Soil Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Soil Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Soil Engineer in the United States is $94,876 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $46.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $109,266
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $84,306 to $102,408
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $74,683

Key Factors That Influence Soil Engineer Salaries

A Soil Engineer'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Soil Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Soil Engineer'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $79,646
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $97,078
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $112,275
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $116,012
  • Expert (over 8 years): $181,890
Levels Salary
Workforce... Level Soil Engineer$79,646
Soil Engi... Level Soil Engineer$97,078
Workforce... Level Soil Engineer$112,275
Workforce... Level Soil Engineer$116,012
Workforce... Level Soil Engineer$181,890

Top Paying Cities for Soil 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: $119,667
  • San Francisco: $118,357
  • Oakland: $115,862

What Skills Can Increase a Soil Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Scheduling (Mentioned in 16.98% Job Postings): Scheduling is the process of arranging, controlling and optimizing work and workloads in a production process or manufacturing process.
  • Logistics (Mentioned in 1.92% Job Postings): In a general business sense, logistics is the management of the flow of things between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of customers or corporations.
  • Administrative Support (Mentioned in 1.15% Job Postings): Administrative support means technical assistance, studies, surveys, or securing volunteers to assist the department in fulfilling its administrative responsibilities.
Skills Demand Percentage
Scheduling 16.98%
Logistics 1.92%
Administrative Support 1.15%

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 a Soil Engineer's salary.

  • Acute Care: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Sense Of Urgency: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Acute Care $99,620
5%
Flexibility $98,671
4%
Sense Of Urgency $97,722
3%

Soil Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Soil Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 75% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 35% above the average. In contrast, Soil Engineer positions in Financial Services or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Soil Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Soil Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$128,082$62.035%
Biotechnology$123,339$59.030%
Insurance$118,595$57.025%
Energy & Utilities$113,851$55.020%
Software & Networking$113,851$55.020%

Soil Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Soil 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.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$84,306
Average $94,876/year
$102,408
$7,026
Average $7,906/month
$8,534
$1,621
Average $1,825/week
$1,969
$41
Average $46/hour
$49
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $102,408 $8,534 $1,969 $49
Average $94,876 $7,906 $1,825 $46
25th Percentile $84,306 $7,026 $1,621 $41

Most common benefits for Soil Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Soil Engineer

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

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FAQ about Soil Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Soil Engineer?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Soil Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 35% above the market median.

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.)

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