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Best states for a civil designer
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like civil designers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for civil designers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. In order to help you decide which state is the best for civil designers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for civil designer jobs.
California is the best state for jobs for civil designers, and Arkansas is the worst. The most common pay in California is $93,163, while the median pay in Arkansas is $47,359.California is the best state, and Eureka is the city with the highest pay for civil designers.
10 best states for civil designers in 2026
1. California
Total civil designer jobs: 3,019 Average annual salary: $93,163 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
2. Washington
Total civil designer jobs: 818 Average annual salary: $67,814 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.72
3. District of Columbia
Total civil designer jobs: 223 Average annual salary: $75,957 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 2.03
4. Alaska
Total civil designer jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $71,325 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
5. Oregon
Total civil designer jobs: 459 Average annual salary: $64,320 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.7
6. Maine
Total civil designer jobs: 78 Average annual salary: $64,331 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
7. New York
Total civil designer jobs: 1,118 Average annual salary: $65,721 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
8. North Carolina
Total civil designer jobs: 535 Average annual salary: $63,586 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
9. Nevada
Total civil designer jobs: 99 Average annual salary: $66,059 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
10. Delaware
Total civil designer jobs: 64 Average annual salary: $65,794 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
Civil designer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a civil designer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a civil designer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $93,163 | $64,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,019 |
| 2 | Washington | $67,814 | $48,000 | 7,405,743 | 818 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $75,957 | $54,000 | 693,972 | 223 |
| 4 | Alaska | $71,325 | $60,000 | 739,795 | 52 |
| 5 | Oregon | $64,320 | $45,000 | 4,142,776 | 459 |
| 6 | Maine | $64,331 | $47,000 | 1,335,907 | 78 |
| 7 | New York | $65,721 | $47,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,118 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $63,586 | $45,000 | 10,273,419 | 535 |
| 9 | Nevada | $66,059 | $44,000 | 2,998,039 | 99 |
| 10 | Delaware | $65,794 | $47,000 | 961,939 | 64 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $66,799 | $48,000 | 3,930,864 | 121 |
| 12 | Texas | $61,877 | $43,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,280 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $68,935 | $49,000 | 9,005,644 | 365 |
| 14 | Virginia | $63,432 | $45,000 | 8,470,020 | 742 |
| 15 | Missouri | $64,675 | $47,000 | 6,113,532 | 253 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $64,753 | $46,000 | 3,588,184 | 207 |
| 17 | Maryland | $66,585 | $48,000 | 6,052,177 | 374 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $63,899 | $46,000 | 6,859,819 | 608 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $60,927 | $43,000 | 12,805,537 | 672 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $62,398 | $45,000 | 1,059,639 | 62 |
| 21 | Vermont | $63,646 | $46,000 | 623,657 | 36 |
| 22 | Colorado | $61,932 | $44,000 | 5,607,154 | 474 |
| 23 | Arizona | $59,627 | $42,000 | 7,016,270 | 399 |
| 24 | Utah | $58,729 | $41,000 | 3,101,833 | 246 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $60,313 | $44,000 | 1,342,795 | 93 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $57,989 | $43,000 | 755,393 | 53 |
| 27 | Idaho | $60,555 | $42,000 | 1,716,943 | 74 |
| 28 | Illinois | $59,464 | $43,000 | 12,802,023 | 705 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $60,483 | $42,000 | 2,984,100 | 60 |
| 30 | Iowa | $58,826 | $43,000 | 3,145,711 | 154 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $67,120 | $56,000 | 1,427,538 | 40 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $55,693 | $41,000 | 5,795,483 | 364 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $58,825 | $42,000 | 4,454,189 | 143 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $60,061 | $41,000 | 4,684,333 | 106 |
| 35 | Michigan | $56,202 | $41,000 | 9,962,311 | 437 |
| 36 | Montana | $56,533 | $41,000 | 1,050,493 | 71 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $57,268 | $41,000 | 1,815,857 | 47 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $55,769 | $41,000 | 5,576,606 | 419 |
| 39 | Georgia | $52,216 | $36,000 | 10,429,379 | 826 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $55,998 | $39,000 | 2,088,070 | 86 |
| 41 | Alabama | $53,545 | $37,000 | 4,874,747 | 208 |
| 42 | Ohio | $52,445 | $38,000 | 11,658,609 | 481 |
| 43 | Florida | $53,416 | $36,000 | 20,984,400 | 845 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $51,961 | $38,000 | 1,920,076 | 113 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $51,784 | $36,000 | 5,024,369 | 214 |
| 46 | Indiana | $52,796 | $38,000 | 6,666,818 | 272 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $50,358 | $37,000 | 869,666 | 45 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $49,737 | $35,000 | 6,715,984 | 243 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $48,521 | $35,000 | 579,315 | 25 |
| 50 | Kansas | $48,131 | $35,000 | 2,913,123 | 128 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $47,359 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 97 |
Highest paying states for civil designers
| Rank | State | Avg. Civil Designer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $93,163 |
| 2 | Washington | $67,814 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $75,957 |
| 4 | Alaska | $71,325 |
| 5 | Oregon | $64,320 |
| 6 | Maine | $64,331 |
| 7 | New York | $65,721 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $63,586 |
| 9 | Nevada | $66,059 |
| 10 | Delaware | $65,794 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $66,799 |
| 12 | Texas | $61,877 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $68,935 |
| 14 | Virginia | $63,432 |
| 15 | Missouri | $64,675 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $64,753 |
| 17 | Maryland | $66,585 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $63,899 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $60,927 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $62,398 |
| 21 | Vermont | $63,646 |
| 22 | Colorado | $61,932 |
| 23 | Arizona | $59,627 |
| 24 | Utah | $58,729 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $60,313 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $57,989 |
| 27 | Idaho | $60,555 |
| 28 | Illinois | $59,464 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $60,483 |
| 30 | Iowa | $58,826 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $67,120 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $55,693 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $58,825 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $60,061 |
| 35 | Michigan | $56,202 |
| 36 | Montana | $56,533 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $57,268 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $55,769 |
| 39 | Georgia | $52,216 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $55,998 |
| 41 | Alabama | $53,545 |
| 42 | Ohio | $52,445 |
| 43 | Florida | $53,416 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $51,961 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $51,784 |
| 46 | Indiana | $52,796 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $50,358 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $49,737 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $48,521 |
| 50 | Kansas | $48,131 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $47,359 |
Civil designer best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025