Best cities for a civil engineering designer
The best cities for civil engineering designers are Oakland, CA, Santa Ana, CA, and Reno, NV, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for civil engineering designers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for civil engineering designers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a civil engineering designer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for civil engineering designers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for civil engineering designers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a civil engineering designer. While the absolute best city for civil engineering designers is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for civil engineering designers in 2024.
If you're looking for a civil engineering designer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for civil engineering designers in 2025
1. Oakland, CA
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $91,297 Lowest 10 percent warn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 2.87 2. Santa Ana, CA
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $81,294 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location quotient: 10.07 3. Reno, NV
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $67,622 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location quotient: 1.82 4. Irvine, CA
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $81,167 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location quotient: 1.50 5. Bakersfield, CA
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $84,985 Lowest 10 percent warn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location quotient: 1.01 6. San Diego, CA
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $80,179 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location quotient: 0.90 7. Long Beach, CA
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $81,569 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location quotient: 0.75 8. Anchorage, AK
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $68,357 Lowest 10 percent warn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location quotient: 1.80 9. Cincinnati, OH
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $56,881 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location quotient: 1.27 10. Los Angeles, CA
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $81,978 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location quotient: 0.75
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Best cities for civil engineering designers
- Oakland, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- Reno, NV
- Irvine, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- Anchorage, AK
- Cincinnati, OH
- Los Angeles, CA
- (6 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (11 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (3 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (9 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (1 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (12 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (1 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (2 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (6 civil engineering designer jobs)
- (14 civil engineering designer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a civil engineering designer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $91,297 | $60,000 | 420,005 | 6 |
| 2 | Santa Ana, CA | $81,294 | $55,000 | 334,217 | 11 |
| 3 | Reno, NV | $67,622 | $44,000 | 245,255 | 3 |
| 4 | Irvine, CA | $81,167 | $55,000 | 266,122 | 9 |
| 5 | Bakersfield, CA | $84,985 | $57,000 | 376,380 | 1 |
| 6 | San Diego, CA | $80,179 | $55,000 | 1,406,630 | 12 |
| 7 | Long Beach, CA | $81,569 | $55,000 | 470,130 | 1 |
| 8 | Anchorage, AK | $68,357 | $57,000 | 298,192 | 2 |
| 9 | Cincinnati, OH | $56,881 | $40,000 | 298,800 | 6 |
| 10 | Los Angeles, CA | $81,978 | $56,000 | 3,976,322 | 14 |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA | $91,454 | $60,000 | 870,887 | 6 |
| 12 | Oklahoma City, OK | $61,323 | $43,000 | 638,367 | 3 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $59,707 | $40,000 | 1,492,510 | 5 |
| 14 | Greensboro, NC | $58,247 | $41,000 | 287,027 | 3 |
| 15 | San Jose, CA | $90,717 | $60,000 | 1,025,350 | 4 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $57,681 | $40,000 | 842,051 | 18 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $64,275 | $46,000 | 311,404 | 5 |
| 18 | Sacramento, CA | $91,144 | $60,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 19 | Raleigh, NC | $58,603 | $41,000 | 458,880 | 6 |
| 20 | Fremont, CA | $90,957 | $60,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 21 | Detroit, MI | $57,299 | $41,000 | 672,795 | 4 |
| 22 | Stockton, CA | $90,741 | $60,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 23 | Newark, NJ | $67,482 | $47,000 | 281,764 | 7 |
| 24 | Houston, TX | $59,028 | $40,000 | 2,303,482 | 18 |
| 25 | Pittsburgh, PA | $62,528 | $44,000 | 303,625 | 2 |
| 26 | El Paso, TX | $60,275 | $42,000 | 683,080 | 1 |
| 27 | Buffalo, NY | $70,535 | $49,000 | 256,902 | 2 |
| 28 | Tucson, AZ | $58,320 | $40,000 | 530,706 | 5 |
| 29 | Fresno, CA | $88,550 | $58,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 30 | Anaheim, CA | $81,398 | $55,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 31 | Cleveland, OH | $59,300 | $42,000 | 385,809 | 1 |
| 32 | Riverside, CA | $81,035 | $55,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 33 | Philadelphia, PA | $65,141 | $45,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 34 | Kansas City, MO | $64,149 | $46,000 | 481,420 | 2 |
| 35 | Las Vegas, NV | $61,966 | $41,000 | 632,912 | 2 |
| 36 | Chula Vista, CA | $80,047 | $55,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 37 | Seattle, WA | $68,811 | $47,000 | 704,352 | 10 |
| 38 | New Orleans, LA | $60,905 | $41,000 | 391,495 | 1 |
| 39 | Portland, OR | $69,644 | $47,000 | 639,863 | 1 |
| 40 | Fort Worth, TX | $58,338 | $40,000 | 854,113 | 2 |
| 41 | New York, NY | $72,856 | $51,000 | 8,537,673 | 26 |
| 42 | Toledo, OH | $58,415 | $41,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 43 | Boston, MA | $66,666 | $47,000 | 673,184 | 8 |
| 44 | Lexington, KY | $59,854 | $43,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 45 | Louisville, KY | $59,679 | $42,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 46 | Phoenix, AZ | $58,512 | $40,000 | 1,615,017 | 10 |
| 47 | Tulsa, OK | $61,063 | $43,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 48 | Austin, TX | $59,513 | $40,000 | 947,890 | 3 |
| 49 | Brookhaven, NY | $73,147 | $51,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 50 | North Las Vegas, NV | $61,862 | $41,000 | 238,702 | - |
Highest paying cities for civil engineering designers
| Rank | City | Avg. civil engineering designer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $91,454 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $72,856 |
| 3 | Salem, OR | $70,238 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $68,811 |
| 5 | Union, NJ | $67,457 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $66,666 |
| 7 | Birmingham, AL | $64,762 |
| 8 | Alexandria, VA | $63,650 |
| 9 | Vernon Hills, IL | $60,598 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $60,287 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $59,513 |
| 12 | Greenville, NC | $59,368 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $58,512 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $57,820 |
| 15 | Detroit, MI | $57,299 |
| 16 | Tampa, FL | $56,211 |
| 17 | Fishers, IN | $55,210 |
| 18 | Duluth, GA | $54,686 |
| 19 | Lenexa, KS | $53,076 |
| 20 | Greenville, SC | $52,082 |
Civil engineering designer best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025