What is the salary and career path for a structural engineer?
Structural engineers are counted within Civil Engineers, SOC 17-2051, a broad match whose 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. It is a licensed profession: an ABET-accredited engineering degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam to become an EIT, four years of experience under a licensed engineer, and the Principles and Practice (PE) exam — with a separate SE exam required for structural practice in some states. BLS projects 5.0% employment growth over 2024–2034, with about 23,600 openings a year across the civil-engineering code. A PE license is legally required to stamp designs.
- Structural Engineers earn a national median $100,840/yr ($48.48/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2051); the top 10% clear $163,220.
- It is a licensed profession — an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES FE and PE exams and four years of supervised experience earn the PE license required to stamp designs; some states require a separate SE license.
- BLS projects 5.0% growth 2024–34 with about 23,600 openings a year across the SOC 17-2051 civil-engineering code; the top 10% clear $163,220.
- The ladder runs EIT ($68,240) to licensed PE ($100,840 median) to senior/SE ($129,680) to principal or engineering manager at the $163,220 top decile.
Career Path
How do you become a structural engineer?
Engineer-in-training (EIT)
Doing analysis, calculations and drawings under a licensed engineer after passing the FE exam; entry pay sits near the 10th percentile of $68,240 for SOC 17-2051.
Structural engineer (PE)
Licensed to stamp designs and lead projects after passing the PE exam, around the $100,840 median for the civil-engineering code.
Senior / project engineer (SE)
Leading complex structural design, often with an SE license, pays toward the 75th percentile of $129,680.
Principal / engineering manager
Owning a structural practice or leading a department reaches the 90th percentile of $163,220 and beyond.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays structural engineers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2051. National median: $100,840. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does structural engineer pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles structural engineers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: structural engineers rank 1 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 structural 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 (structural 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 structural engineers need?
The state-issued license legally required to stamp structural designs, earned through an ABET degree, the FE and PE exams, and supervised experience. See all state licences →
A separate license, based on the 16-hour NCEES SE exam, required in some states and for certain building types beyond the general PE.
A civil or structural engineering degree from an ABET-accredited program, the required educational base for licensure; a master's in structures is common.
The Fundamentals of Engineering, Principles and Practice, and Structural Engineering exams administered by NCEES that gate the licensure path.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do structural engineers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 17-2051
Salary Levers
How do structural engineers earn above the $100,840 BLS median?
Licensure (PE/SE)
The PE license moves pay from the EIT band near $68,240 toward and past the $100,840 median; an SE license adds further for structural practice
Specialty and sector
Seismic, high-rise, bridge and forensic structural work pays above routine building design
Region
High-cost metros and high-seismic markets pay premiums over lower-cost areas
Responsible charge and ownership
Leading design as the engineer of record or owning a firm is what reaches the $129,680 seventy-fifth percentile and the $163,220 top decile
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a structural 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
Structural Engineer Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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