As of January 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Resident Engineer in the US is $76,128, equivalent to $37 per hour, $1,464 weekly, or $6,344 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Resident Engineer in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Resident Engineer in the US vary widely, spanning from $65,967 to $87,339. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($70,809) and 75th percentile ($81,996), while top earners (90th percentile) make $87,339 per year. This $11,187 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Commitment or Equipment Maintenance, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, District of Columbia Resident Engineer often earn 10.7% above national averages due to demand from Fortune 46 companies and industry startups. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Resident Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $65,967 US January 01, 2026
25th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $70,809 US January 01, 2026
50th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $76,128 US January 01, 2026
75th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $81,996 US January 01, 2026
90th Percentile Resident Engineer Salary $87,339 US January 01, 2026
25% $70,809 10% $65,967 90% $87,339 75% $81,996 $76,128 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Resident Engineer

Cannon Corp - VENTURA, CA

Resident Engineer Staff - Arlington, VA - Secret with Security Clearance

SOC/Day & Zimmermann Federal Services - ARLINGTON, VA

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What is a Resident Engineer ?

A resident engineer is a construction occupation. It often describes an engineer employed to work from site for the client or the design engineer. The duties include supervision of and issuing of instructions to the contractor and to report regularly to the designer and/or client. The role was common historically and was also defined in the Institution of Civil Engineers Conditions of Contract and FIDIC contracts. It is not a defined role in the commonly used and more modern NEC Engineering and Construction Contract in which similar roles are named as the client's "project manager" and "su...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/17/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Resident Engineer

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Resident Engineer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Civil Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Resident Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
70809
81996
76128

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
77250
95661
85693
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Resident Engineer in the United States. The base salary for Resident Engineer ranges from $70,809 to $81,996 with the average base salary of $76,128. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $77,250 to $95,661 with the average total cash compensation of $85,693.
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70809
81996

 

Skills associated with Resident Engineer: Design, Inspection, Regulatory Compliance, requests

Jobs with a similar salary range to Resident Engineer : Civil Engineering Intern, Stormwater Engineer