What are the main factors that influence an Expert Geotechnical Engineer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change An Expert Geotechnical Engineer's salary?

An Expert Geotechnical Engineer's salary grows with experience: an Entry Geotechnical Engineer (0-2 years)earns $74,083, an Intermediate Geotechnical Engineer (2-4 years)earns $86,040, a Senior Geotechnical Engineer (4-7 years)earns $110,415, an Expert Geotechnical Engineer (7+ years)earns $127,815,

What are the highest paying states for an Expert Geotechnical Engineer?

Expert Geotechnical Engineer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Expert Geotechnical Engineer roles are District of Columbia $141,600, California $141,000, Massachusetts $139,200. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Expert Geotechnical Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Expert Geotechnical Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Geotechnical Engineer IV: $127,815; Senior Geotechnical Engineer: $110,500; Geotechnical Engineer III: $110,415; Intermediate Geotechnical Engineer: $86,100; Geotechnical Engineer II: $86,040.

How do different companies affect an Expert Geotechnical Engineer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Expert Geotechnical Engineer roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does an Expert Geotechnical Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Expert Geotechnical Engineer in the United States is $127,900 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $61.

However, an Expert Geotechnical Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $136,306
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $122,700 to $132,300
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $117,966

10% $117,966

50% (Median) $127,900

90% $136,306

Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$132,300	$11,025	$2,544	$64
Average	$127,900	$10,658	$2,460	$61
25th Percentile	$122,700	$10,225	$2,360	$59

Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Key Factors That Influence Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salaries

An Expert Geotechnical Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Expert Geotechnical Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $141,600.
California: $141,000.
Massachusetts: $139,200.

District of Columbia $141,600

California $141,000

Massachusetts $139,200

Washington $138,600

New Jersey $138,600

Alaska $138,400

Connecticut $136,600

New York $135,900

Hawaii $133,600

Rhode Island $132,600

Maryland $131,800

Minnesota $130,800

Colorado $130,500

Illinois $130,300

Oregon $129,800

Delaware $129,500

New Hampshire $129,300

Virginia $128,800

Pennsylvania $127,300

Nevada $126,500

North Dakota $126,300

Michigan $125,900

Wisconsin $125,800

Vermont $125,500

Maine $124,700

Texas $124,700

Arizona $124,600

Ohio $124,500

Georgia $123,300

Indiana $122,700

Wyoming $122,600

Utah $122,400

Iowa $122,400

Kansas $121,800

Louisiana $121,600

Missouri $121,500

North Carolina $121,500

Florida $121,000

Montana $120,700

Nebraska $120,500

Kentucky $120,300

South Carolina $119,800

Tennessee $119,500

Idaho $119,400

New Mexico $118,400

Oklahoma $118,200

Alabama $117,500

South Dakota $116,200

Arkansas $115,500

West Virginia $115,100

Mississippi $114,000

Top Paying Cities for Expert Geotechnical Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $161,300
San Francisco: $159,500
Oakland: $156,100

