Best cities for a civil/structural engineer
The best cities for civil/structural engineers are Reno, NV, Anchorage, AK, and Oakland, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for civil/structural engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for civil/structural engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a civil/structural engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for civil/structural engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for civil/structural engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a civil/structural engineer. While the absolute best city for civil/structural engineers is Reno, NV, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for civil/structural engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a civil/structural engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for civil/structural engineers in 2025
1. Reno, NV
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $85,647 Lowest 10 percent warn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location quotient: 4.54 2. Anchorage, AK
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $84,268 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location quotient: 6.75 3. Oakland, CA
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $105,191 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location quotient: 2.15 4. Fresno, CA
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $101,023 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 2.44 5. Tulsa, OK
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $78,198 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location quotient: 2.14 6. Sacramento, CA
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $105,473 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location quotient: 0.98 7. Charlotte, NC
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 18 Average annual salary: $74,740 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location quotient: 2.08 8. Houston, TX
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 254 Average annual salary: $71,433 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location quotient: 15.46 9. Oklahoma City, OK
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $79,947 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location quotient: 1.00 10. Raleigh, NC
Total civil/structural engineer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $75,678 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location quotient: 1.31
Choose from 10+ customizable civil/structural engineer resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use civil/structural engineer resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your civil/structural engineer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for civil/structural engineers
- Reno, NV
- Anchorage, AK
- Oakland, CA
- Fresno, CA
- Tulsa, OK
- Sacramento, CA
- Charlotte, NC
- Houston, TX
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Raleigh, NC
- (5 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (5 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (3 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (2 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (3 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (3 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (18 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (254 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (3 civil/structural engineer jobs)
- (5 civil/structural engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a civil/structural engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reno, NV | $85,647 | $60,000 | 245,255 | 5 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $84,268 | $68,000 | 298,192 | 5 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $105,191 | $74,000 | 420,005 | 3 |
| 4 | Fresno, CA | $101,023 | $71,000 | 522,053 | 2 |
| 5 | Tulsa, OK | $78,198 | $55,000 | 403,090 | 3 |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $105,473 | $74,000 | 495,234 | 3 |
| 7 | Charlotte, NC | $74,740 | $53,000 | 842,051 | 18 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $71,433 | $49,000 | 2,303,482 | 254 |
| 9 | Oklahoma City, OK | $79,947 | $56,000 | 638,367 | 3 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $75,678 | $54,000 | 458,880 | 5 |
| 11 | Dallas, TX | $71,573 | $49,000 | 1,317,929 | 38 |
| 12 | Fort Worth, TX | $71,695 | $49,000 | 854,113 | 6 |
| 13 | San Francisco, CA | $105,380 | $74,000 | 870,887 | 6 |
| 14 | Corpus Christi, TX | $71,101 | $50,000 | 325,733 | 2 |
| 15 | Newark, NJ | $79,242 | $56,000 | 281,764 | 12 |
| 16 | New Orleans, LA | $70,379 | $48,000 | 391,495 | 7 |
| 17 | Portland, OR | $75,235 | $54,000 | 639,863 | 15 |
| 18 | Los Angeles, CA | $91,992 | $67,000 | 3,976,322 | 10 |
| 19 | Stockton, CA | $104,719 | $74,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 20 | Fremont, CA | $104,580 | $74,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 21 | Indianapolis, IN | $72,278 | $52,000 | 855,164 | 3 |
| 22 | Las Vegas, NV | $77,899 | $55,000 | 632,912 | 1 |
| 23 | Orlando, FL | $71,184 | $47,000 | 277,173 | 9 |
| 24 | San Diego, CA | $90,078 | $65,000 | 1,406,630 | 7 |
| 25 | San Jose, CA | $104,064 | $73,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 26 | Tampa, FL | $71,367 | $47,000 | 377,165 | 12 |
| 27 | Philadelphia, PA | $69,161 | $49,000 | 1,567,872 | 5 |
| 28 | North Las Vegas, NV | $77,866 | $55,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 29 | Henderson, NV | $77,271 | $54,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 30 | Fort Wayne, IN | $72,670 | $53,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 31 | Durham, NC | $75,640 | $54,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 32 | Bakersfield, CA | $96,140 | $69,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 33 | Greensboro, NC | $75,297 | $54,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 34 | Winston-Salem, NC | $75,122 | $54,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 35 | El Paso, TX | $74,101 | $53,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 36 | Irving, TX | $71,590 | $49,000 | 238,289 | 3 |
| 37 | Miami, FL | $69,803 | $46,000 | 453,579 | 7 |
| 38 | Long Beach, CA | $91,460 | $66,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 39 | Irvine, CA | $91,153 | $66,000 | 266,122 | 1 |
| 40 | Anaheim, CA | $91,417 | $66,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 41 | San Antonio, TX | $72,005 | $50,000 | 1,492,510 | 2 |
| 42 | Saint Louis, MO | $65,345 | $47,000 | 311,404 | 15 |
| 43 | Riverside, CA | $91,306 | $66,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 44 | Louisville, KY | $68,598 | $49,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 45 | Santa Ana, CA | $91,274 | $66,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 46 | Lexington, KY | $68,932 | $50,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 47 | Arlington, TX | $71,652 | $49,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 48 | Chicago, IL | $70,268 | $51,000 | 2,704,958 | 19 |
| 49 | Chula Vista, CA | $89,898 | $65,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 50 | Austin, TX | $72,074 | $50,000 | 947,890 | 1 |
Highest paying cities for civil/structural engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. civil/structural engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $105,380 |
| 2 | Vancouver, WA | $81,603 |
| 3 | Newark, NJ | $79,242 |
| 4 | Raleigh, NC | $75,678 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $75,618 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $75,235 |
| 7 | Newark, DE | $75,155 |
| 8 | Middletown, CT | $74,644 |
| 9 | Stoughton, MA | $74,251 |
| 10 | Salt Lake City, UT | $73,675 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $72,417 |
| 12 | Fort Worth, TX | $71,695 |
| 13 | Tampa, FL | $71,367 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge, LA | $70,767 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $70,268 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $68,974 |
| 17 | Birmingham, AL | $66,939 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $65,345 |
| 19 | Kennesaw, GA | $63,537 |
| 20 | Omaha, NE | $59,259 |
Civil/structural engineer best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
Search for civil/structural engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025