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The average salary for a Utility Engineer in the United States is approximately $76,349 annually. Utility engineers play a crucial role in the management and development of utility systems, including water, electricity, and telecommunications. Their responsibilities often include designing, maintaining, and optimizing these systems for efficiency and safety.
As professionals gain experience, salaries can increase significantly. Entry-level utility engineers may start at around $60,000, while those with several years in the field can earn upwards of $90,000 or more, depending on their area of expertise and location.
Utility engineers in states such as California, Texas, and New York often see the highest salaries, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in these regions. Understanding regional salary differences is essential for those looking to maximize their earning potential.
With the ongoing development of infrastructure projects, the demand for utility engineers remains steady. Exploring job boards and industry-specific platforms can help candidates find lucrative positions tailored to their skills and experience.
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The highest-paying states for utility engineers are California, Maryland, and Washington. The lowest average utility engineer salary states are Montana, North Dakota, and Nebraska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $91,117 | $43.81 |
| 2 | Maryland | $94,931 | $45.64 |
| 3 | California | $96,375 | $46.33 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $89,447 | $43.00 |
| 5 | Colorado | $87,822 | $42.22 |
| 6 | Delaware | $87,294 | $41.97 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $86,058 | $41.37 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $83,635 | $40.21 |
| 9 | Arizona | $81,810 | $39.33 |
| 10 | Texas | $81,362 | $39.12 |
| 11 | Illinois | $85,810 | $41.25 |
| 12 | Iowa | $85,319 | $41.02 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $86,223 | $41.45 |
| 14 | Indiana | $81,456 | $39.16 |
| 15 | Alabama | $79,655 | $38.30 |
| 16 | Oregon | $79,408 | $38.18 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $81,629 | $39.24 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $81,790 | $39.32 |
| 19 | Nevada | $78,043 | $37.52 |
| 20 | Utah | $75,382 | $36.24 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $83,468 | $40.13 |
| 22 | Idaho | $77,449 | $37.24 |
| 23 | Georgia | $76,786 | $36.92 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $74,267 | $35.71 |
| 25 | Virginia | $74,449 | $35.79 |
| 26 | New York | $76,653 | $36.85 |
| 27 | Alaska | $76,830 | $36.94 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $73,148 | $35.17 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $72,888 | $35.04 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $76,699 | $36.87 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $74,900 | $36.01 |
| 32 | Ohio | $71,825 | $34.53 |
| 33 | Michigan | $69,575 | $33.45 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $72,271 | $34.75 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $70,361 | $33.83 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $73,346 | $35.26 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $69,722 | $33.52 |
| 38 | Vermont | $66,786 | $32.11 |
| 39 | Maine | $71,634 | $34.44 |
| 40 | Missouri | $72,261 | $34.74 |
| 41 | Florida | $70,616 | $33.95 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $69,612 | $33.47 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $61,434 | $29.54 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $65,823 | $31.65 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $67,862 | $32.63 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $64,945 | $31.22 |
| 47 | Montana | $65,463 | $31.47 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $66,194 | $31.82 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $63,558 | $30.56 |
| 50 | Kansas | $62,333 | $29.97 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $59,274 | $28.50 |
The highest-paying cities for utility engineers are San Francisco, CA, Boston, MA, and Denver, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $103,695 | $49.85 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $89,389 | $42.98 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $87,748 | $42.19 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $85,958 | $41.33 |
| 5 | Des Moines, IA | $85,081 | $40.90 |
| 6 | Georgetown, TX | $81,946 | $39.40 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $81,851 | $39.35 |
