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Top 10 Cities for Civil Engineers in 2026
As you embark on your career as a civil engineer or consider relocating to enhance your professional opportunities, it’s crucial to identify which cities across the United States present the best prospects for long-term career growth. For a field as vital as civil engineering, regional variations can significantly influence both salary and employment availability.
In this article, we at Zippia have analyzed current data to pinpoint the cities that offer the most advantageous conditions for civil engineers. We’ve focused on locations where competitive salaries are complemented by a reasonable cost of living, ensuring ample job opportunities.
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), we compiled a list of the top cities for civil engineers, reflecting the latest trends in the labor market. Here are the cities that stand out in 2026:
- Anchorage, AK
- Augusta, GA
- Jackson, MI
- Reading, PA
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Redding, CA
- Fairbanks, AK
- Houston, TX
- Yuba City, CA
- Oakland, CA
Anchorage, AK tops the list as the best city for civil engineers, offering a combination of high salaries and job availability. Conversely, if you’re a civil engineer considering your options, you might want to steer clear of Hagerstown, MD, which ranks low for job opportunities and pay.
Read on to discover how we conducted our research and to explore more details about these top cities.
How We Determined the Best Cities for Civil Engineers
At Zippia, we engage with a diverse range of job seekers to understand their priorities. Our research has identified two key factors that job seekers focus on:
- Job availability
- Compensation
To identify the best cities for civil engineers in the U.S., we evaluated job availability and salary levels based on the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Our analysis considered the following criteria:
- Location quotient: A metric indicating how prevalent civil engineering jobs are in a specific city.
- Average annual salary for civil engineers.
- Average annual salary for entry-level positions.
To ensure a fair comparison of salary data across cities, we adjusted the figures according to the cost of living in each state.
This analysis yielded data for 360 metropolitan areas nationwide. We defined each city by its primary metropolitan area—for example, the “Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division” was simplified to Boston.
We ranked each city based on our criteria from 1 to 360, with 1 being the best. The cities were averaged into a Job Score, with the lowest score indicating the best city for civil engineers in America.
Now, let’s delve into what makes each city a great choice for civil engineers.
1. Anchorage, AK
Total Jobs: 760
Average Annual Salary: $113,970
Average Entry Level Salary: $71,000
Location Quotient: 2.15
2. Augusta, GA
Total Jobs: 960
Average Annual Salary: $96,870
Average Entry Level Salary: $60,330
Location Quotient: 2.26
3. Jackson, MI
Total Jobs: 320
Average Annual Salary: $89,500
Average Entry Level Salary: $63,500
Location Quotient: 2.7
4. Reading, PA
Total Jobs: 520
Average Annual Salary: $98,940
Average Entry Level Salary: $63,370
Location Quotient: 1.54
5. Idaho Falls, ID
Total Jobs: 170
Average Annual Salary: $93,740
Average Entry Level Salary: $59,470
Location Quotient: 1.41
6. Redding, CA
Total Jobs: 260
Average Annual Salary: $102,140
Average Entry Level Salary: $74,870
Location Quotient: 2.2
7. Fairbanks, AK
Total Jobs: 150
Average Annual Salary: $98,150
Average Entry Level Salary: $70,370
Location Quotient: 1.99
8. Houston, TX
Total Jobs: 11,030
Average Annual Salary: $110,160
Average Entry Level Salary: $56,230
Location Quotient: 1.89
9. Yuba City, CA
Total Jobs: 230
Average Annual Salary: $100,070
Average Entry Level Salary: $82,780
Location Quotient: 2.95
10. Oakland, CA
Total Jobs: 4,160
Average Annual Salary: $107,010
Average Entry Level Salary: $69,530
Location Quotient: 1.98
That’s Our List of the Best Cities for Civil Engineers
If you’re beginning your journey as a civil engineer, consider these cities as the top destinations for high salaries, abundant job opportunities, and career advancement potential.
