Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Senior structural engineer salary
Average senior structural engineer salary
$94,406
Understanding Senior Structural Engineer Salaries
The role of a Senior Structural Engineer is critical in the construction industry, focusing on the design and integrity of structures. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $94,406 per year, translating to about $45 per hour. Factors influencing salary include geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry of employment.
Salary by State
For instance, states such as California and New York often offer higher salaries due to their demand for skilled engineers. In contrast, other states may provide lower average salaries. Here’s a breakdown of average salaries by state:
- California: $108,000
- New York: $101,000
- Texas: $92,000
- Florida: $88,000
Additionally, industries such as construction, consulting, and government often offer varying pay scales. Understanding these dynamics allows prospective engineers to make informed career decisions, aligning their job search with potential earnings and market demands.
Let Zippi find your next senior structural engineer job
Let Zippi find your next senior structural engineer job
Where can a Senior Structural Engineer earn more?
Senior structural engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average senior structural engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior structural engineers are California, Oklahoma, and Alaska. The lowest average senior structural engineer salary states are Indiana, South Dakota, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior structural engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $124,006 | $59.62 |
| 2 | Colorado | $100,392 | $48.27 |
| 3 | Oregon | $97,664 | $46.95 |
| 4 | Alaska | $101,696 | $48.89 |
| 5 | Nevada | $99,984 | $48.07 |
| 6 | Arizona | $94,640 | $45.50 |
| 7 | Washington | $97,375 | $46.81 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $101,366 | $48.73 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $105,756 | $50.84 |
| 10 | Idaho | $91,689 | $44.08 |
| 11 | Maine | $88,260 | $42.43 |
| 12 | Texas | $89,857 | $43.20 |
| 13 | Utah | $87,811 | $42.22 |
| 14 | Montana | $86,637 | $41.65 |
| 15 | Mississippi | $90,921 | $43.71 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $86,220 | $41.45 |
| 17 | Vermont | $87,595 | $42.11 |
| 18 | Delaware | $86,795 | $41.73 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $87,190 | $41.92 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $88,956 | $42.77 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $87,734 | $42.18 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $87,402 | $42.02 |
| 23 | New York | $88,143 | $42.38 |
| 24 | Alabama | $84,893 | $40.81 |
| 25 | Illinois | $86,955 | $41.81 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $85,715 | $41.21 |
| 27 | Missouri | $86,521 | $41.60 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $86,772 | $41.72 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $87,115 | $41.88 |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $83,094 | $39.95 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $82,613 | $39.72 |
| 32 | Georgia | $82,159 | $39.50 |
| 33 | Virginia | $81,737 | $39.30 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $82,914 | $39.86 |
| 35 | Iowa | $83,492 | $40.14 |
| 36 | Maryland | $81,961 | $39.40 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $80,475 | $38.69 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $80,523 | $38.71 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $81,632 | $39.25 |
| 40 | Michigan | $79,322 | $38.14 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $81,421 | $39.14 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $78,627 | $37.80 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $75,363 | $36.23 |
| 44 | Kansas | $80,096 | $38.51 |
| 45 | Florida | $79,536 | $38.24 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $76,475 | $36.77 |
| 47 | Indiana | $77,535 | $37.28 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $78,003 | $37.50 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $76,061 | $36.57 |
| 50 | Ohio | $72,111 | $34.67 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $71,857 | $34.55 |
Highest paying cities for senior structural engineers
The highest-paying cities for senior structural engineers are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and Englewood, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,872 | $63.40 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $101,451 | $48.77 |
| 3 | Englewood, CO | $100,387 | $48.26 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $97,680 | $46.96 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $97,064 | $46.67 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $94,941 | $45.64 |
| 7 | Dallas, TX | $90,204 | $43.37 |
| 8 | Troy, NY | $88,689 | $42.64 |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $88,484 | $42.54 |
| 10 | New Orleans, LA | $88,456 | $42.53 |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $87,507 | $42.07 |
| 12 | Newark, NJ | $87,305 | $41.97 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $87,294 | $41.97 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $87,092 | $41.87 |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO | $86,995 | $41.82 |
| 16 | East Hartford, CT | $86,964 | $41.81 |
| 17 | Jacksonville, FL | $85,672 | $41.19 |
| 18 | Billings, MT | $85,168 | $40.95 |
| 19 | Birmingham, AL | $84,899 | $40.82 |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN | $82,980 | $39.89 |
Senior structural engineer salary details
A senior structural engineer's salary ranges from $70,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $125,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior structural engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| 75th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| Average | $94,406 | $7,867 | $45 |
| 25th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
Highest paying senior structural engineer jobs
The highest paying types of senior structural engineers are principal engineer, senior engineer, and senior project engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Designer | $58,421 | $4,868 | $28.09 | 57,036 |
| Civil Engineering Internship | $52,597 | $4,383 | $25.29 | 109,733 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Office Engineer | $89,581 | $7,465 | $43.07 | 59,644 |
| Project Field Engineer | $71,292 | $5,941 | $34.27 | 78,589 |
| Civil Engineer | $70,950 | $5,912 | $34.11 | 26,803 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior structural engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Raymond Hintz
Professor, University of Maine
Top companies hiring senior structural engineers now:
Which companies pay senior structural engineers the most?
