What is the salary and career path for a civil engineer?
Civil engineer is an exact match to Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051), the BLS code for engineers who design and oversee infrastructure projects; the OEWS May 2025 median is $100,840 a year ($48.48 an hour), from $68,240 at the 10th percentile to $163,220 at the 90th. BLS projects 5% employment growth for the code over 2024–2034 — about average — with roughly 23,600 openings a year. It requires an ABET-accredited civil engineering degree and, to stamp designs, the NCEES FE then PE (Civil) license.
- Civil Engineers earn a national median $100,840/yr ($48.48/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2051); the top 10% clear $163,220.
- Civil engineering is a licensed profession: an ABET degree plus the NCEES FE, then the PE (Civil) to legally stamp designs.
- BLS projects 5% growth for Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) through 2034 — about average — with roughly 23,600 openings a year, lifted by infrastructure funding.
- Pay runs from an entry EIT near $68,240 to a principal or engineering manager at the $163,220 top decile.
Career Path
How do you become a civil engineer?
Entry civil engineer (EIT)
Producing calculations and CAD design under a PE after passing the FE; entry pay sits near the 10th percentile of $68,240.
Civil engineer (PE)
Owning designs, sealing drawings and managing projects around the $100,840 median for the code.
Senior / project engineer
Leading multi-discipline projects and client relationships pays toward the 75th percentile of $129,680.
Principal / engineering manager
Directing a discipline or a firm's practice reaches the 90th percentile of $163,220.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays civil engineers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2051. National median: $100,840. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does civil engineer pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles civil engineers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: civil engineers rank 4 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +5% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly civil engineers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2051 (civil engineers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do civil engineers need?
An ABET civil engineering degree, the baseline credential and a prerequisite for licensure in most states. See all state licences →
Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, the required first step toward the PE.
The NCEES Professional Engineer (Civil) license needed to stamp civil engineering designs for the public.
Credentials like SE, ENV SP or PMP that deepen a civil engineer's specialization or project-management standing.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do civil engineers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 17-2051
Salary Levers
How do civil engineers earn above the $100,840 BLS median?
PE license and stamping authority
Earning the PE lets an engineer seal drawings and moves pay from the $68,240 entry band toward the upper percentiles.
Specialization and second license
Structural (SE), geotechnical or water-resources depth and added licensure command premiums above the $100,840 median.
Project and firm leadership
Project management, business development and principal roles push earnings toward the $163,220 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a civil engineer worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2051. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Civil Engineer Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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