As of February 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Structural Engineer I in the United States is $36, which translates to an annual salary of about $74,141.
However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:
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A Structural Engineer I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Structural Engineer I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Structural Engineer I | 0-2 years | $74,141 |
| Structural Engineer II | 2-4 years | $87,249 |
| Structural Engineer III | 4-7 years | $105,825 |
| Structural Engineer IV | 7+ years | $123,924 |
What Am I Worth?
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 Structural Engineer Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Demanded Skills for the Role:
| Skills | Demand Percentage |
|---|---|
| Analysis | 16.94% |
| Engineering Services | 1.63% |
| Business Development | 1.1% |
| Skill | Salary | Salary % Increase |
|---|---|---|
|
Renewable Energy
|
$79,331 |
7%
|
|
Presentation
|
$78,589 |
6%
|
|
Business Development
|
$77,848 |
5%
|
|
Project Management
|
$77,107 |
4%
|
|
Coordination
|
$77,107 |
4%
|
|
Interpersonal Communication
|
$77,107 |
4%
|
Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Structural Engineer Is 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 a Structural Engineer I with a Bachelor's Degree is between $68,238 and $74,629).
Structural Engineer I Salaries by Degree Level
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 0.4% |
| High School | 0.4% |
| Associates | 1.0% |
| Bachelors | 42.6% |
| Masters | 51.4% |
| Doctorate | 4.6% |
Understanding how a Structural Engineer I'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.
Last Updated on February 01, 2026
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Designs and analyzes structures like buildings, bridges, and dams to ensure they are safe, stable, and strong enough to withstand various loads and environmental conditions. Ensures structures meet building codes and regulations. Determines the cause of structural failures, damages, and defects through site investigations. Recommends solutions for structural issues and/or design modifications. Requires a bachelor's degree in engineering. Typically reports to a manager. Work is closely managed. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Engineering Services: Engineering services" means any service or creative work, the adequate performance of which requires engineering education, training and experience in the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical and engineering sciences
Business Development: Business development entails tasks and processes to develop and implement growth opportunities within and between organizations. It is a subset of the fields of business, commerce and organizational theory. Business development is the creation of long-term value for an organization from customers, markets, and relationships. Business development can be taken to mean any activity by either a small or large organization, non-profit or for-profit enterprise which serves the purpose of ‘developing’ the business in some way. In addition, business development activities can be done internally or externally by a business development consultant. External business development can be facilitated through Planning Systems, which are put in place by governments to help small businesses. In addition, reputation building has also proven to help facilitate business development.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
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