Senior structural engineer salaries at Rivian and Karma Automotive are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior structural engineer salary at companies like Citicorp North America, Inc and Erickson are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rivian | $123,419 | $59.34 |
| 2 | Karma Automotive | $121,034 | $58.19 |
| 3 | Citicorp North America, Inc | $118,973 | $57.20 |
| 4 | Erickson | $118,074 | $56.77 |
| 5 | Pacific Gas and Electric | $116,060 | $55.80 |
| 6 | Southern California Edison | $113,438 | $54.54 |
| 7 | Aerion Supersonic | $110,863 | $53.30 |
| 8 | Tesla | $106,803 | $51.35 |
| 9 | Parsons | $105,906 | $50.92 |
| 10 | Edwards Lifesciences | $104,910 | $50.44 |
| 11 | Alaska Airlines | $104,305 | $50.15 |
| 12 | North American Bus Industries Inc | $103,124 | $49.58 |
| 13 | Lucid Motors | $102,931 | $49.49 |
| 14 | Boeing | $102,333 | $49.20 |
| 15 | Stratolaunch | $102,223 | $49.15 |
| 16 | Pratt & Whitney | $102,019 | $49.05 |
| 17 | SpaceX | $100,461 | $48.30 |
| 18 | B/E Aerospace | $100,057 | $48.10 |
| 19 | The Walt Disney Company | $99,756 | $47.96 |
| 20 | General Electric | $99,015 | $47.60 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Structural Engineer salary by industry
The average senior structural engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average senior structural engineer salary in the transportation industry is $96,818, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior structural engineer salary in the finance industry is $94,441.
- Senior structural engineers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $82,987, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior structural engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $96,818 | $46.55 |
| 2 | Technology | $94,441 | $45.40 |
| 3 | Real Estate | $93,103 | $44.76 |
| 4 | Energy | $92,761 | $44.60 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $90,286 | $43.41 |
| 6 | Construction | $88,557 | $42.58 |
| 7 | Professional | $82,987 | $39.90 |
High paying senior structural engineer jobs
Senior structural engineer salary trends
The average senior structural engineer salary has risen by $11,277 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior structural engineer earned $83,129 annually, but today, they earn $94,406 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for senior structural engineers over the last decade.
Compare senior structural engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior structural engineer salary over time
Compare senior structural engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior structural engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $94,400 | $45.39 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $92,800 | $44.61 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $92,300 | $44.40 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $90,400 | $43.44 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $89,000 | $42.81 | +1.6% |
Recently added senior structural engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disneyland Resort | Senior Structural Engineer | Anaheim, CA | 06/30/2025 | $111,900 |
| EFI Global | Senior Forensic Structural Engineer, P.E. | Denver, CO | 06/30/2025 | $125,000 |
| Barr Systems | Structural Engineer-Senior Level-Hydropower Focus (Hybrid) | Minneapolis, MN | 06/30/2025 | $115,000 |
| Barr Systems | Structural Engineer-Senior Level (Hybrid) | Salt Lake City, UT | 06/30/2025 | $100,000 |
| Blue Origin | Senior Structural Engineer-New Glenn | Seattle, WA | 06/30/2025 | $140,959 |
| Relativity | Senior Structures Responsible Engineer | Long Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $142,000 |
| Relativity | Senior Structural Engineer | Cape Canaveral, FL | 06/29/2025 | $130,000 |
| Imeg Consultants | Senior Structural Engineer/Supervisor | Cincinnati, OH | 06/29/2025 | $106,000 |
| Imeg Consultants | Senior Structural Engineer | Des Moines, IA | 06/29/2025 | $112,000 |
| Woolpert | Senior Structural Engineer | Miami, FL | 06/29/2025 | $91,900 |
Senior structural engineer salary FAQs
Search for senior structural engineer jobs