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Best states for a foundation engineer
Quoted expert
Bethany Brinkman
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to foundation engineer jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for foundation engineers. We found that California is the best state in the nation for foundation engineers, and people in Eureka earn the most in the field.
The median salary for foundation engineers in California is $91,098. Compare that to the median salary in Arkansas of $57,912, which ranked worst for foundation engineers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a foundation engineer, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for foundation engineers in 2025
1. California
Total foundation engineer jobs: 1,722 Average annual salary: $91,098 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
2. Oregon
Total foundation engineer jobs: 258 Average annual salary: $81,550 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 1.67
3. Delaware
Total foundation engineer jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $81,562 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1.56
4. Alabama
Total foundation engineer jobs: 159 Average annual salary: $80,636 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
5. Washington
Total foundation engineer jobs: 448 Average annual salary: $81,559 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location Quotient: 1.65
6. Connecticut
Total foundation engineer jobs: 93 Average annual salary: $84,507 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
7. Nevada
Total foundation engineer jobs: 69 Average annual salary: $77,041 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
8. New York
Total foundation engineer jobs: 462 Average annual salary: $82,071 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
9. Virginia
Total foundation engineer jobs: 673 Average annual salary: $76,911 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.92
10. Pennsylvania
Total foundation engineer jobs: 263 Average annual salary: $80,363 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location Quotient: 0.61
Foundation engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a foundation engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a foundation engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $91,098 | $57,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,722 |
| 2 | Oregon | $81,550 | $50,000 | 4,142,776 | 258 |
| 3 | Delaware | $81,562 | $52,000 | 961,939 | 73 |
| 4 | Alabama | $80,636 | $53,000 | 4,874,747 | 159 |
| 5 | Washington | $81,559 | $49,000 | 7,405,743 | 448 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $84,507 | $54,000 | 3,588,184 | 93 |
| 7 | Nevada | $77,041 | $48,000 | 2,998,039 | 69 |
| 8 | New York | $82,071 | $52,000 | 19,849,399 | 462 |
| 9 | Virginia | $76,911 | $50,000 | 8,470,020 | 673 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $80,363 | $51,000 | 12,805,537 | 263 |
| 11 | Texas | $76,267 | $49,000 | 28,304,596 | 729 |
| 12 | Indiana | $75,880 | $48,000 | 6,666,818 | 195 |
| 13 | Alaska | $76,954 | $46,000 | 739,795 | 44 |
| 14 | Vermont | $75,072 | $47,000 | 623,657 | 32 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $75,816 | $49,000 | 4,684,333 | 91 |
| 16 | Missouri | $78,834 | $51,000 | 6,113,532 | 113 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $78,216 | $50,000 | 6,859,819 | 290 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $75,633 | $49,000 | 10,273,419 | 272 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $75,905 | $49,000 | 4,454,189 | 69 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $75,210 | $49,000 | 2,984,100 | 49 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $78,879 | $50,000 | 9,005,644 | 196 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $76,814 | $48,000 | 5,576,606 | 159 |
| 23 | Maine | $74,584 | $47,000 | 1,335,907 | 40 |
| 24 | Iowa | $75,252 | $48,000 | 3,145,711 | 77 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $71,404 | $44,000 | 755,393 | 34 |
| 26 | Montana | $71,715 | $43,000 | 1,050,493 | 44 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $74,304 | $48,000 | 3,930,864 | 70 |
| 28 | Utah | $70,910 | $44,000 | 3,101,833 | 128 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $72,003 | $55,000 | 1,427,538 | 58 |
| 30 | Colorado | $73,128 | $47,000 | 5,607,154 | 331 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $75,130 | $48,000 | 1,059,639 | 25 |
| 32 | Idaho | $72,095 | $44,000 | 1,716,943 | 47 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $72,001 | $46,000 | 693,972 | 210 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $70,293 | $45,000 | 1,815,857 | 38 |
| 35 | Florida | $70,693 | $47,000 | 20,984,400 | 571 |
| 36 | Illinois | $72,257 | $46,000 | 12,802,023 | 369 |
| 37 | Arizona | $68,615 | $43,000 | 7,016,270 | 258 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $71,904 | $46,000 | 1,342,795 | 44 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $69,197 | $46,000 | 5,024,369 | 127 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $68,354 | $43,000 | 2,088,070 | 58 |
| 41 | Ohio | $68,483 | $43,000 | 11,658,609 | 235 |
| 42 | Maryland | $65,782 | $42,000 | 6,052,177 | 350 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $61,988 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 23 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $62,092 | $40,000 | 1,920,076 | 73 |
| 45 | Michigan | $61,374 | $38,000 | 9,962,311 | 253 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $63,260 | $40,000 | 869,666 | 26 |
| 47 | Georgia | $60,022 | $40,000 | 10,429,379 | 328 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $62,388 | $39,000 | 5,795,483 | 136 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $62,072 | $41,000 | 6,715,984 | 119 |
| 50 | Kansas | $64,143 | $42,000 | 2,913,123 | 41 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $57,912 | $38,000 | 3,004,279 | 61 |
Highest paying states for foundation engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Foundation Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $91,098 |
| 2 | Oregon | $81,550 |
| 3 | Delaware | $81,562 |
| 4 | Alabama | $80,636 |
| 5 | Washington | $81,559 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $84,507 |
| 7 | Nevada | $77,041 |
| 8 | New York | $82,071 |
| 9 | Virginia | $76,911 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $80,363 |
| 11 | Texas | $76,267 |
| 12 | Indiana | $75,880 |
| 13 | Alaska | $76,954 |
| 14 | Vermont | $75,072 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $75,816 |
| 16 | Missouri | $78,834 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $78,216 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $75,633 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $75,905 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $75,210 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $78,879 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $76,814 |
| 23 | Maine | $74,584 |
| 24 | Iowa | $75,252 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $71,404 |
| 26 | Montana | $71,715 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $74,304 |
| 28 | Utah | $70,910 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $72,003 |
| 30 | Colorado | $73,128 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $75,130 |
| 32 | Idaho | $72,095 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $72,001 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $70,293 |
| 35 | Florida | $70,693 |
| 36 | Illinois | $72,257 |
| 37 | Arizona | $68,615 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $71,904 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $69,197 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $68,354 |
| 41 | Ohio | $68,483 |
| 42 | Maryland | $65,782 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $61,988 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $62,092 |
| 45 | Michigan | $61,374 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $63,260 |
| 47 | Georgia | $60,022 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $62,388 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $62,072 |
| 50 | Kansas | $64,143 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $57,912 |
Expert opinions on the best states for foundation engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for foundation engineers to find work opportunities?
Bethany Brinkman
Associate Professor and Director, Sweet Briar College
Historically, many of our graduates have gone to work for larger companies or government sub-contractors; however, during the pandemic, we saw many of these opportunities disappear due to hiring freezes or program reductions. Smaller, local companies stepped up and were more flexible in their hiring practices, so they could provide socially distant internships and employment. I think this is where Sweet Briar's general engineering degree is very helpful - our students have a broad base of knowledge, can adapt quickly, and communicate well, so they thrive in challenging circumstances.
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Updated January 8, 2025