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Foundation engineer salary
Average foundation engineer salary
$76,200
Understanding Foundation Engineer Salaries
Foundation Engineers play a pivotal role in construction and civil engineering, focusing on the design and analysis of foundations for buildings and other structures. As of October 2025, the average salary for a Foundation Engineer is $76,200 per year, translating to about $37 per hour. This figure can vary based on experience, location, and the specific sector of employment.
For instance, entry-level Foundation Engineers may start at a lower salary, while those with extensive experience and specialized skills can command significantly higher wages. The highest paying states for this role include California, New York, and Texas, where demand for skilled engineers is robust due to ongoing infrastructure projects.
Moreover, engineers may find opportunities in various sectors, including construction firms, government agencies, and consulting companies. Understanding the salary landscape is essential for professionals seeking to advance their careers and maximize earnings. By exploring salary estimates from various sources and comparing figures by state, Foundation Engineers can make informed decisions about their career trajectory.
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Where can a Foundation Engineer earn more?
Foundation engineer salaries by experience level
Foundation engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average foundation engineer salary by state
The average foundation engineer salary in California, Connecticut, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average foundation engineer salary states are Nebraska, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for foundation engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $91,098 | $43.80 |
| 2 | Oregon | $81,550 | $39.21 |
| 3 | Delaware | $81,562 | $39.21 |
| 4 | Alabama | $80,636 | $38.77 |
| 5 | Washington | $81,559 | $39.21 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $84,507 | $40.63 |
| 7 | Nevada | $77,041 | $37.04 |
| 8 | New York | $82,071 | $39.46 |
| 9 | Virginia | $76,911 | $36.98 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $80,363 | $38.64 |
| 11 | Texas | $76,267 | $36.67 |
| 12 | Indiana | $75,880 | $36.48 |
| 13 | Alaska | $76,954 | $37.00 |
| 14 | Vermont | $75,072 | $36.09 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $75,816 | $36.45 |
| 16 | Missouri | $78,834 | $37.90 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $78,216 | $37.60 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $75,633 | $36.36 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $75,905 | $36.49 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $75,210 | $36.16 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $78,879 | $37.92 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $76,814 | $36.93 |
| 23 | Maine | $74,584 | $35.86 |
| 24 | Iowa | $75,252 | $36.18 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $71,404 | $34.33 |
| 26 | Montana | $71,715 | $34.48 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $74,304 | $35.72 |
| 28 | Utah | $70,910 | $34.09 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $72,003 | $34.62 |
| 30 | Colorado | $73,128 | $35.16 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $75,130 | $36.12 |
| 32 | Idaho | $72,095 | $34.66 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $72,001 | $34.62 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $70,293 | $33.79 |
| 35 | Florida | $70,693 | $33.99 |
| 36 | Illinois | $72,257 | $34.74 |
| 37 | Arizona | $68,615 | $32.99 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $71,904 | $34.57 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $69,197 | $33.27 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $68,354 | $32.86 |
| 41 | Ohio | $68,483 | $32.92 |
| 42 | Maryland | $65,782 | $31.63 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $61,988 | $29.80 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $62,092 | $29.85 |
| 45 | Michigan | $61,374 | $29.51 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $63,260 | $30.41 |
| 47 | Georgia | $60,022 | $28.86 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $62,388 | $29.99 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $62,072 | $29.84 |
| 50 | Kansas | $64,143 | $30.84 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $57,912 | $27.84 |
Highest paying cities for foundation engineers
The highest-paying cities for foundation engineers are Menlo Park, CA, New York, NY, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menlo Park, CA | $100,749 | $48.44 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $82,312 | $39.57 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $82,148 | $39.49 |
| 4 | Hillsboro, OR | $81,115 | $39.00 |
| 5 | Huntsville, AL | $80,318 | $38.61 |
