Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$68,240
- 25th Percentile — Junior$79,930
- 50th Percentile — Median$100,840
- 75th Percentile — Senior$129,680
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$163,220
The top 10% of Civil Engineers earn $163,220 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $68,240, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $124,540 | +14.6% |
| Alaska | $118,830 | +9.3% |
| New York | $117,880 | +8.5% |
| Washington | $117,670 | +8.3% |
| Massachusetts | $117,330 | +8.0% |
| Oregon | $116,160 | +6.9% |
| District of Columbia | $115,810 | +6.6% |
| Nevada | $114,970 | +5.8% |
| New Jersey | $114,750 | +5.6% |
| Colorado | $114,460 | +5.3% |
| New Mexico | $111,300 | +2.4% |
| Connecticut | $110,920 | +2.1% |
| Rhode Island | $110,560 | +1.7% |
| Louisiana | $108,250 | -0.4% |
| Delaware | $107,650 | -0.9% |
| Alabama | $107,550 | -1.0% |
| Minnesota | $107,500 | -1.1% |
| Maryland | $107,320 | -1.2% |
| South Carolina | $107,000 | -1.5% |
| Nebraska | $106,860 | -1.7% |
| Oklahoma | $105,570 | -2.9% |
| Illinois | $105,390 | -3.0% |
| Virginia | $105,340 | -3.1% |
| Kentucky | $105,310 | -3.1% |
| Mississippi | $104,840 | -3.5% |
| North Carolina | $104,760 | -3.6% |
| Texas | $104,250 | -4.1% |
| Florida | $103,810 | -4.5% |
| Tennessee | $103,340 | -4.9% |
| Idaho | $101,160 | -6.9% |
| Kansas | $100,810 | -7.2% |
| Ohio | $100,810 | -7.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $100,750 | -7.3% |
| Utah | $100,300 | -7.7% |
| Indiana | $100,010 | -8.0% |
| Iowa | $99,950 | -8.0% |
| New Hampshire | $99,620 | -8.3% |
| South Dakota | $99,500 | -8.4% |
| Maine | $99,310 | -8.6% |
| Missouri | $98,970 | -8.9% |
| North Dakota | $98,780 | -9.1% |
| Georgia | $98,300 | -9.5% |
| Vermont | $97,480 | -10.3% |
| Wisconsin | $97,330 | -10.4% |
| Arizona | $97,130 | -10.6% |
| Wyoming | $96,810 | -10.9% |
| Hawaii | $96,270 | -11.4% |
| Michigan | $94,870 | -12.7% |
| Montana | $92,650 | -14.7% |
| West Virginia | $91,220 | -16.1% |
| Arkansas | $89,500 | -17.6% |
What Factors Affect Civil Engineers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Civil Engineers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $124,540, while Arkansas pays $89,500 — a gap of $35,040 per year.
The middle half of Civil Engineers earn between $79,930 and $129,680 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $68,240, while the top 10% earn more than $163,220.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Civil Engineers?
The average salary for Civil Engineers in the United States is $108,670 per year, with a median of $100,840.
What is the starting salary for Civil Engineers?
Entry-level Civil Engineers typically earn between $68,240 and $79,930 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Civil Engineers the most?
California pays Civil Engineers the most at $124,540 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($118,830) and New York ($117,880).
How much do Civil Engineers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $108,670, Civil Engineers earn approximately $52.25 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Civil Engineers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 367,840 Civil Engineers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $108,670 and a median of $100,840 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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