San Jose, CA $161,300

San Francisco, CA $159,500

Oakland, CA $156,100

New York, NY $147,200

Paramus, NJ $145,400

Queens Village, NY $145,400

Passaic, NJ $145,300

Bergenfield, NJ $145,300

Huntington, NY $145,000

Stamford, CT $145,000

Newark, NJ $144,000

Bridgeport, CT $143,700

Vallejo, CA $143,500

New Brunswick, NJ $143,400

Petaluma, CA $143,400

Middlesex, NJ $143,100

Somerset, NJ $143,000

Santa Cruz, CA $142,900

Boston, MA $142,100

Monterey, CA $141,600

Seattle, WA $141,300

Santa Rosa, CA $141,300

Los Angeles, CA $141,300

Juneau, AK $140,900

Washington, DC $140,800

Orange, CA $140,300

Santa Ana, CA $140,000

Long Beach, CA $139,900

Anaheim, CA $139,900

Anchorage, AK $139,800

Santa Maria, CA $139,400

Everett, WA $139,400

Danbury, CT $138,900

Bremerton, WA $138,800

Tacoma, WA $138,300

New Suffolk, NY $138,300

Sacramento, CA $138,300

Santa Barbara, CA $138,100

Trenton, NJ $138,000

San Diego, CA $138,000

Brockton, MA $137,800

Fairbanks, AK $137,500

Lompoc, CA $137,200

Lowell, MA $137,100

Ventura, CA $137,100

Nashua, NH $137,000

Stockton, CA $137,000

Modesto, CA $136,100

Poughkeepsie, NY $135,800

Kennewick, WA $135,600

Olympia, WA $135,600

New Haven, CT $135,500

Lawrence, MA $135,100

Hartford, CT $134,900

Riverside, CA $134,900

New Bedford, MA $134,800

Richland, WA $134,800

Bakersfield, CA $134,600

New London, CT $134,500

Atlantic City, NJ $134,500

San Bernardino, CA $134,500

New Britain, CT $134,500

Norwich, CT $134,400

Portsmouth, NH $134,400

Boulder, CO $134,200

Portland, OR $134,000

Worcester, MA $134,000

Minneapolis, MN $133,600

Philadelphia, PA $133,400

Honolulu, HI $133,000

Saint Paul, MN $132,900

Vineland, NJ $132,900

Providence, RI $132,500

Chicago, IL $132,100

Bellingham, WA $132,000

Springfield, MA $131,900

Baltimore, MD $131,800

Chico, CA $131,500

Pittsfield, MA $131,200

Manchester, NH $130,900

Spokane, WA $130,400

Denver, CO $130,400

Albany, NY $129,800

Troy, NY $129,700

Nassau, NY $129,600

Schenectady, NY $129,400

Wilmington, DE $129,300

Burlington, VT $129,200

Salem, OR $129,100

Portland, ME $128,700

Yakima, WA $128,600

Rochester, MN $128,200

Reno, NV $128,100

Fresno, CA $128,100

Milwaukee, WI $128,000

Detroit, MI $127,900

Ann Arbor, MI $127,900

Allentown, PA $127,800

Carson City, NV $127,600

Colorado Springs, CO $127,600

Syracuse, NY $127,600

Houston, TX $127,400

Eugene, OR $127,300

Gary, IN $127,200

Springfield, OR $127,100

Bismarck, ND $127,000

Galveston, TX $126,900

Medford, OR $126,800

Fort Collins, CO $126,700

Austin, TX $126,600

Concord, NH $126,600

Mesa, AZ $126,300

Reading, PA $126,300

Phoenix, AZ $126,300

Dallas, TX $126,300

Saint Cloud, MN $126,100

Madison, WI $126,000

Utica, NY $125,600

Raleigh, NC $125,400

Rochester, NY $125,400

Des Moines, IA $125,400

Atlanta, GA $125,200

Battle Creek, MI $125,200

Salt Lake City, UT $125,100

Lancaster, PA $124,900

Harrisburg, PA $124,800

Columbus, OH $124,600

Fort Worth, TX $124,600

Champaign, IL $124,600

Kansas City, KS $124,600

Kansas City, MO $124,600

Boca Raton, FL $124,500

Pittsburgh, PA $124,500

Richmond, VA $124,400

Indianapolis, IN $124,400

Cleveland, OH $124,400

Las Vegas, NV $124,200

Cincinnati, OH $124,200

Petersburg, VA $124,100

Huntsville, AL $123,900

Lansing, MI $123,800

Lebanon, PA $123,800

Pueblo, CO $123,700

Appleton, WI $123,700

Buffalo, NY $123,700

Dayton, OH $123,600

Racine, WI $123,600

Charlotte, NC $123,600

Saint Louis, MO $123,500

York, PA $123,500

Elkhart, IN $123,500

Gastonia, NC $123,400

Billings, MT $123,400

Beaumont, TX $123,400

Lorain, OH $123,400

