Civil Engineer Salary
Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Civil Engineers
The median civil engineer salary in the United States is $100,840 per year ($48.48/hour). Salaries range from $68,240 at the entry level to $163,220+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 367,840 civil engineer jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 5% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salary Distribution
Job Growth (2024-2034)
Annual Openings
Education Required
Civil Engineer Career Guide
Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for civil engineers.
Civil engineers design and manage infrastructure β bridges, roads, buildings, water systems, ports. Career splits: consulting firms (design + PE stamp responsibility), public sector (DOT, city engineering), and contractor-side (project engineer, field). PE licensure is central β reaching Senior Engineer without it caps earnings. Sub-disciplines have very different pay + culture: structural, transportation, water/wastewater, geotechnical, environmental, construction management.
Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For
How to Become a Civil Engineer
- 1BS in Civil Engineering (ABET-accredited)Required. Take FE senior year.
- 2First job: EIT (Engineer-in-Training)Design engineer at consulting firm, project engineer at contractor, or DOT junior engineer. 4 years experience before PE.
- 3PE exam (varies by state)State-specific. Discipline-specific technical portions. ~65% first-attempt pass. Unlocks earning ceiling.
- 4Specialize by year 3-5Structural = highest paid + most competitive. Transportation = large market. Water/wastewater = growing regulatory. Geotech = specialty premium.
- 5PMP for construction management trackFor those moving toward project management or contractor side.
- 6Move to senior + partnership at consultingPartnership at consulting firms provides significant income + equity.
Career Progression
- β’Design under PE supervision
- β’Drafting + calculations
- β’Field observation + inspection
- β’Studying for PE exam
- β’Own project design
- β’Client-facing for scope + budget
- β’Junior engineer supervision
- β’Sign + seal drawings
- β’Multiple concurrent projects
- β’Client relationship + business development
- β’Team of 3-8 engineers
- β’Budget + schedule authority
- β’Firm-level business development
- β’Ownership stake
- β’Regional / practice leadership
Interview Questions & Answers
5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 10 total plus resume bullets for every level.
Q1. Walk me through a design project you led.technical
Q2. How would you design a bridge deck for a 60-ft span?technical
Q3. Tell me about a design change during construction.behavioral
Q4. Why our firm / DOT specifically?culture
Q5. How do you balance schedule + budget + quality?situational
Resume Template β EIT / Engineer I (0-4 yrs)
Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.
- βΈContributed to design of $28M water treatment plant expansion; completed detailed calculations for 3 process units.
- βΈPassed Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam; on track for PE at 4-year mark.
- βΈManaged field observation for 2 highway rehabilitation projects totaling $12M in construction value.
- βΈTrained 2 summer interns on Civil 3D + specification writing.
What Gets You Rejected
- βNo FE by graduation β signals no PE track intent.
- βVague on codes (AASHTO, ACI, AISC) β foundational fluency.
- βPoor CAD proficiency.
- βOverselling scope on projects.
- βField observation gap β senior engineers must have shop / field experience.
- βBad-mouthing contractors β collaboration matters.
Salary Negotiation Levers
- βPE license β non-negotiable for career-track pay increase.
- βSpecialty (structural, geotech, water) β premium.
- βDesign software depth (STAAD, SAP2000).
- βPMP for CM track.
- βBilingual for federal / government work.
- βSign-on bonus for competitive hires.
- βFirm ownership / partnership path.
Civil Engineer Resume Review β $29
Personalized resume review from someone who has hired civil engineers. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.
- β Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
- β Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
- β Missing skills / keywords flagged
- β Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
- β 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it
Civil Engineer Career Kit β $19
- β All 10 interview questions with expert answers
- β 6 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
- β Interview format intel for 5 top employers
- β 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
- β Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
- β 30β60β90 day plan for your first role
- β Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
- β Detailed salary negotiation script
- β Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
- β Downloadable PDF for offline access
- β Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.
Sample reviews β real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.
βThe interview question bank saved me. I got the exact question about 'walking through a DCF' at my Goldman Sachs superday, verbatim.β
β Anonymous, Financial Analyst
βCopy-paste negotiation emails are worth the price alone. I used the 'accepting with counter' template and got an extra $8k signing bonus.β
β Anonymous, Software Developer
βThe 30-60-90 day plan for a new grad RN was better than the orientation my hospital gave. Wish I'd bought this in nursing school.β
β Anonymous, Registered Nurse
Civil Engineer Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) βSalary Map β Click a state for details
Top Paying States
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $122,500 | +21.5% |
| Alaska | $114,730 | +13.8% |
| Washington | $110,000 | +9.1% |
| Massachusetts | $106,730 | +5.8% |
| Louisiana | $105,380 | +4.5% |
| Oregon | $105,250 | +4.4% |
| New Jersey | $104,660 | +3.8% |
| Nevada | $104,310 | +3.4% |
| New Mexico | $103,900 | +3.0% |
| District of Columbia | $103,880 | +3.0% |
Civil Engineer Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $130,280 | +29.2% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,160 | +29.1% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,150 | +29.1% |
| Mankato, MN | $128,220 | +27.2% |
| Redding, CA | $126,000 | +25.0% |
| Napa, CA | $123,440 | +22.4% |
| Walla Walla, WA | $123,030 | +22.0% |
| Vallejo, CA | $122,510 | +21.5% |
| Salinas, CA | $122,160 | +21.1% |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $121,370 | +20.4% |