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.
Civil Engineer Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Civil Engineers is $100,840 a year ($48.48/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 5.0% through 2034, with about 23,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 17-2051Architecture and EngineeringLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $100,840
- Projected growth
- +5.0%
- Openings a year
- 23,600
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: City Engineer, Civil Engineer, County Engineer, Design Engineer, Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer.
How much do Civil Engineers make?
10th percentile$68,240
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$79,930
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$100,840
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$129,680
Upper quartile
90th percentile$163,220
Top-paid tenth
| 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
The median is typical for the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $102,440.
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 79% of the 923 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.
Which states pay Civil Engineers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $122,500 | $110,639 | 55,180 |
| Alaska | $114,730 | $112,086 | 1,670 |
| Washington | $110,000 | $102,791 | 12,590 |
| Massachusetts | $106,730 | $100,920 | 9,450 |
| Louisiana | $105,380 | $119,469 | 3,780 |
| Oregon | $105,250 | $101,828 | 4,890 |
| New Jersey | $104,660 | $96,190 | 6,900 |
| Nevada | $104,310 | $104,332 | 3,560 |
| New Mexico | $103,900 | $112,675 | 1,350 |
| District of Columbia | $103,880 | $94,521 | 1,650 |
Is Civil Engineer a growing career?
Civil Engineers5.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+5.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Civil Engineers to change 5.0% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 18,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 23,600 openings are projected each year, 6.4% of the 368,900 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
With continued investment in U.S. infrastructure, civil engineers will be needed to manage projects that meet society's need for upgrading bridges, roads, water systems, buildings, and other structures. In addition, more waste treatment plants will be needed to help clean the nation’s waterways, and water systems must be maintained to reduce or eliminate loss of potable water.
Public projects may depend on funding from federal, state, and local governments. Employment of civil engineers may fluctuate with the availability of project funds.
How to become a Civil Engineer
Licensure is not required for entry-level civil engineering jobs, and plenty of civil engineers work for years without it. But civil is the discipline where the Professional Engineer licence matters most in practice: civil engineers typically must be licensed if they provide services directly to the public, and only a PE may oversee the work of other engineers, approve design plans and sign off on projects. The licence is granted by a state board, not by NCEES and not nationally; NCEES writes the exams, ABET accredits the degree, and a state board decides whether you get the licence.
The credential path, step by step
- Earn a bachelor's degree from an ABET-accredited civil engineering program4 years
Civil engineering programs cover math, physics, engineering mechanics and construction systems. Employers usually prefer graduates of accredited programs, and accreditation matters far more than that for licensure: in the United States, graduation from an ABET-accredited program is almost universally required to validate the educational experience of licence applicants, and in states where non-ABET graduates can be licensed an additional four to eight years of work experience may be required. Texas is explicit about it, requiring four years of active practice for a graduate of a board-approved curriculum and eight years for a graduate of another engineering or related science curriculum.
- Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam
The FE is generally your first step towards licensure and is designed for students close to finishing, or recent graduates of, an EAC/ABET-accredited program. It is computer-based, administered year round at NCEES-approved Pearson test centres, includes 110 questions in a six-hour appointment, and costs $225 payable directly to NCEES. Take FE Civil, which had a 66% first-time pass rate against 6,247 first-time takers in the most recent NCEES reporting period.
- Work under a licensed PE and log the experienceAbout 4 years
Most states require four years of acceptable, progressive and verifiable work experience. Engineers who have passed the FE are commonly called engineers in training or engineer interns while they accumulate it. Texas requires the applicant to submit a specific record showing engineering work of a character indicating competence to be placed in responsible charge, and explicitly refuses to count engineering teaching, executing work as a contractor, or supervising construction as a foreman or superintendent.
