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Civil engineering designer salary
Average civil engineering designer salary
$57,842
Understanding Civil Engineering Designer Salaries
The average salary for a Civil Engineering Designer in the United States is $57,842 per year, translating to about $28 per hour. However, salaries can vary significantly based on several factors including geographic location, level of experience, and specific industry sectors. For instance, entry-level designers may start with salaries around $50,000, while those with more experience can earn upwards of $70,000.
Locations such as California and New York tend to offer higher average salaries, reflecting the demand for civil engineering projects in urban areas. Additionally, specialized sectors like environmental engineering often pay more due to the complexity of projects. Understanding these nuances can help aspiring engineers make informed career choices.
Opportunities for Advancement
As a civil engineering designer, you can enhance your earning potential by pursuing advanced certifications or degrees. Engaging in continuous professional development not only opens doors to higher-paying roles but also equips you with the latest industry knowledge. Explore job listings today to find opportunities that align with your career goals.
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Where can a Civil Engineering Designer earn more?
Civil engineering designer salaries by experience level
Civil engineering designer salary estimates from across the web
Average civil engineering designer salary by state
The highest-paying states for civil engineering designers are California, New York, and Oregon. The lowest average civil engineering designer salary states are Iowa, South Dakota, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for civil engineering designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $67,980 | $32.68 |
| 2 | New York | $72,708 | $34.96 |
| 3 | Maine | $64,197 | $30.86 |
| 4 | Alaska | $68,540 | $32.95 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $67,052 | $32.24 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $66,686 | $32.06 |
| 7 | Oregon | $70,009 | $33.66 |
| 8 | Delaware | $65,733 | $31.60 |
| 9 | California | $84,428 | $40.59 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $62,409 | $30.00 |
| 11 | Alabama | $64,902 | $31.20 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $64,707 | $31.11 |
| 13 | Missouri | $64,268 | $30.90 |
| 14 | Virginia | $62,766 | $30.18 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $67,411 | $32.41 |
| 16 | Nevada | $62,791 | $30.19 |
| 17 | Colorado | $60,210 | $28.95 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $57,936 | $27.85 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $60,194 | $28.94 |
| 20 | Idaho | $59,320 | $28.52 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $60,838 | $29.25 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $61,245 | $29.44 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $60,531 | $29.10 |
| 24 | Vermont | $63,513 | $30.54 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $61,099 | $29.37 |
| 26 | Utah | $57,292 | $27.54 |
| 27 | Maryland | $60,841 | $29.25 |
| 28 | Michigan | $57,188 | $27.49 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $59,652 | $28.68 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $59,495 | $28.60 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $58,193 | $27.98 |
| 32 | Illinois | $60,331 | $29.01 |
| 33 | Texas | $58,835 | $28.29 |
| 34 | Arizona | $58,464 | $28.11 |
| 35 | Montana | $55,904 | $26.88 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $57,224 | $27.51 |
| 37 | Ohio | $58,207 | $27.98 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $57,557 | $27.67 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $55,939 | $26.89 |
| 40 | Georgia | $54,585 | $26.24 |
| 41 | Indiana | $55,237 | $26.56 |
| 42 | Florida | $55,772 | $26.81 |
| 43 | Kansas | $53,115 | $25.54 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $50,322 | $24.19 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| 46 | Iowa | $50,558 | $24.31 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $51,405 | $24.71 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $51,888 | $24.95 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $49,276 | $23.69 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $49,940 | $24.01 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $47,549 | $22.86 |
Highest paying cities for civil engineering designers
The highest-paying cities for civil engineering designers are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Salem, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $91,454 | $43.97 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $72,856 | $35.03 |
| 3 | Salem, OR | $70,238 | $33.77 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $68,811 | $33.08 |
| 5 | Union, NJ | $67,457 | $32.43 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $66,666 | $32.05 |
| 7 | Birmingham, AL | $64,762 | $31.14 |
| 8 | Alexandria, VA | $63,650 | $30.60 |
| 9 | Vernon Hills, IL | $60,598 | $29.13 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $60,287 | $28.98 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $59,513 | $28.61 |
| 12 | Greenville, NC | $59,368 | $28.54 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $58,512 | $28.13 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $57,820 | $27.80 |
| 15 | Detroit, MI | $57,299 | $27.55 |
| 16 | Tampa, FL | $56,211 | $27.02 |
| 17 | Fishers, IN | $55,210 | $26.54 |
| 18 | Duluth, GA | $54,686 | $26.29 |
| 19 | Lenexa, KS | $53,076 | $25.52 |
| 20 | Greenville, SC | $52,082 | $25.04 |
Civil engineering designer salary details
A civil engineering designer's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $82,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a civil engineering designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| Average | $57,842 | $4,820 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying civil engineering designer jobs
The highest paying types of civil engineering designers are resident engineer, senior structural engineer, and office engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structural Design Engineer | $75,662 | $6,305 | $36.38 | 57,187 |
| Structures Engineer | $73,391 | $6,116 | $35.28 | 20,778 |
| Structural Designer | $63,273 | $5,273 | $30.42 | 51,432 |
| Project Field Engineer | $71,292 | $5,941 | $34.27 | 78,589 |
| Resident Engineer | $96,425 | $8,035 | $46.36 | 31,388 |
| Construction Engineer | $74,680 | $6,223 | $35.90 | 51,380 |
Top companies hiring civil engineering designers now:
Which companies pay civil engineering designers the most?
