Civil Engineers
Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) earn a median $100,840 a year ($48.48 an hour) in the United States, with 367,840 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What civil engineers do
Civil engineers plan, design, and oversee the construction and maintenance of public and private infrastructure, including roads, bridges, railroads, airports, harbors, dams, pipelines, water and wastewater systems, and building structures. Design work involves computing loads, grades, water flow rates, and material stresses to decide what a structure must withstand, and the engineer prepares plans and specifications to match. Civil engineers also inspect project sites to track progress and confirm that the work follows the design, manage activities at construction or maintenance sites, and direct engineering teams so that projects meet environmental, safety, and other regulations. They are separate from architects, who design the appearance and layout of buildings, and from surveyors, who measure and map the land that engineers build on. The category covers structural, traffic, geotechnical, and architectural engineers, and it excludes hydrologists, who are classified separately. Civil engineers also provide technical advice on design and construction to industrial and managerial staff and analyze survey reports, maps, and aerial photography.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Bridge Design Engineer, Airport Engineer, Architectural Engineer, Asphalt Engineer, Base Engineer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $32.81 | $38.43 | $48.48 | $62.34 | $78.47 | $52.24 | 367,840 |
| Annual | $68,240 | $79,930 | $100,840 | $129,680 | $163,220 | $108,670 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where civil engineers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $37.49 | $46.44 | $58.89 | $71.80 | $84.59 | $59.87 | 55,180 | 3.03 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $77,980 | $96,590 | $122,500 | $149,350 | $175,940 | $124,540 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $37.95 | $45.65 | $55.16 | $64.56 | $78.57 | $57.13 | 1,670 | 5.13 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $78,940 | $94,960 | $114,730 | $134,280 | $163,420 | $118,830 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $39.35 | $46.27 | $52.89 | $63.97 | $77.25 | $56.57 | 12,590 | 3.55 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $81,840 | $96,230 | $110,000 | $133,050 | $160,670 | $117,670 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $37.64 | $40.66 | $51.31 | $64.81 | $79.61 | $56.41 | 9,450 | 2.60 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $78,280 | $84,570 | $106,730 | $134,810 | $165,590 | $117,330 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $31.04 | $37.87 | $50.66 | $61.51 | $75.29 | $52.04 | 3,780 | 1.95 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $64,570 | $78,770 | $105,380 | $127,940 | $156,610 | $108,250 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $37.49 | $46.44 | $58.89 | $71.80 | $84.59 | $59.87 | 55,180 | 3.03 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $77,980 | $96,590 | $122,500 | $149,350 | $175,940 | $124,540 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $30.41 | $37.12 | $46.57 | $61.22 | $79.00 | $50.12 | 34,870 | 2.48 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $63,240 | $77,200 | $96,860 | $127,340 | $164,330 | $104,250 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $28.19 | $36.90 | $47.39 | $61.76 | $80.14 | $49.91 | 23,750 | 2.39 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $58,640 | $76,740 | $98,570 | $128,450 | $166,680 | $103,810 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $37.16 | $40.74 | $49.89 | $65.34 | $81.28 | $56.67 | 17,500 | 1.81 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $77,290 | $84,740 | $103,760 | $135,920 | $169,050 | $117,880 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $32.66 | $37.46 | $47.04 | $58.81 | $67.94 | $48.44 | 15,870 | 2.62 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $67,930 | $77,920 | $97,850 | $122,320 | $141,310 | $100,750 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $39.32 | $48.22 | $62.64 | $79.96 | $98.72 | $66.30 | 3,170 | 2.79 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $81,790 | $100,300 | $130,280 | $166,320 | $205,330 | $137,910 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $43.69 | $49.54 | $62.58 | $78.44 | $97.47 | $65.55 | 10,990 | 4.63 | 1.96 |