- Pass the PE Civil exam in your depth area
PE Civil is computer-based and offered year round, with 80 questions in a nine-hour appointment and a $400 fee payable to NCEES. You choose one of five depth areas: Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, or Water Resources and Environmental. First-time pass rates in the most recent reporting period ranged from 60% for Construction to 71% for Water Resources and Environmental, and repeat-taker rates were far lower, 38% to 49%.
- Apply to your state board for the licence
Each state issues its own licences. Some boards require a separate application and application fee just to be approved for a seat at an NCEES exam, so check your board's registration procedure before registering. Once licensed you obtain a seal in the design your board authorises.
- Add other states by comity when you need them
Most states recognise licensure from other states as long as the licensing state's requirements meet or exceed their own.
Exams you have to pass
Fundamentals of Engineering exam (FE)
The first exam on the path to a PE, designed for students close to finishing or recent graduates of an EAC/ABET-accredited program. Computer-based, year round, 110 questions in a six-hour appointment that includes a two-minute nondisclosure agreement, an eight-minute tutorial, five hours and 20 minutes of exam and a 25-minute scheduled break. $225 paid directly to NCEES. Seven discipline versions exist, of which FE Civil is the one to take.
Administered by NCEES, at Pearson test centres.
Principles and Practice of Engineering exam, Civil (PE Civil)
Tests for a minimum level of competency in the discipline and is designed for engineers with a minimum of four years of post-college work experience. Computer-based and offered year round, 80 questions in a nine-hour appointment, $400 paid to NCEES. Split into five depth exams: Construction, Geotechnical, Structural, Transportation, and Water Resources and Environmental. NCEES provides the reference handbook and all specified design standards electronically during the exam and permits no personal copies of any material in the room.
Administered by NCEES, at Pearson test centres.
- Program accreditation
EAC/ABET · ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission
ABET accredits programs, not institutions, and does not itself license anyone. Its relevance is that where engineering licensure is regulated at state level, graduation from an ABET-accredited program is almost universally required to validate an applicant's education, and in states that do license non-ABET graduates an additional four to eight years of work experience may be required instead.
- How long the training takes
About 8 years to a PE licence: 4 years of accredited degree plus about 4 years of qualifying experience
Licensure is not required for entry-level jobs, so the working career starts at four years. The PE adds roughly four more years of verifiable progressive experience under supervision, and considerably longer if your degree is not from an accredited engineering program.
- Continuing education
Set by each state
Set by each state. BLS records that some states require continuing education for engineers to keep their licences and others do not, so this is a question for your own board rather than one with a national answer.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
Each state issues its own licences and NCEES's members are the 69 engineering and surveying licensing boards of the states, District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. NCEES writes and administers the exams; the state board grants the licence and sets the exact experience, education and application requirements, and many states provide additional paths beyond the common one. Some states require continuing education to keep the licence. Most recognise licensure from other states where requirements meet or exceed their own. States also define what the seal does: Texas requires a licence holder's seal on any plan, specification, plat or report issued for a project to be constructed or used in the state, and bars a public official responsible for enforcing laws affecting engineering practice from accepting such a document unless it bears an engineer's seal.
Who governs the credential
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) — Develops and administers the FE and PE exams used for engineering licensure across the country, and is a council of the 69 state and territorial licensing boards rather than a licensing body itself. It states the common path as a bachelor's degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program, the FE exam, four years of acceptable progressive verifiable work experience in most states, and the PE exam, while noting many states provide additional paths.
- State engineering licensing boards — Grant the licence. They set eligibility, decide what experience counts, may require a separate application and fee before you can sit an NCEES exam, and issue the seal. NCEES publishes a directory of all 69 member boards.
Credential detail for civil engineers is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Civil Engineers, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- NCEES — Licensure (the common path to becoming a PE) · checked August 23, 2026
- NCEES — FE Exam (format, fee, disciplines, pass rates) · checked August 23, 2026
- NCEES — PE Civil Exam (five depth areas, format, fee, pass rates) · checked August 23, 2026
- ABET — Licensure, Registration and Certification · checked August 23, 2026
- Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1001, Texas Engineering Practice Act, sections 1001.302, 1001.401 and 1001.402 · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Civil engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a related field. Although licensure requirements vary by state, civil engineers usually must be licensed if they provide services directly to the public.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
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%
What does a Civil Engineer do?
Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
Civil engineers plan, design, and supervise the construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure projects. These projects may include facilities, bridges, roads, tunnels, and water and sewage systems.
Day-to-day tasks
- Direct engineering activities, ensuring compliance with environmental, safety, or other governmental regulations.
- Inspect project sites to monitor progress and ensure conformance to design specifications and safety or sanitation standards.
- Estimate quantities and cost of materials, equipment, or labor to determine project feasibility.
- Analyze survey reports, maps, drawings, blueprints, aerial photography, or other topographical or geologic data.
- Provide technical advice to industrial or managerial personnel regarding design, construction, program modifications, or structural repairs.
- Plan and design transportation or hydraulic systems or structures, using computer-assisted design or drawing tools.
- Prepare or present public reports on topics such as bid proposals, deeds, environmental impact statements, or property and right-of-way descriptions.
- Design energy-efficient or environmentally sound civil structures.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most civil engineers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Engineers who direct projects sometimes work extra hours to ensure that designs meet requirements and that the projects are on track to meet deadlines.
Physical demands
- Seated for more than half the working day
Working with people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where civil engineers work
| Engineering services | 52% |
|---|---|
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 11% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 10% |
| Nonresidential building construction | 7% |
| Federal government, excluding postal service | 3% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Mathematics3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Science3.8/5
- Writing3.3/5
- Active Learning3.3/5
Transferable skills
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Systems Analysis3.8/5
- Time Management3.8/5
- Operations Analysis3.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Systems Evaluation3.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
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.
What personality type suits a Civil Engineer?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary6.4
Investigativeprimary5.2
Artistic2.2
Social1.7
Enterprising2.7
Conventionalprimary4.6
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.
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.
Civil Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Civil Engineers make?
Civil Engineers earn a median of $100,840 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 98% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $48.48/hr. The middle half earn between $79,930 and $129,680. The top 10% earn $163,220 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Civil 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 Civil Engineer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.0% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 23,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Civil Engineer do?
Civil engineers plan, design, and supervise the construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure projects. A core O*NET task: direct engineering activities, ensuring compliance with environmental, safety, or other governmental regulations. 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 Civil 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 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Civil Engineer?
About 8 years to a PE licence: 4 years of accredited degree plus about 4 years of qualifying experience. Licensure is not required for entry-level jobs, so the working career starts at four years. The PE adds roughly four more years of verifiable progressive experience under supervision, and considerably longer if your degree is not from an accredited engineering program.
Do you need a license to work as a Civil Engineer?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. Each state issues its own licences and NCEES's members are the 69 engineering and surveying licensing boards of the states, District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. NCEES writes and administers the exams; the state board grants the licence and sets the exact experience, education and application requirements, and many states provide additional paths beyond the common one. Some states require continuing education to keep the licence. Most recognise licensure from other states where requirements meet or exceed their own. States also define what the seal does: Texas requires a licence holder's seal on any plan, specification, plat or report issued for a project to be constructed or used in the state, and bars a public official responsible for enforcing laws affecting engineering practice from accepting such a document unless it bears an engineer's seal.
What exams do you have to pass to become a Civil Engineer?
The FE (Fundamentals of Engineering exam) and the PE Civil (Principles and Practice of Engineering exam, Civil). The first exam on the path to a PE, designed for students close to finishing or recent graduates of an EAC/ABET-accredited program. Computer-based, year round, 110 questions in a six-hour appointment that includes a two-minute nondisclosure agreement, an eight-minute tutorial, five hours and 20 minutes of exam and a 25-minute scheduled break. $225 paid directly to NCEES. Seven discipline versions exist, of which FE Civil is the one to take.