Designs, analyzes and plans repairs for highway, rail and pedestrian bridges, making sure they carry their loads safely for decades. BLS does not publish separate figures for civil engineers; it counts them within civil engineer (SOC 17-2051), whose median pay is $100,840 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2051
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Bridge Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $100,840a year, or $48.48/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $68KTop 10% $163K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +6.4%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+6.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +6.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 22,700380,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025380.6K
- Projected 2035405.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 380.6K Projected 2035 405.1K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's85.7%
- Post-bacc certificate4.8%
- Master's9.5%
Highest education held by civil engineers Segment Value Bachelor's 85.7% Post-bacc certificate 4.8% Master's 9.5%
Also advertised as: Bridge Design Engineer, Structural Bridge Engineer, Bridge Structural Engineer, Bridge Rehabilitation Engineer, State Bridge Engineer.
Pay
How much do Civil Engineers make?
Every bridge engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$100,840
Middle half earn $79,930 to $129,680
- 10th
- $68,240
- 25th
- $79,930
- 75th
- $129,680
- 90th
- $163,220
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,240 |
| 25th | $79,930 |
| Median | $100,840 |
| 75th | $129,680 |
| 90th | $163,220 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $100,840
- Median hourly wage
- $48.48/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $108,670
- People employed
- 367,840
Versus all US occupations
At $100,840, Civil Engineers earn 98% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $49,860 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 3% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $163,220 or more while the bottom 10% earn $68,240, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 73% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($122,500), but once local prices are taken into account Louisiana leads at $119,469 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Civil Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $122,500 | $110,639 | 55,180 |
| 2Alaska | $114,730 | $112,086 | 1,670 |
| 3Washington | $110,000 | $102,791 | 12,590 |
| 4Massachusetts | $106,730 | $100,920 | 9,450 |
| 5Louisiana | $105,380 | $119,469 | 3,780 |
| 6Oregon | $105,250 | $101,828 | 4,890 |
| 7New Jersey | $104,660 | $96,190 | 6,900 |
| 8Nevada | $104,310 | $104,332 | 3,560 |
| 9New Mexico | $103,900 | $112,675 | 1,350 |
| 10District of Columbia | $103,880 | $94,521 | 1,650 |
Job outlook
Is Bridge Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +6.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Civil Engineers | +6.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Civil Engineers to change 6.4% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 24,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 22,700 openings are projected each year, 6.0% of the 380,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Bridge Engineer
Bridge engineers need a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, and many earn a master's in structural engineering because bridge analysis goes beyond undergraduate coursework. Professional Engineer licensure through NCEES is expected, and in some states engineers who sign major bridge plans also need the Structural Engineering license from the same exam body.
The Federal Highway Administration sets national bridge inspection standards and trains bridge inspectors and engineers through the National Highway Institute. Most bridge engineers start as engineers in training at a state transportation department or a consulting firm's bridge group, learning design software and specifications under senior engineers before leading projects.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as civil engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree85.7%
- Master's Degree9.5%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate4.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 85.7% |
| Master's Degree | 9.5% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 4.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Bridge Engineer do?
Bridge engineers are structural engineers who specialize in bridges. On new projects they choose the bridge type, analyze loads from traffic, wind, earthquakes and floods, design the beams, piers and foundations, and produce the plans contractors build from. On existing bridges, which make up much of the work, they assess condition, calculate how much load a bridge can still carry, and design repairs, strengthening or replacement.
State transportation departments run bridge programs that rely on regular safety inspections, and bridge engineers review inspection findings and decide which structures need attention first. During construction they answer contractor questions, review shop drawings for steel and concrete parts, and solve problems that come up in the field. The work follows national design specifications from AASHTO.
Day-to-day tasks
- Select bridge types and layouts for new crossings
- Analyze structural loads, including traffic, wind, seismic and flood forces
- Design beams, decks, piers, abutments and foundations
- Calculate load ratings for existing bridges
- Design repairs, strengthening and rehabilitation projects
- Review bridge inspection reports and prioritize work
- Review contractor shop drawings and answer field questions
- Prepare construction plans and specifications
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Work is mostly office based in state transportation departments and engineering consulting firms, with site visits for inspections and construction. Field work can involve climbing, working at height, under bridges or near traffic, sometimes at night to avoid closures.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Mathematics3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Science3.8
- Writing3.3
- Active Learning3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Mathematics | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Science | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Systems Analysis3.8
- Time Management3.8
- Operations Analysis3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Coordination3.1
- Systems Evaluation3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.8 |
| Time Management | 3.8 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Bridge Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Civil Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Bridge Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic6.4
- Investigative5.5
- Conventional4.8
- Enterprising2.7
- Artistic2.2
- Social1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Bridge Engineer
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
Civil Engineering Technologist and Technician
$64,950median a year
Most earn $44K to $99K
+3.2%Associate's - Architecture and Engineering
- Management
- Architecture and Engineering
- Construction and Extraction
More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with civil engineers highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Bridge Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Bridge Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Bridge Engineer appears on
Questions
Bridge Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Civil Engineers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for civil engineers. It counts them within civil engineer, whose median pay is $100,840 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $79,930 and $129,680, and the top 10% earn $163,220 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Bridge Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Civil Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 85.7% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Bridge Engineer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 22,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Bridge Engineer do?
Bridge engineers are structural engineers who specialize in bridges. A typical task: select bridge types and layouts for new crossings. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Civil Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Civil Engineers are California ($122,500), Alaska ($114,730), Washington ($110,000) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Louisiana moves to the top at $119,469.
What personality type suits a Bridge Engineer?
O*NET scores Civil Engineers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.