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Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers earn a median $100,840 a year in the U.S., with 367,840 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $100,840 a year
- Employment
- 367,840
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +6.4%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 22,700
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $100,840 · $48.48 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $108,670 · $52.24 an hour (estimate error ±0.9%)
- 10th percentile
- $68,240 · $32.81 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $79,930 · $38.43 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $129,680 · $62.34 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $163,220 · $78.47 an hour
- Employment
- 367,840 (estimate error ±1.0%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems. Includes architectural, structural, traffic, and geotechnical engineers. Excludes “Hydrologists” (19-2043).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 380,600
- Projected for 2035
- 405,100
- Change
- +24,500 (+6.4%)
- Openings each year
- 22,700
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 1.9%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $122,500 | 55,180 |
| 2 | Alaska | $114,730 | 1,670 |
| 3 | Washington | $110,000 | 12,590 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $106,730 | 9,450 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $105,380 | 3,780 |
| 6 | Oregon | $105,250 | 4,890 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $104,660 | 6,900 |
| 8 | Nevada | $104,310 | 3,560 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $103,900 | 1,350 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $103,880 | 1,650 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 55,180 | $122,500 |
| Texas | 34,870 | $96,860 |
| Florida | 23,750 | $98,570 |
| New York | 17,500 | $103,760 |
| Pennsylvania | 15,870 | $97,850 |
| Illinois | 13,910 | $99,760 |
| Colorado | 13,290 | $101,420 |
| North Carolina | 12,810 | $100,730 |
| Washington | 12,590 | $110,000 |
| Virginia | 11,350 | $97,120 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
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| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $130,280 | 3,170 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,160 | 10,990 |
| 3 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,150 | 5,590 |
| 4 | Redding, CA | $126,000 | 380 |
| 5 | Napa, CA | $123,440 | 180 |
| 6 | Walla Walla, WA | $123,030 | 190 |
| 7 | Vallejo, CA | $122,510 | 300 |
| 8 | Salinas, CA | $122,160 | 250 |
| 9 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $121,370 | 630 |
| 10 | Yuba City, CA | $119,990 | 460 |
| 11 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $119,980 | 610 |
| 12 | Fresno, CA | $119,720 | 1,250 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)5,019 certified filingsMedian offered wage $93,704
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)1,052 certified filingsMedian offered wage $90,147
Civil Engineers pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
- Aerospace Engineers
- Agricultural Engineers
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Computer Hardware Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Environmental Engineers
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
- Industrial Engineers
- Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
- Materials Engineers
Frequently asked questions
- How much do civil engineers make?
- The median wage for civil engineers in the U.S. is $100,840 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $79,930 and $129,680.
- Which state pays civil engineers the most?
- California has the highest median wage for this occupation at $122,500 a year.
- What is the job outlook for civil engineers?
- BLS projects employment to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 22,700 openings each year on average.
- What education do civil engineers need?
- The typical entry-level education is: bachelor's degree.