Best cities for a construction engineer
The best cities for construction engineers are Oakland, CA, Reno, NV, and New Orleans, LA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for construction engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for construction engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a construction engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for construction engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for construction engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a construction engineer. While the absolute best city for construction engineers is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for construction engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a construction engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for construction engineers in 2026
1. Oakland, CA
Total construction engineer jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $93,726 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 4.37 2. Reno, NV
Total construction engineer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $75,201 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location quotient: 1.11 3. New Orleans, LA
Total construction engineer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $78,173 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location quotient: 0.91 4. Charlotte, NC
Total construction engineer jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $73,946 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location quotient: 1.20 5. Raleigh, NC
Total construction engineer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $74,806 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location quotient: 0.80 6. Detroit, MI
Total construction engineer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $66,747 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location quotient: 1.58 7. Fort Wayne, IN
Total construction engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $66,032 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location quotient: 2.16 8. Durham, NC
Total construction engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $74,746 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location quotient: 0.77 9. Philadelphia, PA
Total construction engineer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $77,292 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location quotient: 0.69 10. Saint Louis, MO
Total construction engineer jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $73,196 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location quotient: 1.31
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Best cities for construction engineers
- Oakland, CA
- Reno, NV
- New Orleans, LA
- Charlotte, NC
- Raleigh, NC
- Detroit, MI
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Durham, NC
- Philadelphia, PA
- Saint Louis, MO
- (10 construction engineer jobs)
- (2 construction engineer jobs)
- (2 construction engineer jobs)
- (17 construction engineer jobs)
- (5 construction engineer jobs)
- (8 construction engineer jobs)
- (3 construction engineer jobs)
- (3 construction engineer jobs)
- (8 construction engineer jobs)
- (10 construction engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a construction engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $93,726 | $68,000 | 420,005 | 10 |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $75,201 | $54,000 | 245,255 | 2 |
| 3 | New Orleans, LA | $78,173 | $55,000 | 391,495 | 2 |
| 4 | Charlotte, NC | $73,946 | $54,000 | 842,051 | 17 |
| 5 | Raleigh, NC | $74,806 | $54,000 | 458,880 | 5 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $66,747 | $49,000 | 672,795 | 8 |
| 7 | Fort Wayne, IN | $66,032 | $48,000 | 264,488 | 3 |
| 8 | Durham, NC | $74,746 | $54,000 | 263,016 | 3 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $77,292 | $55,000 | 1,567,872 | 8 |
| 10 | Saint Louis, MO | $73,196 | $54,000 | 311,404 | 10 |
| 11 | Arlington, TX | $68,593 | $49,000 | 392,772 | 4 |
| 12 | Toledo, OH | $70,047 | $51,000 | 278,508 | 1 |
| 13 | Orlando, FL | $72,786 | $51,000 | 277,173 | 9 |
| 14 | Fresno, CA | $90,144 | $65,000 | 522,053 | 2 |
| 15 | Lexington, KY | $82,457 | $61,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 16 | San Francisco, CA | $93,830 | $68,000 | 870,887 | 13 |
| 17 | Pittsburgh, PA | $75,029 | $54,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 18 | Nashville, TN | $80,510 | $59,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 19 | Memphis, TN | $80,234 | $59,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 20 | Houston, TX | $68,311 | $49,000 | 2,303,482 | 60 |
| 21 | Milwaukee, WI | $66,941 | $49,000 | 595,047 | 5 |
| 22 | Sacramento, CA | $94,583 | $68,000 | 495,234 | 2 |
| 23 | Seattle, WA | $84,257 | $61,000 | 704,352 | 7 |
| 24 | Louisville, KY | $81,997 | $60,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 25 | Oklahoma City, OK | $79,590 | $58,000 | 638,367 | - |
| 26 | Tulsa, OK | $79,155 | $58,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 27 | New York, NY | $86,855 | $62,000 | 8,537,673 | 60 |
| 28 | San Antonio, TX | $68,100 | $49,000 | 1,492,510 | 12 |
| 29 | Greensboro, NC | $74,370 | $54,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 30 | Fremont, CA | $93,141 | $68,000 | 233,136 | 2 |
| 31 | Anchorage, AK | $83,078 | $66,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 32 | Newark, NJ | $78,928 | $57,000 | 281,764 | 4 |
| 33 | Winston-Salem, NC | $74,176 | $54,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 34 | Corpus Christi, TX | $67,045 | $48,000 | 325,733 | 2 |
| 35 | Stockton, CA | $93,705 | $68,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 36 | Cleveland, OH | $70,645 | $51,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 37 | Santa Ana, CA | $83,378 | $61,000 | 334,217 | 3 |
| 38 | Dallas, TX | $68,569 | $49,000 | 1,317,929 | 15 |
| 39 | Long Beach, CA | $83,431 | $62,000 | 470,130 | 4 |
| 40 | Jacksonville, FL | $74,279 | $52,000 | 880,619 | 5 |
| 41 | Austin, TX | $68,421 | $49,000 | 947,890 | 19 |
| 42 | Tampa, FL | $72,559 | $50,000 | 377,165 | 7 |
| 43 | Portland, OR | $81,969 | $59,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 44 | Columbus, OH | $69,983 | $51,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 45 | Buffalo, NY | $84,043 | $61,000 | 256,902 | 1 |
| 46 | Indianapolis, IN | $65,484 | $48,000 | 855,164 | 6 |
| 47 | San Jose, CA | $92,621 | $67,000 | 1,025,350 | 6 |
| 48 | Cincinnati, OH | $69,291 | $51,000 | 298,800 | 2 |
| 49 | Fort Worth, TX | $68,589 | $49,000 | 854,113 | 3 |
| 50 | Islip, NY | $87,008 | $63,000 | 335,543 | - |
Highest paying cities for construction engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. construction engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $93,830 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $86,855 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $84,257 |
| 4 | Chattanooga, TN | $81,063 |
| 5 | Newark, NJ | $78,928 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $77,583 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $77,292 |
| 8 | Reston, VA | $77,205 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $76,056 |
| 10 | Pensacola, FL | $75,330 |
| 11 | Raleigh, NC | $74,806 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $73,196 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $71,429 |
| 14 | Baltimore, MD | $71,062 |
| 15 | Westminster, CO | $70,832 |
| 16 | Fort Worth, TX | $68,589 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $68,438 |
| 18 | Milwaukee, WI | $66,941 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $66,747 |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $65,358 |
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Updated January 8, 2025