Salary Outlook
According to the Labor Department, civil engineers made a median salary of $77,990 in 2011. The highest-paid 10 percent in the profession earned $119,620, while the lowest-paid earned $50,370 that year. The most highly compensated positions are within the commercial and industrial machinery/equipment repair and maintenance industry, and the highest-paid positions are clustered in the metropolitan areas of Salinas, Calif., San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, Calif., and Lafayette, La.
| Job Salary | Year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | $63,770.00 |
| 2004 | $68,290.00 |
| 2006 | $74,030.00 |
| 2008 | $80,060.00 |
| 2010 | $82,280.00 |
Average Civil Engineer Pay vs. All Technology Jobs
With a median salary of $77,990, civil engineers earn slightly less than mechanical engineers, who bring in a median salary of $79,230. Civil engineers earn a salary that’s on par with software developer, and they earn almost $5,000 more per year, on average, than architects.
| Job Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Software Developer | $89,280.00 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $79,230.00 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $78,770.00 |
| Civil Engineer | $77,990.00 |
| Web Developer | $77,990.00 |
| Architect | $73,340.00 |
See Complete List of Best Technology Jobs
Best Paying Cities for Civil Engineers
The highest paid in the civil engineer profession work in the metropolitan areas of Salinas, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Lafayette, LA. The Houston, TX area also pays well, as does the city of Bethesda, MD.
Salinas, CA
Average Salary: $111,340 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a civil engineer working in Salinas, CA is $111,340, which is $33,350 more than the average pay in the profession.
San Francisco, CA
Average Salary: $104,930 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a civil engineer working in San Francisco, CA is $104,930, which is $26,940 more than the average pay in the profession.
Lafayette, LA
Average Salary: $104,880 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a civil engineer working in Lafayette, LA is $104,880, which is $26,890 more than the average pay in the profession.
Houston, TX
Average Salary: $103,480 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a civil engineer working in Houston, TX is $103,480, which is $25,490 more than the average pay in the profession.
Bethesda, MD
Average Salary: $103,090 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a civil engineer working in Bethesda, MD is $103,090, which is $25,100 more than the average pay in the profession.