| 8 | Madison, WI | $81,581 | $39.22 |
| 9 | Hammond, IN | $81,574 | $39.22 |
| 10 | Portland, OR | $79,180 | $38.07 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $76,886 | $36.96 |
| 12 | New York, NY | $76,843 | $36.94 |
| 13 | Virginia Beach, VA | $74,706 | $35.92 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | $73,535 | $35.35 |
| 15 | Westerville, OH | $71,905 | $34.57 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $70,641 | $33.96 |
| 17 | Lansing, MI | $69,481 | $33.40 |
| 18 | Minneapolis, MN | $65,835 | $31.65 |
| 19 | Topeka, KS | $62,244 | $29.93 |
A utility engineer's salary ranges from $54,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $107,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| 75th Percentile | $91,000 | $7,583 | $44 |
| Average | $76,349 | $6,362 | $37 |
| 25th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
The highest paying types of utility engineers are contracting engineer, staff engineer, and tool engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design Engineer Internship | $55,346 | $4,612 | $26.61 | 139,842 |
| Research Engineer | $96,945 | $8,079 | $46.61 | 136,763 |
| Development Engineer | $93,206 | $7,767 | $44.81 | 224,881 |
| Technical Services Engineer | $81,204 | $6,767 | $39.04 | 217,103 |
| Product Design Engineer | $94,827 | $7,902 | $45.59 | 170,485 |
| Equipment Engineer | $97,539 | $8,128 | $46.89 | 108,449 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for utility engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Daisy Huang
Assistant Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Top companies hiring utility engineers now:
Utility engineer salaries at Exxon Mobil and Eli Lilly and Company are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average utility engineer salary at companies like Abbott and Douglas Emmett, Inc. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exxon Mobil | $118,127 | $56.79 |
| 2 | Eli Lilly and Company | $111,456 | $53.58 |
| 3 | Abbott | $104,342 | $50.16 |
| 4 | Douglas Emmett, Inc. | $97,134 | $46.70 |
| 5 | Lockheed Martin | $90,811 | $43.66 |
| 6 | Cushman & Wakefield | $89,988 | $43.26 |
| 7 | Alere | $89,836 | $43.19 |
| 8 | Micron Technology | $87,500 | $42.07 |
| 9 | Moderna | $87,398 | $42.02 |
| 10 | ASR Group | $86,049 | $41.37 |
| 11 | California Public Utilities Commission | $85,355 | $41.04 |
| 12 | Accenture | $85,015 | $40.87 |
| 13 | Exelon | $84,093 | $40.43 |
| 14 | GasTechnology | $83,955 | $40.36 |
| 15 | Campbell Soup | $83,209 | $40.00 |
| 16 | Homepage - Yocream | $82,069 | $39.46 |
| 17 | Hyatt Hotels | $81,526 | $39.20 |
| 18 | Florida Crystals | $81,360 | $39.12 |
| 19 | Tyler Technologies | $81,354 | $39.11 |
| 20 | ADM | $80,821 | $38.86 |
The average utility engineer salary has risen by $9,256 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average utility engineer earned $67,093 annually, but today, they earn $76,349 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for utility engineers over the last decade.
Compare utility engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare utility engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $76,300 | $36.71 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $74,900 | $36.00 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $74,000 | $35.57 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $72,700 | $34.96 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $71,300 | $34.28 | +0.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBRE | Union Utility Engineer | Mountain View, CA | 06/27/2025 | $73,902 |
| Hilton Worldwide | Maintenance Utility Engineer (Seasonal)-Hilton LA Jolla Torrey Pines | San Diego, CA | 06/25/2025 | $52,175 |
| Farnsworth Group | Energy & Utilities Engineer | Greenwood Village, CO | 06/24/2025 | $72,000 |
| Yu & Associates | Utilities Engineer Project Manager | Elmwood Park, NJ | 06/21/2025 | $130,000 |
| Rettew | Subsurface Utility Engineering PM | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/20/2025 | $100,000 |
| Aecom | Utility Engineer-Highway Design | Bloomfield, NJ | 06/11/2025 | $130,000 |
| ABM Industries | Utility Engineer | Santa Clara, CA | 06/10/2025 | $81,936 |
| Hyatt Hotels Corp | Utility Engineer) | Newport Beach, CA | 06/10/2025 | $51,925 |
| Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson | Subsurface Utility Engineering Field Technician I | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/10/2025 | $41,740 |
| Town of Erie | Utility Engineer II or III-Dependent On Qualifications | Erie, CO | 06/09/2025 | $82,190 |
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