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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
The salary headline is just the beginning — location changes everything. The national median salary for Civil Engineers in 2026 is $110,233, with entry-level positions averaging $63,935 and senior roles reaching $165,350. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $201,400, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Civil Engineer falls within the Engineering sector, specifically in Engineering. The typical education path involves Bachelor's in civil eng. The career outlook? Growing. Work style is hybrid/field — which means location flexibility varies, and so does the premium different markets are willing to pay. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
$122,550 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Civil Engineer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $201,400 — $122,550 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($78,850). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
The three-tier salary picture for Civil Engineers in 2026: $63,935 at entry (P10), $110,233 at midpoint, and $165,350 at the senior end (P90). But raw salary is only half the story. The $101,415 range from bottom to top isn't just experience — it's geography, specialization, and industry mixed together. The median itself lands $29,866 above the national median household income of $80,367.
The pay gap between the top and bottom markets is dramatic: $188,100 (average of the top 3 cities) versus $79,483 (average of the bottom 3). That $108,617 delta is real money — $9,051/month before taxes. But the highest-paying cities tend to be the most expensive. The cost-adjusted comparison below tells the more important story.
A Civil Engineer in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $201,400 — $122,550 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($78,850). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Civil Engineer is $63,935, while senior-level (P90) earners average $165,350. That $101,415 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
California pays the highest average median salary for Civil Engineers at $133,452 across 61 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Jersey at $117,325) is $16,127.
At the 90th percentile, Civil Engineers pull in an average of $165,350. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $63,935 | $110,233 | $165,350 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £45,278 | £62,886 | £89,298 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$67,362 | CA$93,559 | CA$132,853 |
| Australia | 13 | A$78,395 | A$108,882 | A$154,612 |
| Sweden | 24 | 452,444 kr | 628,394 kr | 892,319 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $77,402 | $133,452 | $200,177 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $74,798 | $128,963 | $193,444 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $74,385 | $128,250 | $192,375 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $68,875 | $118,750 | $178,125 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $68,049 | $117,325 | $175,988 |
| Washington | 8 | $66,740 | $115,069 | $172,603 |
| New York | 5 | $62,814 | $108,300 | $162,450 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $62,814 | $108,300 | $162,450 |
| Florida | 22 | $62,338 | $107,480 | $161,219 |
| Colorado | 11 | $61,261 | $105,623 | $158,434 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $61,161 | $105,450 | $158,175 |
| Nevada | 5 | $61,051 | $105,260 | $157,890 |
| Arizona | 12 | $60,748 | $104,738 | $157,106 |
| Oregon | 5 | $60,610 | $104,500 | $156,750 |
| Idaho | 3 | $60,426 | $104,183 | $156,275 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $59,949 | $103,360 | $155,040 |
| Utah | 4 | $59,784 | $103,075 | $154,613 |
| Virginia | 7 | $58,800 | $101,379 | $152,068 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $58,039 | $100,067 | $150,100 |
| Alaska | 1 | $57,855 | $99,750 | $149,625 |
| Illinois | 5 | $57,194 | $98,610 | $147,915 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $55,773 | $96,161 | $144,242 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $55,100 | $95,000 | $142,500 |
| Montana | 1 | $55,100 | $95,000 | $142,500 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $54,916 | $94,683 | $142,025 |
| Texas | 40 | $54,645 | $94,216 | $141,324 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $54,549 | $94,050 | $141,075 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $54,274 | $93,575 | $140,363 |
| Georgia | 6 | $54,090 | $93,258 | $139,888 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $53,998 | $93,100 | $139,650 |
| Kansas | 4 | $53,723 | $92,625 | $138,938 |
| Michigan | 6 | $53,539 | $92,308 | $138,463 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $52,896 | $91,200 | $136,800 |
| Maryland | 1 | $52,896 | $91,200 | $136,800 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $52,345 | $90,250 | $135,375 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $52,345 | $90,250 | $135,375 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $50,968 | $87,875 | $131,813 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $50,692 | $87,400 | $131,100 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $50,003 | $86,213 | $129,319 |
| Missouri | 4 | $50,003 | $86,213 | $129,319 |
| Alabama | 5 | $49,810 | $85,880 | $128,820 |
| Indiana | 3 | $49,039 | $84,550 | $126,825 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $49,039 | $84,550 | $126,825 |
| Iowa | 2 | $48,488 | $83,600 | $125,400 |
| Ohio | 6 | $48,396 | $83,442 | $125,163 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $46,284 | $79,800 | $119,700 |
Geography shapes Civil Engineer pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. California tops the state leaderboard at $133,452 median, with 61 cities providing data. Massachusetts and Hawaii follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Ohio anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($201,400 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $95,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $201,400 | 212 | $95,000 | $117,072 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $188,100 | 198 | $95,000 | $110,507 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $174,800 | 184 | $95,000 | $103,185 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $171,950 | 181 | $95,000 | $101,616 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $169,100 | 178 | $95,000 | $100,047 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $168,150 | 177 | $95,000 | $99,524 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $168,150 | 177 | $95,000 | $99,524 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $164,350 | 173 | $95,000 | $97,432 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $164,350 | 173 | $95,000 | $97,432 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $160,550 | 169 | $95,000 | $95,340 |
The $101,415 gap between P10 and P90 represents the earning trajectory of a Civil Engineer career. Senior-level earners make 2.6× what entry-level professionals do — an aggressive growth curve that rewards experience and specialization. In the Engineering sector, growing, which shapes both starting salaries and long-term ceiling.
The weighted national median salary for Civil Engineers is $110,233 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $63,935, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $165,350.
The highest-paying city for Civil Engineers is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $201,400. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($201,400), Santa Clara ($188,100), Irvine ($174,800). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Civil Engineer salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $78,850. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Civil Engineers (10th percentile) average $63,935 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $116,812. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Civil Engineers average $165,350 nationally — $101,415 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Civil Engineers can earn up to $302,100.
The top-paying states for Civil Engineers are California ($133,452 median), Massachusetts ($128,963 median), Hawaii ($128,250 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Civil Engineer involves Bachelor's in civil eng. The field is in the Engineering sector (Engineering), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically hybrid/field.
With a national median of $110,233 and representation across 288 metro areas, Civil Engineer offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $101,415 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.