On the other hand, here are some cities to avoid if you’re seeking a position as a civil engineer:
Detailed List of the Best Cities for Civil Engineers
| Rank | State | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $113,970 |
| 2 | Augusta, GA | $96,870 |
| 3 | Jackson, MI | $89,500 |
| 4 | Reading, PA | $98,940 |
| 5 | Idaho Falls, ID | $93,740 |
| 6 | Redding, CA | $102,140 |
| 7 | Fairbanks, AK | $98,150 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $110,160 |
| 9 | Yuba City, CA | $100,070 |
| 10 | Oakland, CA | $107,010 |
| 11 | Beaumont, TX | $106,330 |
| 12 | Greenville, SC | $92,200 |
| 13 | Baton Rouge, LA | $96,470 |
| 14 | Santa Maria, CA | $111,790 |
| 15 | San Francisco, CA | $107,540 |
| 16 | Santa Rosa, CA | $101,970 |
| 17 | Memphis, TN | $94,440 |
| 18 | Chattanooga, TN | $94,380 |
| 19 | New Orleans, LA | $94,660 |
| 20 | Killeen, TX | $91,340 |
| 21 | Midland, TX | $117,850 |
| 22 | Mobile, AL | $84,890 |
| 23 | Knoxville, TN | $93,190 |
| 24 | Sacramento, CA | $100,200 |
| 25 | Sioux Falls, SD | $83,600 |
| 26 | Wilmington, NC | $90,780 |
| 27 | Longview, TX | $100,650 |
| 28 | Fresno, CA | $97,890 |
| 29 | San Jose, CA | $107,000 |
| 30 | Bellingham, WA | $86,610 |
| 31 | Oxnard, CA | $106,510 |
| 32 | Springfield, IL | $88,360 |
| 33 | Decatur, AL | $89,170 |
| 34 | Dallas, TX | $92,420 |
| 35 | Seattle, WA | $86,700 |
| 36 | Albuquerque, NM | $88,340 |
| 37 | Pittsburgh, PA | $85,710 |
| 38 | San Rafael, CA | $103,450 |
| 39 | Nashville, TN | $88,920 |
| 40 | Bakersfield, CA | $104,320 |
| 41 | Trenton, NJ | $95,780 |
| 42 | Kansas City, MO | $81,310 |
| 43 | Tulsa, OK | $81,460 |
| 44 | Savannah, GA | $93,490 |
| 45 | Harrisburg, PA | $81,850 |
| 46 | Sheboygan, WI | $90,910 |
| 47 | Ames, IA | $79,070 |
| 48 | Tacoma, WA | $84,900 |
| 49 | Framingham, MA | $104,980 |
| 50 | Santa Cruz, CA | $97,040 |
| 51 | Chico, CA | $93,690 |
| 52 | Bremerton, WA | $82,070 |
| 53 | Olympia, WA | $76,560 |
| 54 | Billings, MT | $77,980 |
| 55 | Anaheim, CA | $103,130 |
| 56 | Austin, TX | $81,440 |
| 57 | Pueblo, CO | $91,840 |
| 58 | Madera, CA | $102,970 |
| 59 | San Diego, CA | $91,190 |
| 60 | West Palm Beach, FL | $91,960 |
| 61 | Dayton, OH | $83,190 |
| 62 | Bismarck, ND | $78,500 |
| 63 | Columbus, OH | $79,630 |
| 64 | Rapid City, SD | $68,820 |
| 65 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $82,600 |
| 66 | Ogden, UT | $82,260 |
| 67 | Owensboro, KY | $82,100 |
| 68 | Wilmington, DE | $91,120 |
| 69 | St. Louis, MO | $79,080 |
| 70 | Wenatchee, WA | $79,800 |
| 71 | Gulfport, MS | $81,920 |
| 72 | Chicago, IL | $94,060 |
| 73 | Charleston, WV | $73,300 |
| 74 | Lake Charles, LA | $91,700 |
| 75 | Salt Lake City, UT | $79,180 |
| 76 | College Station, TX | $90,440 |
| 77 | Altoona, PA | $75,630 |
| 78 | Las Cruces, NM | $82,760 |
| 79 | Norwich, CT | $93,180 |
| 80 | Atlanta, GA | $93,290 |
| 81 | Fort Worth, TX | $87,210 |
| 82 | Houma, LA | $85,860 |
| 83 | Los Angeles, CA | $100,780 |
| 84 | Bay City, MI | $82,270 |
| 85 | Portland, OR | $83,600 |
| 86 | Warner Robins, GA | $93,950 |
| 87 | Montgomery County, PA | $84,920 |
| 88 | State College, PA | $80,660 |
| 89 | Lowell, MA | $104,200 |
| 90 | Huntsville, AL | $80,010 |
| 91 | Raleigh, NC | $75,730 |
| 92 | Philadelphia, PA | $89,680 |
| 93 | Texarkana, TX | $94,430 |
| 94 | Salem, OR | $83,700 |
| 95 | Fort Collins, CO | $101,520 |
| 96 | Lafayette, LA | $79,210 |
| 97 | Denver, CO | $88,150 |
| 98 | Birmingham, AL | $81,790 |
| 99 | Riverside, CA | $98,840 |
| 100 | Alexandria, LA | $91,070 |
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