Toledo, OH $123,300

Benton Harbor, MI $123,300

Rockford, IL $123,200

Rock Hill, SC $123,200

Binghamton, NY $123,200

Springfield, IL $123,100

Elyria, OH $123,100

Fargo, ND $123,100

Flagstaff, AZ $123,000

Fort Lauderdale, FL $122,900

Duluth, MN $122,900

Miami, FL $122,900

Cheyenne, WY $122,800

Grand Forks, ND $122,800

Bangor, ME $122,500

Cedar Rapids, IA $122,300

Durham, NC $122,300

Louisville, KY $122,300

Grand Rapids, MI $122,300

Hialeah, FL $122,200

Casper, WY $122,100

Virginia Beach, VA $121,900

New Orleans, LA $121,900

Scranton, PA $121,900

Akron, OH $121,800

Peoria, IL $121,600

Sarasota, FL $121,600

Nashville, TN $121,500

Omaha, NE $121,500

Green Bay, WI $121,500

Jamestown, NY $121,400

Davenport, IA $121,400

Charleston, SC $121,400

Baton Rouge, LA $121,400

Tucson, AZ $121,300

Saint Petersburg, FL $121,200

Tampa, FL $121,200

Evansville, IN $121,100

Port Arthur, TX $121,100

Bradenton, FL $121,100

Santa Fe, NM $120,800

Clearwater, FL $120,600

Orlando, FL $120,600

La Crosse, WI $120,300

Canton, OH $120,300

Albuquerque, NM $120,200

Newport News, VA $120,200

High Point, NC $120,200

Ogden, UT $120,100

Corpus Christi, TX $120,000

Rock Island, IL $119,900

Laramie, WY $119,900

Norfolk, VA $119,900

Saginaw, MI $119,800

Jacksonville, FL $119,800

Salisbury, NC $119,800

Boise, ID $119,800

Moline, IL $119,700

Fort Myers, FL $119,700

Memphis, TN $119,600

Tulsa, OK $119,600

Waterloo, IA $119,500

Spartanburg, SC $119,400

Lincoln, NE $119,300

Fort Wayne, IN $119,300

Provo, UT $119,300

Cedar Falls, IA $119,100

San Antonio, TX $119,100

Greensboro, NC $119,000

South Bend, IN $119,000

Savannah, GA $118,900

Muskegon, MI $118,800

Birmingham, AL $118,800

Winston Salem, NC $118,700

Lake Charles, LA $118,400

Anderson, IN $118,400

Lexington, KY $118,400

Augusta, GA $118,300

Greenville, SC $118,300

Wichita, KS $118,200

Lima, OH $118,200

Tuscaloosa, AL $118,200

Springfield, OH $118,100

Columbia, SC $118,100

Asheville, NC $117,900

Bloomington, IN $117,800

Knoxville, TN $117,300

Shreveport, LA $117,300

Wilmington, NC $117,100

Roanoke, VA $117,100

Topeka, KS $116,900

Frankfort, KY $116,900

Chillicothe, OH $116,800

Oklahoma City, OK $116,800

Longview, TX $116,700

Melbourne, FL $116,700

Sioux Falls, SD $116,500

Mobile, AL $116,500

Terre Haute, IN $116,500

Altoona, PA $116,400

Amarillo, TX $116,300

Killeen, TX $116,300

Fayetteville, AR $116,200

Chattanooga, TN $116,100

Sioux City, IA $116,000

Idaho Falls, ID $116,000

Lynchburg, VA $115,900

Gainesville, FL $115,700

Portsmouth, OH $115,600

Little Rock, AR $115,600

Lafayette, LA $115,600

Youngstown, OH $115,600

Temple, TX $115,500

Pensacola, FL $115,500

Daytona Beach, FL $115,500

Clarksville, TN $115,500

Hopkinsville, KY $115,100

Erie, PA $115,100

Florence, SC $115,000

Charleston, WV $114,800

Great Falls, MT $114,700

Macon, GA $114,600

Waco, TX $114,500

Tallahassee, FL $114,500

Fayetteville, NC $114,500

Helena, MT $114,400

Pine Bluff, AR $114,400

Vincennes, IN $114,200

Lubbock, TX $114,200

Alamogordo, NM $114,100

Twin Falls, ID $114,000

Rapid City, SD $113,900

Greenville, MS $113,700

Huntington, WV $113,700

Jackson, MS $113,700

Parkersburg, WV $113,500

Montgomery, AL $113,500

Wichita Falls, TX $113,400

Springfield, MO $113,400

Biloxi, MS $113,300

Monroe, LA $113,200

Columbus, GA $113,100

Sumter, SC $113,100

Johnstown, PA $113,100

Pascagoula, MS $112,800

Abilene, TX $112,800

Kingsport, TN $112,500

Albany, GA $112,500

Gulfport, MS $112,400

Alexandria, LA $112,000

Fort Smith, AR $111,700

El Paso, TX $111,400

