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The Junior Project Engineer role is pivotal in various industries, offering a competitive average salary of $70,878 per year. This figure reflects national averages, which can vary significantly based on factors such as state, industry, and years of experience.
States like California, Texas, and New York often present higher salary ranges due to increased demand for engineering talent. The average hourly wage can reach $40 in these regions. Job opportunities in sectors like construction, technology, and environmental services also tend to offer competitive compensation.
Entry-level positions may start lower, while those with more experience can command significantly higher salaries. For instance, junior engineers with over five years of experience may earn upwards of $85,000. Regularly checking salary estimates can help you negotiate effectively in your job search.
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The average junior project engineer salary in California, Colorado, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average junior project engineer salary states are Tennessee, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | $77,273 | $37.15 |
| 2 | Missouri | $77,250 | $37.14 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $72,738 | $34.97 |
| 4 | Colorado | $78,734 | $37.85 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | $73,034 | $35.11 |
| 6 | Oregon | $76,918 | $36.98 |
| 7 | Maine | $72,201 | $34.71 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $72,297 | $34.76 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $68,477 | $32.92 |
| 10 | Idaho | $69,315 | $33.32 |
| 11 | Delaware | $74,583 | $35.86 |
| 12 | California | $80,175 | $38.55 |
| 13 | Washington | $75,452 | $36.27 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $71,715 | $34.48 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $72,855 | $35.03 |
| 16 | New York | $78,039 | $37.52 |
| 17 | Nevada | $67,086 | $32.25 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $74,097 | $35.62 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $68,354 | $32.86 |
| 20 | Vermont | $71,601 | $34.42 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $70,975 | $34.12 |
| 22 | Virginia | $70,882 | $34.08 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $67,205 | $32.31 |
| 24 | Ohio | $64,150 | $30.84 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $72,397 | $34.81 |
| 26 | Alaska | $71,171 | $34.22 |
| 27 | Indiana | $65,701 | $31.59 |
| 28 | Arizona | $69,436 | $33.38 |
| 29 | Utah | $67,954 | $32.67 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $66,825 | $32.13 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $65,206 | $31.35 |
| 32 | Montana | $68,324 | $32.85 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $66,223 | $31.84 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $65,532 | $31.51 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $72,632 | $34.92 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $69,039 | $33.19 |
| 37 | Georgia | $63,425 | $30.49 |
| 38 | Kansas | $63,617 | $30.59 |
| 39 | Illinois | $68,593 | $32.98 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $61,932 | $29.77 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $60,039 | $28.86 |
| 42 | Florida | $66,821 | $32.13 |
| 43 | Michigan | $59,427 | $28.57 |
| 44 | Iowa | $61,654 | $29.64 |
| 45 | Texas | $64,926 | $31.21 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $59,186 | $28.45 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $60,761 | $29.21 |
| 48 | Maryland | $61,056 | $29.35 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $56,810 | $27.31 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $57,686 | $27.73 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $57,343 | $27.57 |
The highest-paying cities for junior project engineers are Hayward, CA, New York, NY, and Piscataway, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hayward, CA | $84,103 | $40.43 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $78,188 | $37.59 |
| 3 | Piscataway, NJ | $72,605 | $34.91 |
| 4 | Raleigh, NC | $71,242 | $34.25 |
| 5 | Winchester, VA | $71,015 | $34.14 |
| 6 | Pensacola, FL | $68,877 | $33.11 |
| 7 | Indianapolis, IN | $65,702 | $31.59 |
| 8 | Fort Worth, TX | $65,325 | $31.41 |
| 9 | Woodstock, GA | $63,655 | $30.60 |
| 10 | Warren, MI | $59,480 | $28.60 |
A junior project engineer's salary ranges from $55,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $90,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| 75th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| Average | $70,878 | $5,907 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
The highest paying types of junior project engineers are project lead engineer, senior project engineer, and resident 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 |
| Civil Engineering Internship | $52,597 | $4,383 | $25.29 | 109,733 |
| Structural Engineering Internship | $47,072 | $3,923 | $22.63 | 105,826 |
| Structural Design Engineer | $75,662 | $6,305 | $36.38 | 57,187 |
| Civil/Structural Engineer | $74,421 | $6,202 | $35.78 | 20,123 |
Top companies hiring junior project engineers now:
Junior project engineer salaries at Lockheed Martin and Leidos are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average junior project engineer salary at companies like Jacobs Engineering Group and Colgate-Palmolive are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lockheed Martin | $88,446 | $42.52 |
| 2 | Leidos | $76,214 | $36.64 |
| 3 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $75,599 | $36.35 |
| 4 | Colgate-Palmolive | $75,125 | $36.12 |
| 5 | Carrier | $74,437 | $35.79 |
| 6 | Belcan | $73,934 | $35.55 |
| 7 | Oceaneering | $73,288 | $35.23 |
| 8 | Acuity Insurance | $72,616 | $34.91 |
| 9 | Quest Global | $72,502 | $34.86 |
| 10 | Magna International | $71,538 | $34.39 |
| 11 | Fluor Corporation | $71,373 | $34.31 |
| 12 | CVD Equipment | $70,982 | $34.13 |
| 13 | e-Tech Solutions | $70,927 | $34.10 |
| 14 | Avionica | $70,754 | $34.02 |
| 15 | BD Systems Inc | $70,754 | $34.02 |
| 16 | Jacobs Enterprises | $70,748 | $34.01 |
| 17 | 20-20 Technologies | $70,199 | $33.75 |
| 18 | NY Developers & Management | $68,000 | $32.69 |
| 19 | APSI Construction Management | $66,465 | $31.95 |
The average junior project engineer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $74,023 | $35.59 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $72,767 | $34.98 |
| 3 | Technology | $71,922 | $34.58 |
| 4 | Construction | $68,649 | $33.00 |
| 5 | Energy | $63,202 | $30.39 |
The average junior project engineer salary has risen by $8,467 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average junior project engineer earned $62,411 annually, but today, they earn $70,878 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for junior project engineers over the last decade.
Compare junior project engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare junior project engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $70,900 | $34.08 | +1.7% |
| 2025 | $69,700 | $33.49 | +0.5% |
| 2024 | $69,300 | $33.33 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $67,800 | $32.61 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $66,900 | $32.14 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Structures | Junior Project Engineer | Spokane, WA | 06/27/2025 | $55,000 |
| Cochran Inc. | Project Engineer Junior Electrical Construction) | Boise, ID | 06/18/2025 | $55,000 |
| MSHS | Project Engineer, Controls Junior | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 05/10/2025 | $75,000 |
| MSHS | Project Engineer, Controls Junior | Mandeville, LA | 05/09/2025 | $75,000 |
| SDSU Research Foundation | Niwc-Undergraduate II (Junior/Senior): Generative AI Project (Task No) | San Diego, CA | 05/04/2025 | $36,001 |
| City of El Cajon, Ca | Junior/Assistant Engineer-Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) | El Cajon, CA | 04/03/2025 | $77,908 |
| City of El Cajon | Junior/Assistant Engineer-Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) | El Cajon, CA | 03/27/2025 | $77,908 |
| Kinkaid Civil Construction, LLC | Junior Project Engineer | Mesa, AZ | 03/25/2025 | $37,566 |
| City of El Cajon, Ca | Junior/Assistant Engineer-Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) | El Cajon, CA | 03/20/2025 | $77,908 |
| 360 Recruiting Group | Construction JR. Project Engineer (Must Live | Berlin, CT | 03/17/2025 | $60,000 |
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