Civil engineering designer salaries at Meta and BP America Inc are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average civil engineering designer salary at companies like Parsons and City of Detroit are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $143,357 | $68.92 |
| 2 | BP America Inc | $129,283 | $62.16 |
| 3 | Parsons | $109,765 | $52.77 |
| 4 | City of Detroit | $92,674 | $44.55 |
| 5 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $85,245 | $40.98 |
| 6 | CDM Smith | $83,121 | $39.96 |
| 7 | Fluor Corporation | $82,964 | $39.89 |
| 8 | CEI Group | $79,597 | $38.27 |
| 9 | EXP | $76,353 | $36.71 |
| 10 | D.R. Horton | $76,256 | $36.66 |
| 11 | Addison Group | $75,948 | $36.51 |
| 12 | T.Y. Lin International | $75,493 | $36.29 |
| 13 | Huitt-Zollars | $74,992 | $36.05 |
| 14 | Gannett Fleming | $74,117 | $35.63 |
| 15 | Alliance of Professionals & Consultants | $73,814 | $35.49 |
| 16 | PEAK Technical Staffing USA | $73,452 | $35.31 |
| 17 | Hogan Land Title | $72,630 | $34.92 |
| 18 | Stantec | $72,574 | $34.89 |
| 19 | AECOM | $72,299 | $34.76 |
| 20 | TAIT & Associates | $72,193 | $34.71 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Civil engineering designer salary trends
The average civil engineering designer salary has risen by $6,910 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average civil engineering designer earned $50,932 annually, but today, they earn $57,842 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for civil engineering designers over the last decade.
Compare civil engineering designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average civil engineering designer salary over time
Compare civil engineering designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Civil engineering designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $57,800 | $27.81 | +1.7% |
| 2025 | $56,900 | $27.33 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | $56,600 | $27.20 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $55,400 | $26.62 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $54,600 | $26.23 | +1.6% |
Recently added civil engineering designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bohler Engineering | Civil Design Engineer | Melville, NY | 06/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| IMEG | Civil Project Engineer-Site Design | | Islandia, NY | 06/29/2025 | $106,000 |
| Erg | Experienced Design Engineer/Civil Engineer | Indian Head, MD | 06/29/2025 | $100,000 |
| Graham & Associates | Civil Site Design Engineer-PE | Fayetteville, AR | 06/29/2025 | $80,000 |
| Aecom | Civil Engineer-Highway Design | Buffalo, NY | 06/27/2025 | $75,000 |
| Graham & Associates | Civil Engineer-Design-Water Projects | Edison, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $90,000 |
| Ardurra Group, Inc. | Civil Design Engineer | Oakdale, CA | 06/26/2025 | $85,000 |
| Cushing Terrell | Civil Engineer or Civil Designer | Austin, TX | 06/26/2025 | $85,000 |
| Actalent | Civil Design Engineer | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $100,000 |
| Actalent | Civil Engineer Designer | Jersey City, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $100,000 |
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