Engineering · 70 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Civil Engineer (2025)

The median Civil Engineer salary is $130,280 in San Jose, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Tulsa, OK offers the best purchasing power at $117,604 adjusted.

The 70 cities below are ranked by median wage for Civil Engineer, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Civil Engineer relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$101,468

National Median

$130,280

Highest City

$81,490

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$130,280	$81,790, $205,330	195.8	$66,537	3,170
2	San Francisco, CA	$130,160	$90,860, $202,730	179.6	$72,472	10,990
3	Sacramento, CA	$130,150	$81,680, $175,940	124.7	$104,370	5,590
4	Fresno, CA	$119,720	$74,870, $164,670	105.5	$113,479	1,250
5	Seattle, WA	$116,480	$82,140, $161,760	149.4	$77,965	7,680
6	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$115,120	$75,390, $168,820	122.4	$94,052	3,510
7	Anchorage, AK	$112,740	$78,940, $159,320	127	$88,772	1,110
8	San Diego, CA	$108,900	$79,410, $166,430	160.2	$67,978	5,620
9	Los Angeles, CA	$108,640	$72,860, $170,670	166	$65,446	16,340
10	New Orleans, LA	$108,240	$70,000, $156,760	95.9	$112,868	1,070
11	Bridgeport, CT	$107,870	$81,040, $159,350	137.5	$78,451	560
12	Boston, MA	$107,670	$79,580, $167,360	152.1	$70,789	7,970
13	New York, NY	$107,330	$78,250, $176,400	187.2	$57,334	15,590
14	Portland, OR	$106,280	$78,860, $166,060	130.1	$81,691	4,180
15	Las Vegas, NV	$106,110	$79,340, $159,720	109	$97,349	2,240
16	Reno, NV	$105,470	$77,460, $161,700	106.5	$99,033	730
17	Albuquerque, NM	$105,080	$74,780, $155,290	94	$111,787	680
18	Minneapolis, MN	$104,740	$78,480, $159,670	106.2	$98,625	3,350
19	Denver, CO	$104,710	$78,930, $167,090	112.8	$92,828	9,130
20	Hartford, CT	$103,650	$76,030, $163,570	112.6	$92,052	2,420
21	Lexington, KY	$103,090	$67,340, $138,270	91.3	$112,913	600
22	Greenville, SC	$102,830	$65,330, $160,610	90.1	$114,129	1,170
23	Louisville, KY	$102,650	$68,940, $147,850	90.2	$113,803	940
24	Albany, NY	$102,470	$75,990, $149,520	100.7	$101,758	1,470
25	Charlotte, NC	$102,370	$73,790, $164,990	96.7	$105,863	3,730
26	Jacksonville, FL	$102,280	$63,590, $161,180	95.1	$107,550	1,900
27	Tulsa, OK	$102,080	$73,310, $151,930	86.8	$117,604	880
28	Omaha, NE	$102,020	$72,080, $144,040	91.8	$111,133	1,240
29	Indianapolis, IN	$101,830	$71,380, $156,170	90.1	$113,019	2,000
30	Washington, DC	$101,780	$77,970, $159,990	152.8	$66,610	8,470
31	Raleigh, NC	$101,440	$74,170, $163,710	99.8	$101,643	4,640
32	Houston, TX	$100,950	$67,250, $168,240	96.5	$104,611	12,140
33	Orlando, FL	$100,740	$67,170, $165,320	103.1	$97,711	3,720
34	Pittsburgh, PA	$100,680	$68,970, $141,310	92.3	$109,079	4,210
35	Tampa, FL	$100,570	$71,630, $170,110	99.6	$100,974	4,190
36	Spokane, WA	$100,510	$75,960, $138,710	97.4	$103,193	600
37	Baltimore, MD	$100,500	$75,990, $144,680	114.2	$88,004	2,540
38	Austin, TX	$100,470	$65,380, $162,770	103	$97,544	4,940
39	Chicago, IL	$100,160	$74,130, $159,940	107.3	$93,346	9,760
40	Boise, ID	$99,510	$72,630, $135,860	102.1	$97,463	1,610
41	Rochester, NY	$99,460	$68,830, $149,270	92.9	$107,061	890
42	Philadelphia, PA	$99,410	$75,830, $147,960	118.4	$83,961	6,160
43	Providence, RI	$99,310	$75,990, $150,800	119.4	$83,174	1,550
44	Bakersfield, CA	$99,300	$75,580, $163,180	100.6	$98,708	870
45	Columbus, OH	$99,010	$68,340, $169,390	93.1	$106,348	2,630
46	Madison, WI	$99,010	$72,980, $134,040	103.8	$95,385	1,530
47	Oklahoma City, OK	$98,960	$66,020, $162,170	86.5	$114,405	880
48	Kansas City, MO	$98,860	$68,040, $155,110	95.4	$103,627	3,230
49	Salt Lake City, UT	$98,800	$62,280, $150,100	101.4	$97,436	2,890
50	Nashville, TN	$98,650	$66,440, $160,800	100.3	$98,355	2,090
51	Cincinnati, OH	$98,220	$65,190, $137,590	91.2	$107,697	2,110
52	Birmingham, AL	$97,420	$67,340, $168,370	90.4	$107,765	1,070
53	Des Moines, IA	$97,330	$65,080, $140,780	93.3	$104,319	830
54	Buffalo, NY	$97,060	$72,020, $150,300	92.5	$104,930	930
55	Dallas, TX	$96,920	$61,720, $158,170	104.1	$93,103	8,010
56	St. Louis, MO	$96,830	$67,510, $140,460	90	$107,589	3,150
57	Knoxville, TN	$96,320	$63,860, $160,350	90.3	$106,667	1,110
58	Milwaukee, WI	$96,190	$67,850, $131,040	97.4	$98,758	2,330
59	Memphis, TN	$96,100	$66,440, $132,290	84	$114,405	780
60	Colorado Springs, CO	$94,840	$67,750, $164,520	104.5	$90,756	1,100
61	Greensboro, NC	$93,460	$66,900, $137,090	91.3	$102,366	620
62	Detroit, MI	$92,550	$64,000, $129,700	95.1	$97,319	3,870
63	Richmond, VA	$91,300	$73,060, $136,860	102.1	$89,422	1,680
64	Phoenix, AZ	$90,330	$63,740, $139,240	100.7	$89,702	4,690
65	San Antonio, TX	$88,290	$64,490, $133,900	91.5	$96,492	2,230
66	Atlanta, GA	$88,000	$63,810, $160,150	99.2	$88,710	6,270
67	Wichita, KS	$84,310	$48,740, $132,740	84	$100,369	540
68	Miami, FL	$83,750	$54,990, $165,880	123.1	$68,034	6,850
69	Little Rock, AR	$83,030	$57,550, $138,030	88.2	$94,138	580
70	Tucson, AZ	$81,490	$61,850, $132,430	95.4	$85,419	760

