Civil Design Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Civil Design Engineer make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Civil Design Engineer in the United States is $151,175 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $73.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $176,991
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $138,190 to $164,688
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $126,368
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View as table View as graph 25% $138,190 10% $126,368 90% $176,991 75% $164,688 $151,175 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Civil Design Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $164,688 $13,724 $3,167 $79
Average $151,175 $12,598 $2,907 $73
25th Percentile $138,190 $11,516 $2,658 $66
Check out Civil Design Engineer Job Openings in the United States
Design Engineer

Buckeye Global - Columbus, OH

Design Engineer

giftHEALTH Inc - Columbus, OH

Design Engineer

ISAT Total Support - Columbus, OH

Design Engineer

Goken - Columbus, OH

Search More Civil Design Engineer Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Civil Design Engineer Salaries

A Civil Design 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 Civil Design Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Civil Design 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): $140,061
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $164,080
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $150,181
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $187,940
  • Expert (over 8 years): $228,755
Levels Salary
Product D... Level Civil Design Engineer$140,061
Product D... Level Civil Design Engineer$164,080
Civil Des... Level Civil Design Engineer$150,181
Product D... Level Civil Design Engineer$187,940
Product D... Level Civil Design Engineer$228,755
$140,061 0 yr
$164,080 < 2 yrs
$150,181 2-4 yrs
$187,940 5-8 yrs
$228,755 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Civil Design 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: $190,677
  • San Francisco: $188,589
  • Oakland: $184,615

What Skills Can Increase a Civil Design Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 5.4% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Product Management (Mentioned in 2.21% Job Postings): Product management is an organisational lifecycle function within a company dealing with the planning, forecasting, and production, or marketing of a product or products at all stages of the product lifecycle. Similarly, product lifecycle management (PLM) integrates people, data, processes and business systems. It provides product information for companies and their extended supply chain enterprise. The role may consist of product development and product marketing, which are different (yet complementary) efforts, with the objective of maximizing sales revenues, market share, and profit margins. Product management also involves elimination decisions. Product elimination begins with the identification of elimination candidates, proceeds with the consideration of remedial actions, continues with a projection of the impact on the business as a whole if a candidate product is eventually eliminated, and concludes with the implementation stage, where management determines the elimination strategy for an item. The product manager is often responsible for analyzing market conditions and defining features or functions of a product and for overseeing the production of the product. The role of product management spans many activities from strategic to tactical and varies based on the organizational structure of the company. To maximize the impact and benefits to an organization, Product management must be an independent function separate on its own.
  • B2B (Mentioned in 1.52% Job Postings): B2B (business-to-business), a type of electronic commerce (e-commerce), is the exchange of products, services or information between businesses, rather than between businesses and consumers (B2C).
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 5.4%
Product Management 2.21%
B2B 1.52%
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 Civil Design Engineer's salary.
  • Empathy: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Product Strategy: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Product Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Empathy
$167,804
11%
Product Strategy
$166,293
10%
Product Engineering
$166,293
10%
Collaborating
$164,781
9%
Alignment
$163,269
8%
Product Management
$163,269
8%
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Civil Design Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Civil Design Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Civil Design Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Civil Design Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Civil Design Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$188,969$91.025%
Internet$181,410$87.020%
Software & Networking$181,410$87.020%
Energy & Utilities$173,851$84.015%
Pharmaceuticals$173,851$84.015%

Civil Design Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Civil Design 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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Civil Design Engineer

Salaries for a Civil Design Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $154,875 in 2023 to around $153,980 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Civil Design Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Civil Design Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$154,875
2024
$156,134
2025
$153,980
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $154,875
2024 $156,134
2025 $153,980
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Civil Design Engineer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Civil Design Engineer

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

Find Your Next Civil Design Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Civil Design Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • The Misch Group

    Columbus, OH

    The Misch Group | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Description. We are seeking a full-time electrical engineer or electrical designer with at least 3 years of experience to... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Goken

    Columbus, OH

    Goken | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio (USA) with Engineering Centers in Pune, India and Yokohama, Japan, Goken is a global Engine... more

    4 Days Ago

  • Pop-Up Talent

    Columbus, OH

    Pop-Up Talent | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Electrical Design/Controls Engineer – Experienced. Gahanna, OH 43230. MJ Engineering & Consulting, Inc. is a full-service... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Inner Circle Agency Inc.

    Columbus, OH

    Inner Circle Agency Inc. | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Job Title. Switchgear Design Engineer (UL891). Job Location. Charleston, SC / North Charleston, SC. In-Office, Hybrid or ... more

    7 Days Ago

  • ANS

    Columbus, OH

    ANS | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. At ANS, we’re not just a consulting engineering firm, we’re a team of trailblazers shaping the future of civil, structura... more

    5 Days Ago

  • MD Staff, LLC

    Columbus, OH

    MD Staff, LLC | Columbus, OH

    Emergency Medicine Physician Needed near Columbus, Ohio. An excellent opportunity for a full-time EM Physician to join an Emergency Department team near Co... more

    3 Days Ago

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FAQ about Civil Design Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Civil Design Engineer?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Civil Design Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 25% 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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