Las Cruces, NM $110,800

Harlingen, TX $110,500

Pocatello, ID $110,400

Florence, AL $110,300

Brownsville, TX $110,200

Mcallen, TX $110,000

Dothan, AL $109,800

Columbus, MS $109,000

Altus, OK $108,400

Lawton, OK $108,200

Pierre, SD $107,700

What Skills Can Increase an Expert Geotechnical Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Consulting (Mentioned in 10.88% Job Postings): Providing technical or business expertise and advice to internal or external clients.
Laboratory Testing (Mentioned in 3.49% Job Postings): Performing medical procedures and testing of blood and urine samples or body substances to determine appropriate diagnosis and treatments.
AutoCAD (Mentioned in 2.05% Job Postings): AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design and drafting software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk, AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Consulting	10.88%
Laboratory Testing	3.49%
AutoCAD	2.05%

See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Expert Geotechnical Engineer's salary.

Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 24%.
Geotechnical Investigation: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Teamwork: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Innovation	$158,596	24%
Geotechnical Investigation	$145,806	14%
Teamwork	$143,248	12%

Get Latest Data

Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Expert Geotechnical Engineer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $138,757. While startup companies pay approximate $117,715.

Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$117,715
Growth Stage	51~500	$124,412
Established	501~5000	$134,086
Enterprise	5000+	$138,757

Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Expert Geotechnical Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 35% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Construction and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Expert Geotechnical Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Expert Geotechnical Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Expert Geotechnical Engineer

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Construction	$153,480	$74.0	20%
Energy & Utilities	$134,295	$65.0	5%

How Education impacts an Expert Geotechnical Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Expert Geotechnical Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Expert Geotechnical Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $125,881 and $129,455).

Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

$130,200
$129,600
$129,000
$128,400
$127,700
$127,100
$126,500
$125,900

Typical Education for Expert Geotechnical Engineer
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.7%
High School	27.1%
Associates	1.7%
Bachelors	27.1%
Masters	50.8%
Doctorate	20.3%

View as Graph

Expert Geotechnical Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Expert Geotechnical Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

$122,700

Average $127,900/year

$132,300

$10,225

Average $10,658/month

$11,025

$2,360

Average $2,460/week

$2,544

$59

Average $61/hour

$64

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$132,300	$11,025	$2,544	$64
Average	$127,900	$10,658	$2,460	$61
25th Percentile	$122,700	$10,225	$2,360	$59

Salary Trends for Expert Geotechnical Engineer

Salaries for an Expert Geotechnical Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $140,066 in 2023 to around $127,159 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Expert Geotechnical Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Expert Geotechnical Engineer Over Time

