 |
| Georgia | $84,240 | 9,400 |
| Guam | $67,410 | 640 |
| Puerto Rico | $61,060 | 1,750 |
Best-paying metro areas for civil engineers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $130,280 | 3,170 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,160 | 10,990 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,150 | 5,590 |
| Mankato, MN | $128,220 | 50 |
| Redding, CA | $126,000 | 380 |
| Napa, CA | $123,440 | 180 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $123,030 | 190 |
| Vallejo, CA | $122,510 | 300 |
| Salinas, CA | $122,160 | 250 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $121,370 | 630 |
| Yuba City, CA | $119,990 | 460 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $119,980 | 610 |
| Fresno, CA | $119,720 | 1,250 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $118,050 | 210 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $116,990 | 610 |
Metro areas with the most civil engineers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 16,340 | $108,640 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 15,590 | $107,330 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 12,140 | $100,950 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 10,990 | $130,160 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 9,760 | $100,160 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 9,130 | $104,710 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 8,470 | $101,780 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 8,010 | $96,920 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 7,970 | $107,670 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 7,680 | $116,480 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 6,850 | $83,750 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 6,270 | $88,000 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 6,160 | $99,410 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 5,620 | $108,900 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 5,590 | $130,150 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 | $49.25 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 | $50.05 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 | $58.00 |
| Engineers, All Other | $122,930 | $59.10 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $130,220 | $62.60 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $161,740 | $77.76 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 | $64.89 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 | $51.50 |
| Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | $109,370 | $52.58 |
| Materials Engineer | $112,860 | $54.26 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $115,160 | $55.36 |
| Chemical Engineer | $125,040 | $60.12 |
| Petroleum Engineer | $144,910 | $69.67 |
| Nuclear Engineer | $133,970 | $64.41 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 17-2051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a civil engineer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for civil engineers in the U.S. is $100,840 a year, or $48.48 an hour. Pay ranges from $68,240 for the lowest-paid 10% to $163,220 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid civil engineers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of civil engineers in the U.S. earn at least $163,220 a year. The top 25% earn $129,680 or more.
What is the starting pay for civil engineers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $68,240 a year, and a quarter of civil engineers earn $79,930 or less.
How many civil engineers work in the U.S.?
About 367,840 civil engineers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.