| Annual | $90,860 | $103,030 | $130,160 | $163,150 | $202,730 | $136,350 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $39.27 | $48.21 | $62.57 | $76.62 | $84.59 | $62.33 | 5,590 | 5.18 | 2.19 |
| Annual | $81,680 | $100,270 | $130,150 | $159,360 | $175,940 | $129,650 | ||||
| Mankato, MN | Hourly | $36.68 | $50.39 | $61.65 | $63.80 | $75.00 | $57.91 | 50 | 0.91 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $76,300 | $104,820 | $128,220 | $132,700 | $156,000 | $120,450 | ||||
| Redding, CA | Hourly | $36.53 | $47.39 | $60.58 | $71.80 | $83.38 | $59.78 | 380 | 5.25 | 2.22 |
| Annual | $75,990 | $98,570 | $126,000 | $149,350 | $173,440 | $124,340 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $35.03 | $40.62 | $52.23 | $68.06 | $82.05 | $57.75 | 16,340 | 2.61 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $72,860 | $84,480 | $108,640 | $141,560 | $170,670 | $120,120 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $37.62 | $42.65 | $51.60 | $68.90 | $84.81 | $58.82 | 15,590 | 1.64 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $78,250 | $88,710 | $107,330 | $143,310 | $176,400 | $122,340 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $32.33 | $38.47 | $48.53 | $62.97 | $80.89 | $53.55 | 12,140 | 3.69 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $67,250 | $80,010 | $100,950 | $130,990 | $168,240 | $111,370 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $43.69 | $49.54 | $62.58 | $78.44 | $97.47 | $65.55 | 10,990 | 4.63 | 1.96 |
| Annual | $90,860 | $103,030 | $130,160 | $163,150 | $202,730 | $136,350 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $35.64 | $38.47 | $48.16 | $60.85 | $76.90 | $51.22 | 9,760 | 2.16 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $74,130 | $80,020 | $100,160 | $126,570 | $159,940 | $106,540 | ||||
Top industries employing civil engineers
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 54.8% of civil engineers nationally (201,620 jobs) at a median $100,640 a year ($48.39 an hour), followed by State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (10.3%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (10.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 201,620 | 54.8% | $100,640 | $48.39 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 37,800 | 10.3% | $102,440 | $49.25 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 37,220 | 10.1% | $113,640 | $54.63 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction NAICS 236200 | 27,670 | 7.5% | $82,400 | $39.62 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 10,140 | 2.8% | $117,790 | $56.63 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (367,840). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $88,050 for civil engineers in May 2021 and $100,840 in May 2025, with employment of 304,310 and 367,840.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $88,050 | $42.33 | 304,310 |
| May 2022 | $89,940 | $43.24 | 307,570 |
| May 2023 | $95,890 | $46.10 | 327,950 |
| May 2024 | $99,590 | $47.88 | 355,410 |
| May 2025 | $100,840 | $48.48 | 367,840 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $58.89 | $122,500 | $77,980 | $175,940 | 55,180 | 3.03 | 1.28 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $55.16 | $114,730 | $78,940 | $163,420 | 1,670 | 5.13 | 2.17 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $52.89 | $110,000 | $81,840 | $160,670 | 12,590 | 3.55 | 1.50 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $51.31 | $106,730 | $78,280 | $165,590 | 9,450 | 2.60 | 1.10 |
| 5 | Louisiana profile | $50.66 | $105,380 | $64,570 | $156,610 | 3,780 | 1.95 | 0.82 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $50.60 | $105,250 | $77,560 | $166,060 | 4,890 | 2.48 | 1.05 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | $50.32 | $104,660 | $74,640 | $169,220 | 6,900 | 1.61 | 0.68 |
| 8 | Nevada profile | $50.15 | $104,310 | $77,480 | $160,820 | 3,560 | 2.29 | 0.97 |