| 6 | Saint Louis, MO | $79,824 | $38.38 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | $78,723 | $37.85 |
| 8 | Lawrence, MA | $77,532 | $37.27 |
| 9 | Springfield, VA | $77,242 | $37.14 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $76,709 | $36.88 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $76,016 | $36.55 |
| 12 | Metairie, LA | $75,854 | $36.47 |
| 13 | Fort Collins, CO | $73,315 | $35.25 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $72,433 | $34.82 |
| 15 | Washington, DC | $71,995 | $34.61 |
| 16 | Manchester, NH | $71,979 | $34.61 |
| 17 | Minot, ND | $71,337 | $34.30 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $70,454 | $33.87 |
| 19 | Silver Spring, MD | $65,739 | $31.61 |
| 20 | Omaha, NE | $62,343 | $29.97 |
Foundation engineer salary details
A foundation engineer's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $117,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a foundation engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $117,000 | $9,750 | $56 |
| 75th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
| Average | $76,200 | $6,350 | $37 |
| 25th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
Highest paying foundation engineer jobs
The highest paying types of foundation engineers are senior staff engineer, senior principal engineer, and principal engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Designer | $58,421 | $4,868 | $28.09 | 57,036 |
| Structural Designer | $63,273 | $5,273 | $30.42 | 51,432 |
| Structural Engineering Internship | $47,072 | $3,923 | $22.63 | 105,826 |
| Civil Engineering Internship | $52,597 | $4,383 | $25.29 | 109,733 |
| Civil/Structural Engineer | $74,421 | $6,202 | $35.78 | 20,123 |
| Structural Design Engineer | $75,662 | $6,305 | $36.38 | 57,187 |
Top companies hiring foundation engineers now:
Which companies pay foundation engineers the most?
Foundation engineer salaries at Meta and NVIDIA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average foundation engineer salary at companies like Amazon and Parsons are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $156,582 | $75.28 |
| 2 | NVIDIA | $141,599 | $68.08 |
| 3 | Amazon | $119,966 | $57.68 |
| 4 | Parsons | $98,393 | $47.30 |
| 5 | Hess | $97,579 | $46.91 |
| 6 | HERE Holding Corporation | $91,707 | $44.09 |
| 7 | Fluor Corporation | $78,157 | $37.58 |
| 8 | Compass SLS and ILS | $75,619 | $36.36 |
| 9 | Clark Construction Group | $74,363 | $35.75 |
| 10 | Lessen | $73,722 | $35.44 |
| 11 | Masters Building Solutions, Inc. | $73,162 | $35.17 |
| 12 | URS E&C Holdings Inc | $71,563 | $34.41 |
| 13 | Live Nation Entertainment | $68,385 | $32.88 |
| 14 | DPIS Builder Services | $67,177 | $32.30 |
| 15 | Installed Building Products | $66,775 | $32.10 |
| 16 | Berkel & Company Contractors | $64,622 | $31.07 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Foundation engineer salary trends
The average foundation engineer salary has risen by $9,103 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average foundation engineer earned $67,097 annually, but today, they earn $76,200 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for foundation engineers over the last decade.
Compare foundation engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average foundation engineer salary over time
Compare foundation engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Foundation engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $76,200 | $36.63 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $74,900 | $36.01 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $74,500 | $35.84 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $72,900 | $35.06 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $71,900 | $34.55 | +1.6% |
Recently added foundation engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hashicorp | Engineer II-Front-End Foundations | Lowell, MA | 06/05/2025 | $151,300 |
| On-X Life Technologies | IOS Engineer III-Foundational Experiences Team | Bozeman, MT | 04/30/2025 | $130,000 |
| Hashicorp | Engineer II-Front-End Foundations | Raleigh, NC | 03/21/2025 | $151,300 |
| Waymo | ML Engineer, Perception Foundation Model | San Francisco, CA | 03/16/2025 | $170,000 |
| Boeing | Engineering Career Foundation Program | Seattle, WA | 02/22/2025 | $80,000 |
| Davis Concrete Correctors | Foundation Repair, Mudjacking, and Waterproofing Laborer | Griffith, IN | 01/17/2025 | $31,305 |
| Apple Inc. | Foundational Infrastructure | Seattle, WA | 12/14/2024 | $135,400 |
| Remotefront Pvt. Ltd. | Backend Engineer, Foundations: Import and Integrate | New York, NY | 12/05/2024 | $98,000 |
| Waymo | ML Engineer, Perception Foundation Model | Mountain View, CA | 11/25/2024 | $192,000 |
| Remotefront Pvt. Ltd. | Staff Engineer-Strategy Foundation Engineering | New York, NY | 10/24/2024 | $110,000 |
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