What is the salary and career path for a project engineer?
Project engineer is a title that BLS files under Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199), the residual code for engineering roles without their own listing; the OEWS May 2025 median for that broad code is $122,930 a year ($59.10 an hour), from $66,810 at the 10th percentile to $189,950 at the 90th, so a project engineer's actual pay depends on the base discipline and industry. Employers usually want an ABET engineering degree in the relevant discipline; the FE and PE help, and the PMP is a common project-execution credential. BLS projects about 2.1% growth for the residual code over 2024–2034, slower than average, with roughly 9,300 openings a year across all its titles.
- Project engineers are filed under Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199), a broad residual code with a $122,930/yr median ($59.10/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025); the top 10% clear $189,950.
- It is a discipline-plus-delivery role: an ABET engineering degree, often the FE/PE, and the PMP for project-execution strength.
- BLS projects about 2.1% growth for the residual Engineers, All Other code (SOC 17-2199) through 2034 — slower than average — with roughly 9,300 openings a year across all its titles.
- Pay runs from an entry field engineer near $66,810 to a project or engineering manager at the $189,950 top decile.
Career Path
How do you become a project engineer?
Entry / field project engineer
Processing submittals and RFIs, tracking materials and supporting the field under a senior engineer; entry pay sits near the 10th percentile of $66,810 for the code.
Project Engineer
Owning technical coordination, schedule and budget for a project or work package around the $122,930 median for the residual code.
Senior / lead project engineer
Running larger, multi-discipline projects and client interface pays toward the 75th percentile of $158,090.
Project / engineering manager
Moving into project- or engineering-management roles reaches the 90th percentile of $189,950 for the code.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays project engineers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2199. National median: $122,930. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does project engineer pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles project engineers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: project engineers rank 3 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +2.1% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly project 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 17-2199 (project 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 project engineers need?
A degree in the relevant discipline is the usual baseline; the specialty depends on the industry. See all state licences →
PMI's PMP certification, a common and valued credential for project-execution roles.
The FE and discipline PE that support the design side of the role, especially in engineering-heavy industries.
OSHA 30 and site-safety training that matter for project engineers working on construction and industrial sites.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do project engineers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 17-2199
Salary Levers
How do project engineers earn above the $122,930 BLS median?
Base discipline and industry
Because the code is a residual, the underlying discipline and sector (energy, industrial, construction) move pay across the $66,810–$189,950 spread.
PMP and delivery track record
The PMP plus a record of delivering projects on schedule and budget pushes pay above the $122,930 code median.
Project scale and management
Larger projects and a move to project- or engineering-management push earnings toward the $189,950 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a project 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 17-2199. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Project Engineer Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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