Designs projects that protect shorelines and harbors from waves, erosion, storm surge and sea level rise. 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
Coastal 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: Coastal and Ocean Engineer, Coastal Resilience Engineer, Shoreline Engineer, Port and Coastal Engineer, Coastal Project Engineer.
Pay
How much do Civil Engineers make?
Every coastal 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 Coastal 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 Coastal Engineer
A bachelor's degree in civil, coastal or ocean engineering is the entry point, and many coastal engineers complete a master's with coursework in hydrodynamics and sediment transport. Universities such as Texas A&M, the University of Delaware, Oregon State and the University of Florida have well-known coastal programs.
The Professional Engineer license is the standard credential. After licensure and experience, engineers can earn board certification as a Diplomate, Coastal Engineering (D.CE) from the Academy of Coastal, Ocean, Port and Navigation Engineers, affiliated with ASCE. The ASCE Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute is the main professional community.
- 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 Coastal Engineer do?
Coastal engineers work where land meets the sea. They design beach nourishment projects, seawalls, jetties, breakwaters and living shorelines that use marshes and oyster reefs to absorb wave energy. They also plan dredging for harbors and navigation channels and design waterfront structures such as piers and bulkheads.
The work relies on understanding waves, tides, currents and sediment movement. Coastal engineers run numerical models of storm surge and shoreline change, analyze survey data, and estimate how projects will perform over decades of sea level rise. Employers include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, state coastal agencies, port authorities and engineering consultancies.
Day-to-day tasks
- Model waves, storm surge and sediment transport along shorelines
- Design beach nourishment, breakwaters and seawalls
- Design living shoreline and nature-based protection projects
- Plan dredging for harbors and navigation channels
- Analyze shoreline survey and bathymetry data
- Prepare permit applications and construction drawings
- Inspect coastal construction and storm damage
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Coastal engineers divide time between offices and field sites. Fieldwork includes beach and nearshore surveys, construction inspection, and occasional work on boats. After major storms, engineers may be deployed to assess damage. Many coastal engineers work in coastal cities near ports and Army Corps district offices. Project schedules follow construction windows that avoid storm seasons and wildlife nesting periods.
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 Coastal Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Civil Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Coastal 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 Coastal 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
- Coastal 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 |
| Coastal Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Coastal Engineer appears on
Questions
Coastal 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 Coastal 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 Coastal 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 Coastal Engineer do?
Coastal engineers work where land meets the sea. A typical task: model waves, storm surge and sediment transport along shorelines. 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 Coastal 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.