| 9 | New Mexico profile | $49.95 | $103,900 | $67,100 | $163,570 | 1,350 | 1.55 | 0.66 |
| 10 | District of Columbia profile | $49.94 | $103,880 | $78,780 | $164,200 | 1,650 | 2.34 | 0.99 |
| 11 | New York profile | $49.89 | $103,760 | $77,290 | $169,050 | 17,500 | 1.81 | 0.76 |
| 12 | Connecticut profile | $49.59 | $103,150 | $76,350 | $161,670 | 4,370 | 2.58 | 1.09 |
| 13 | Nebraska profile | $49.59 | $103,150 | $68,950 | $149,980 | 2,360 | 2.30 | 0.97 |
| 14 | South Carolina profile | $48.85 | $101,600 | $67,950 | $156,380 | 7,180 | 3.11 | 1.32 |
| 15 | Minnesota profile | $48.79 | $101,480 | $65,840 | $159,230 | 4,710 | 1.60 | 0.68 |
| 16 | Colorado profile | $48.76 | $101,420 | $76,810 | $165,230 | 13,290 | 4.63 | 1.96 |
| 17 | Kentucky profile | $48.53 | $100,930 | $65,660 | $143,680 | 2,690 | 1.34 | 0.57 |
| 18 | North Carolina profile | $48.43 | $100,730 | $70,760 | $160,520 | 12,810 | 2.59 | 1.10 |
| 19 | Maryland profile | $48.41 | $100,680 | $75,550 | $152,730 | 5,240 | 1.90 | 0.80 |
| 20 | Delaware profile | $48.19 | $100,220 | $74,560 | $153,100 | 920 | 1.90 | 0.80 |
| 21 | Mississippi profile | $48.16 | $100,170 | $49,840 | $162,240 | 1,770 | 1.52 | 0.64 |
| 22 | Illinois profile | $47.96 | $99,760 | $69,590 | $157,410 | 13,910 | 2.28 | 0.96 |
| 23 | Rhode Island profile | $47.74 | $99,300 | $77,800 | $151,020 | 1,270 | 2.53 | 1.07 |
| 24 | Alabama profile | $47.60 | $99,010 | $63,930 | $168,370 | 5,370 | 2.54 | 1.07 |
| 25 | Oklahoma profile | $47.48 | $98,760 | $66,550 | $153,470 | 2,180 | 1.28 | 0.54 |
| 26 | New Hampshire profile | $47.46 | $98,710 | $64,270 | $139,060 | 1,620 | 2.36 | 1.00 |
| 27 | South Dakota profile | $47.45 | $98,700 | $70,050 | $127,090 | 1,440 | 3.14 | 1.33 |
| 28 | Florida profile | $47.39 | $98,570 | $58,640 | $166,680 | 23,750 | 2.39 | 1.01 |
| 29 | Indiana profile | $47.25 | $98,270 | $64,200 | $140,130 | 4,030 | 1.26 | 0.53 |
| 30 | North Dakota profile | $47.21 | $98,190 | $63,290 | $143,740 | 1,380 | 3.21 | 1.35 |
| 31 | Idaho profile | $47.13 | $98,030 | $67,250 | $141,020 | 2,630 | 3.07 | 1.30 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania profile | $47.04 | $97,850 | $67,930 | $141,310 | 15,870 | 2.62 | 1.11 |
| 33 | Maine profile | $47.03 | $97,820 | $71,080 | $132,600 | 1,240 | 1.94 | 0.82 |
| 34 | Virginia profile | $46.69 | $97,120 | $74,000 | $150,710 | 11,350 | 2.76 | 1.17 |
| 35 | Kansas profile | $46.58 | $96,880 | $63,260 | $150,640 | 2,880 | 2.01 | 0.85 |
| 36 | Texas profile | $46.57 | $96,860 | $63,240 | $164,330 | 34,870 | 2.48 | 1.05 |
| 37 | Utah profile | $46.56 | $96,830 | $62,130 | $149,410 | 5,670 | 3.27 | 1.38 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $46.36 | $96,430 | $64,900 | $135,480 | 2,500 | 1.60 | 0.68 |
| 39 | Ohio profile | $46.26 | $96,220 | $65,170 | $144,620 | 10,560 | 1.90 | 0.80 |
| 40 | Tennessee profile | $46.11 | $95,910 | $65,090 | $154,100 | 5,790 | 1.77 | 0.75 |
| 41 | Vermont profile | $45.96 | $95,600 | $68,720 | $129,390 | 770 | 2.53 | 1.07 |
| 42 | Wisconsin profile | $45.48 | $94,600 | $67,590 | $131,040 | 7,410 | 2.52 | 1.07 |
| 43 | Hawaii profile | $45.33 | $94,280 | $62,900 | $131,810 | 2,640 | 4.20 | 1.78 |
| 44 | Montana profile | $44.75 | $93,070 | $62,230 | $129,020 | 1,870 | 3.67 | 1.55 |
| 45 | Missouri profile | $44.59 | $92,750 | $64,950 | $139,210 | 5,760 | 1.96 | 0.83 |
| 46 | Michigan profile | $44.28 | $92,100 | $63,920 | $130,400 | 7,760 | 1.76 | 0.74 |
| 47 | Wyoming profile | $43.55 | $90,590 | $67,870 | $133,920 | 990 | 3.51 | 1.48 |
| 48 | Arizona profile | $43.10 | $89,660 | $63,740 | $138,030 | 5,940 | 1.83 | 0.77 |
| 49 | West Virginia profile | $41.79 | $86,930 | $51,640 | $132,960 | 1,300 | 1.85 | 0.78 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $40.88 | $85,020 | $44,810 | $132,460 | 1,870 | 1.43 | 0.60 |
| 51 | Georgia profile | $40.50 | $84,240 | $62,850 | $153,690 | 9,400 | 1.92 | 0.81 |
Part of Architecture and Engineering Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 17-2051 Civil Engineers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 17-2051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 17-2051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.