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Civil Engineer paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Tulsa, OK	$117,604	$102,080	86.8
2	Oklahoma City, OK	$114,405	$98,960	86.5
3	Memphis, TN	$114,405	$96,100	84
4	Greenville, SC	$114,129	$102,830	90.1
5	Louisville, KY	$113,803	$102,650	90.2
6	Fresno, CA	$113,479	$119,720	105.5
7	Indianapolis, IN	$113,019	$101,830	90.1
8	Lexington, KY	$112,913	$103,090	91.3
9	New Orleans, LA	$112,868	$108,240	95.9
10	Albuquerque, NM	$111,787	$105,080	94
11	Omaha, NE	$111,133	$102,020	91.8
12	Pittsburgh, PA	$109,079	$100,680	92.3
13	Birmingham, AL	$107,765	$97,420	90.4
14	Cincinnati, OH	$107,697	$98,220	91.2
15	St. Louis, MO	$107,589	$96,830	90
16	Jacksonville, FL	$107,550	$102,280	95.1
17	Rochester, NY	$107,061	$99,460	92.9
18	Knoxville, TN	$106,667	$96,320	90.3
19	Columbus, OH	$106,348	$99,010	93.1
20	Charlotte, NC	$105,863	$102,370	96.7
21	Buffalo, NY	$104,930	$97,060	92.5
22	Houston, TX	$104,611	$100,950	96.5
23	Sacramento, CA	$104,370	$130,150	124.7
24	Des Moines, IA	$104,319	$97,330	93.3
25	Kansas City, MO	$103,627	$98,860	95.4
26	Spokane, WA	$103,193	$100,510	97.4
27	Greensboro, NC	$102,366	$93,460	91.3
28	Albany, NY	$101,758	$102,470	100.7
29	Raleigh, NC	$101,643	$101,440	99.8
30	Tampa, FL	$100,974	$100,570	99.6
31	Wichita, KS	$100,369	$84,310	84
32	Reno, NV	$99,033	$105,470	106.5
33	Milwaukee, WI	$98,758	$96,190	97.4
34	Bakersfield, CA	$98,708	$99,300	100.6
35	Minneapolis, MN	$98,625	$104,740	106.2
36	Nashville, TN	$98,355	$98,650	100.3
37	Orlando, FL	$97,711	$100,740	103.1
38	Austin, TX	$97,544	$100,470	103
39	Boise, ID	$97,463	$99,510	102.1
40	Salt Lake City, UT	$97,436	$98,800	101.4
41	Las Vegas, NV	$97,349	$106,110	109
42	Detroit, MI	$97,319	$92,550	95.1
43	San Antonio, TX	$96,492	$88,290	91.5
44	Madison, WI	$95,385	$99,010	103.8
45	Little Rock, AR	$94,138	$83,030	88.2
46	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$94,052	$115,120	122.4
47	Chicago, IL	$93,346	$100,160	107.3
48	Dallas, TX	$93,103	$96,920	104.1
49	Denver, CO	$92,828	$104,710	112.8
50	Hartford, CT	$92,052	$103,650	112.6
51	Colorado Springs, CO	$90,756	$94,840	104.5
52	Phoenix, AZ	$89,702	$90,330	100.7
53	Richmond, VA	$89,422	$91,300	102.1
54	Anchorage, AK	$88,772	$112,740	127
55	Atlanta, GA	$88,710	$88,000	99.2
56	Baltimore, MD	$88,004	$100,500	114.2
57	Tucson, AZ	$85,419	$81,490	95.4
58	Philadelphia, PA	$83,961	$99,410	118.4
59	Providence, RI	$83,174	$99,310	119.4
60	Portland, OR	$81,691	$106,280	130.1
61	Bridgeport, CT	$78,451	$107,870	137.5
62	Seattle, WA	$77,965	$116,480	149.4
63	San Francisco, CA	$72,472	$130,160	179.6
64	Boston, MA	$70,789	$107,670	152.1
65	Miami, FL	$68,034	$83,750	123.1
66	San Diego, CA	$67,978	$108,900	160.2
67	Washington, DC	$66,610	$101,780	152.8
68	San Jose, CA	$66,537	$130,280	195.8
69	Los Angeles, CA	$65,446	$108,640	166
70	New York, NY	$57,334	$107,330	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose, CA pays the highest median Civil Engineer salary at $130,280. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Tulsa, OK offers the most purchasing power at $117,604 adjusted.

The national median Civil Engineer salary is $101,468 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $81,490 to $130,280 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.