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How Much Does a Civil Engineer Make?

A civil engineer in the US earns a median salary of $100,840 a year, or $48.48 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $108,670, and the middle half earn between $79,930 and $129,680.

Median a year $100,840
Median an hour $48.48
Median a month $8,403
Average a year $108,670

Civil engineer pay range

What civil engineers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $68,240 $32.81
25th $79,930 $38.43
Median (50th) $100,840 $48.48
75th $129,680 $62.34
90th (top 10%) $163,220 $78.47

The median is 98% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 367,840 people work as civil engineers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,939
Every two weeks
$3,878
Twice a month
$4,202
A month
$8,403

At the median salary, before tax.

Civil engineer salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays civil engineers the most, at $124,540 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $124,540 $122,500 55,180 After tax
Alaska $118,830 $114,730 1,670 After tax
New York $117,880 $103,760 17,500 After tax
Washington $117,670 $110,000 12,590 After tax
Massachusetts $117,330 $106,730 9,450 After tax
Oregon $116,160 $105,250 4,890 After tax
District of Columbia $115,810 $103,880 1,650 After tax
Nevada $114,970 $104,310 3,560 After tax
New Jersey $114,750 $104,660 6,900 After tax
Colorado $114,460 $101,420 13,290 After tax
New Mexico $111,300 $103,900 1,350 After tax
Connecticut $110,920 $103,150 4,370 After tax
Rhode Island $110,560 $99,300 1,270 After tax
Louisiana $108,250 $105,380 3,780 After tax
Delaware $107,650 $100,220 920 After tax
Alabama $107,550 $99,010 5,370 After tax
Minnesota $107,500 $101,480 4,710 After tax
Maryland $107,320 $100,680 5,240 After tax
South Carolina $107,000 $101,600 7,180 After tax
Nebraska $106,860 $103,150 2,360 After tax
Oklahoma $105,570 $98,760 2,180 After tax
Illinois $105,390 $99,760 13,910 After tax
Virginia $105,340 $97,120 11,350 After tax
Kentucky $105,310 $100,930 2,690 After tax
Mississippi $104,840 $100,170 1,770 After tax
North Carolina $104,760 $100,730 12,810 After tax
Texas $104,250 $96,860 34,870 After tax
Florida $103,810 $98,570 23,750 After tax
Tennessee $103,340 $95,910 5,790 After tax
Idaho $101,160 $98,030 2,630 After tax
Kansas $100,810 $96,880 2,880 After tax
Ohio $100,810 $96,220 10,560 After tax
Pennsylvania $100,750 $97,850 15,870 After tax
Utah $100,300 $96,830 5,670 After tax
Indiana $100,010 $98,270 4,030 After tax
Iowa $99,950 $96,430 2,500 After tax
New Hampshire $99,620 $98,710 1,620 After tax
South Dakota $99,500 $98,700 1,440 After tax
Maine $99,310 $97,820 1,240 After tax
Missouri $98,970 $92,750 5,760 After tax
North Dakota $98,780 $98,190 1,380 After tax
Georgia $98,300 $84,240 9,400 After tax
Vermont $97,480 $95,600 770 After tax
Wisconsin $97,330 $94,600 7,410 After tax
Arizona $97,130 $89,660 5,940 After tax
Wyoming $96,810 $90,590 990 After tax
Hawaii $96,270 $94,280 2,640 After tax
Michigan $94,870 $92,100 7,760 After tax
Montana $92,650 $93,070 1,870 After tax
West Virginia $91,220 $86,930 1,300 After tax
Arkansas $89,500 $85,020 1,870 After tax
Guam $73,110 $67,410 640
Puerto Rico $66,210 $61,060 1,750

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other architecture and engineering jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Civil Engineers” (SOC 17-2051). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a civil engineer make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a civil engineer is $48.48, and the average is $52.24. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $32.81 an hour and the top 10% over $78.47.

How much does a civil engineer make a month?

At the median salary of $100,840, a civil engineer earns about $8,403 a month before tax, or $3,878 every two weeks.

Which state pays civil engineers the most?

California has the highest average pay for a civil engineer, at $124,540 a year. Next are Alaska and New York. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a civil engineer?

The lowest-paid 10% of civil engineers earn less than $68,240 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $79,930. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid civil engineers make?

The top 10% earn more than $163,220 a year, and the top 25% more than $129,680.