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Best states for a civil engineering designer
Quoted expert
Adeeba Raheem Ph.D.
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for civil engineering designers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for civil engineering designer jobs.In fact, our research shows that Washington is the best state for civil engineering designers in America. The best city in America for civil engineering designers with the highest pay is San Francisco, CA.
The median salary for civil engineering designers in Washington is $67,980. Compare that to the median salary in Arkansas of $47,549, which ranked worst for civil engineering designers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for civil engineering designers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for civil engineering designer jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.
10 best states for civil engineering designers in 2025
1. Washington
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 1,830 Average annual salary: $67,980 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.63
2. New York
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 2,555 Average annual salary: $72,708 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
3. Maine
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 266 Average annual salary: $64,197 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
4. Alaska
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 176 Average annual salary: $68,540 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
5. Connecticut
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 617 Average annual salary: $67,052 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
6. Massachusetts
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 1,723 Average annual salary: $66,686 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
7. Oregon
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 539 Average annual salary: $70,009 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
8. Delaware
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 227 Average annual salary: $65,733 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
9. California
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 3,185 Average annual salary: $84,428 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
10. Rhode Island
Total civil engineering designer jobs: 246 Average annual salary: $62,409 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
Civil engineering designer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a civil engineering designer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a civil engineering designer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $67,980 | $47,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,830 |
| 2 | New York | $72,708 | $51,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,555 |
| 3 | Maine | $64,197 | $46,000 | 1,335,907 | 266 |
| 4 | Alaska | $68,540 | $57,000 | 739,795 | 176 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $67,052 | $47,000 | 3,588,184 | 617 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $66,686 | $47,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,723 |
| 7 | Oregon | $70,009 | $48,000 | 4,142,776 | 539 |
| 8 | Delaware | $65,733 | $46,000 | 961,939 | 227 |
| 9 | California | $84,428 | $57,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,185 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $62,409 | $44,000 | 1,059,639 | 246 |
| 11 | Alabama | $64,902 | $45,000 | 4,874,747 | 627 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $64,707 | $45,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,672 |
| 13 | Missouri | $64,268 | $46,000 | 6,113,532 | 722 |
| 14 | Virginia | $62,766 | $44,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,847 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $67,411 | $47,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,033 |
| 16 | Nevada | $62,791 | $41,000 | 2,998,039 | 282 |
| 17 | Colorado | $60,210 | $43,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,210 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $57,936 | $42,000 | 755,393 | 189 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $60,194 | $42,000 | 1,342,795 | 289 |
| 20 | Idaho | $59,320 | $40,000 | 1,716,943 | 311 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $60,838 | $42,000 | 2,984,100 | 275 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $61,245 | $43,000 | 3,930,864 | 364 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $60,531 | $44,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,035 |
| 24 | Vermont | $63,513 | $45,000 | 623,657 | 58 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $61,099 | $41,000 | 4,684,333 | 389 |
| 26 | Utah | $57,292 | $39,000 | 3,101,833 | 664 |
| 27 | Maryland | $60,841 | $43,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,064 |
| 28 | Michigan | $57,188 | $41,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,324 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $59,652 | $43,000 | 4,454,189 | 445 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $59,495 | $50,000 | 1,427,538 | 174 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $58,193 | $41,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,478 |
| 32 | Illinois | $60,331 | $43,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,801 |
| 33 | Texas | $58,835 | $40,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,129 |
| 34 | Arizona | $58,464 | $40,000 | 7,016,270 | 951 |
| 35 | Montana | $55,904 | $40,000 | 1,050,493 | 253 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $57,224 | $41,000 | 1,815,857 | 215 |
| 37 | Ohio | $58,207 | $41,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,305 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $57,557 | $40,000 | 693,972 | 440 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $55,939 | $39,000 | 2,088,070 | 315 |
| 40 | Georgia | $54,585 | $38,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,660 |
| 41 | Indiana | $55,237 | $40,000 | 6,666,818 | 834 |
| 42 | Florida | $55,772 | $37,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,002 |
| 43 | Kansas | $53,115 | $38,000 | 2,913,123 | 431 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $50,322 | $36,000 | 869,666 | 166 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $48,250 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 116 |
| 46 | Iowa | $50,558 | $37,000 | 3,145,711 | 539 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $51,405 | $37,000 | 1,920,076 | 323 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $51,888 | $36,000 | 5,024,369 | 634 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $49,276 | $35,000 | 5,795,483 | 847 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $49,940 | $35,000 | 6,715,984 | 692 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $47,549 | $33,000 | 3,004,279 | 361 |
Highest paying states for civil engineering designers
| Rank | State | Avg. Civil Engineering Designer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $67,980 |
| 2 | New York | $72,708 |
| 3 | Maine | $64,197 |
| 4 | Alaska | $68,540 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $67,052 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $66,686 |
| 7 | Oregon | $70,009 |
| 8 | Delaware | $65,733 |
| 9 | California | $84,428 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $62,409 |
| 11 | Alabama | $64,902 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $64,707 |
| 13 | Missouri | $64,268 |
| 14 | Virginia | $62,766 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $67,411 |
| 16 | Nevada | $62,791 |
| 17 | Colorado | $60,210 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $57,936 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $60,194 |
| 20 | Idaho | $59,320 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $60,838 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $61,245 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $60,531 |
| 24 | Vermont | $63,513 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $61,099 |
| 26 | Utah | $57,292 |
| 27 | Maryland | $60,841 |
| 28 | Michigan | $57,188 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $59,652 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $59,495 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $58,193 |
| 32 | Illinois | $60,331 |
| 33 | Texas | $58,835 |
| 34 | Arizona | $58,464 |
| 35 | Montana | $55,904 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $57,224 |
| 37 | Ohio | $58,207 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $57,557 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $55,939 |
| 40 | Georgia | $54,585 |
| 41 | Indiana | $55,237 |
| 42 | Florida | $55,772 |
| 43 | Kansas | $53,115 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $50,322 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $48,250 |
| 46 | Iowa | $50,558 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $51,405 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $51,888 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $49,276 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $49,940 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $47,549 |
Expert opinions on the best states for civil engineering designers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for civil engineering designers to find work opportunities?
Adeeba Raheem Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of Texas
In my opinion, career fairs are viewed as the best platform for students to get hired for entry-level jobs. They should also access campus and community resources for employment support. It is highly suggested that students should gain work-based learning experiences during their time at their academic institute. These experiences not only help them to develop their work-readiness skills but also provide significant networking opportunities. My message would be: "Don't wait until you graduate."
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Updated January 8, 2025