$???
$140,066
$132,853
$127,159
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$140,066
2024	$132,853
2025	$127,159
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Expert Geotechnical Engineer

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Expert Geotechnical Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Expert Geotechnical Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

K $114,295/per year

Kpmg Us LLP Business Services the United States

W $114,096/per year

Warner Bros Discovery Business Services the United States

D $111,927/per year

Dentsu International Ltd Business Services the United States

G $111,873/per year

GroupM Worldwide Inc Business Services the United States

C $111,651/per year

CoWorx Staffing Business Services the United States

C $110,194/per year

Contemporary Services Corp Business Services the United States

S $107,128/per year

Showcase Cinemas Business Services the United States

A $106,429/per year

Amentum Services Inc Business Services the United States

A $106,199/per year

Allied Universal Security Services LLC Business Services the United States

S $106,104/per year

Sodexo USA Business Services the United States

J $105,192/per year

JLL Technologies Business Services the United States

I $104,478/per year

Intact Insurance Group USA LLC Business Services the United States

N $101,619/per year

NielsenIQ Business Services the United States

T $101,470/per year

The Leading Edge Alliance Business Services the United States

H $101,308/per year

Honeywell UOP Business Services the United States

R $97,720/per year

Reeve & Associates Business Services the United States

M $97,584/per year

ManpowerGroup Global Inc Business Services the United States

F $95,980/per year

Financial Sys Nco Business Services the United States

A $95,314/per year

Arrow Global Ltd Business Services the United States

C $94,777/per year

CarMax Enterprise Services LLC Business Services the United States

D $94,479/per year

DZConneX Business Services the United States

A $93,802/per year

Adecco Staffing, USA Business Services the United States

R $92,937/per year

Resource MFG Business Services the United States

Z $92,774/per year

Zachry Brands Inc Business Services the United States

G $88,138/per year

Greystar Worldwide LLC Business Services the United States

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FAQ about Expert Geotechnical Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Expert Geotechnical Engineer?

The Construction industry offers the highest average compensation for Expert Geotechnical Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

2. Which engineering is highest in demand in USA?

Geotechnical Engineering is increasingly in demand in the USA, particularly due to the growing need for infrastructure development and environmental sustainability. Expert Geotechnical Engineers can expect salaries ranging from $123,200 to $136,200, with a mid-salary of $129,700, reflecting the critical role they play in construction and land development projects.

3. What is the highest paid construction field?

The highest paid construction field is often the role of an Expert Geotechnical Engineer, with salaries ranging from $123,200 to $136,200. This position typically requires specialized knowledge in soil and rock mechanics, making it crucial for successful construction projects. Other high-paying roles include Senior Project Manager and Architect.

4. What is the current salary of geological engineer?

The current salary for an Expert Geotechnical Engineer typically ranges from $123,200 to $136,200, with a mid-salary of approximately $129,700. This is significantly higher than the average salaries reported for mining and geological engineers in various states, highlighting the specialized expertise and demand in this field.

5. What is the difference between a civil engineer and a geotechnical engineer?

Civil engineers oversee the development of infrastructure like roads and bridges, while geotechnical engineers focus on soil and rock properties to inform foundation design. The salary for an Expert Geotechnical Engineer ranges from $123,200 to $136,200, with a midpoint of $129,700, reflecting the specialized knowledge required in this field.

6. What is the highest salary for a construction engineer?

The highest salary for a construction engineer can reach up to $136,200, with a minimum salary of $123,200 and a mid-range salary of $129,700. This reflects a competitive salary structure for expert geotechnical engineers in the field.

7. What is the most high paid engineering?

One of the highest-paying engineering roles is that of an Expert Geotechnical Engineer, with salaries ranging from $123,200 to $136,200. This position requires specialized knowledge in soil and rock mechanics, making it crucial for construction and infrastructure projects. Other high-paying engineering fields include Petroleum, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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