Entry level civil engineer salaries are amongst the highest for those with just a couple of years’ experience, but don’t be fooled by this. The pay is still relatively low given the high level of education required in order to work as an entry level civil engineer. If you want to make more money, you need to get some experience at your local municipality. A master’s degree or MBA will also help to bump up your salary as well.
Entry-level civil engineers earn a median salary of $54,000 per year. This is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2016 report “Civil Engineers.”
The starting pay for entry-level civil engineers depends on the type of employer. According to the BLS, “Civil engineering job opportunities are expected to grow by about 10 percent from 2014 to 2024.” This means that you might be able to get a higher salary if you choose a more lucrative sector or if you have experience in a particular industry.
Salary for entry level civil engineer
A person working as a Civil Engineer in United States typically earns around 85,600 USD per year. Salaries range from 41,100 USD (lowest) to 134,000 USD (highest).
This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Civil Engineer salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Civil Engineer Salary Distribution in United States
The median, the maximum, the minimum, and the range
- Salary RangeCivil Engineer salaries in United States range from 41,100 USD per year (minimum salary) to 134,000 USD per year (maximum salary).
- Median SalaryThe median salary is 89,000 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Civil Engineer(s) are earning less than 89,000 USD while the other half are earning more than 89,000 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
- PercentilesClosely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Civil Engineer(s) are earning less than 58,500 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 58,500 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Civil Engineer(s) are earning less than 116,000 USD while 25% are earning more than 116,000 USD.
Civil Engineer Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Civil Engineer salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Civil Engineer with less than two years of experience makes approximately 48,100 USD per year.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 68,100 USD per year, 42% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 89,600 USD per year, 31% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Civil Engineer(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 110,000 USD per year, 23% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 117,000 USD per year, 6% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 128,000 USD per year, 10% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Civil Engineer average salary change by experience in United States
| 0 – 2 Years | 48,100 USD | |
| 2 – 5 Years | +42% | 68,100 USD |
| 5 – 10 Years | +31% | 89,600 USD |
| 10 – 15 Years | +23% | 110,000 USD |
| 15 – 20 Years | +6% | 117,000 USD |
| 20+ Years | +10% | 128,000 USD |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Civil Engineer Salary Comparison By Education
How do education levels affect salaries?
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Civil Engineer salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Bachelor’s Degree, the average salary of a Civil Engineer is 75,600 USD per year.
While someone with a Master’s Degree gets a salary of 108,000 USD per year, 43% more than someone having a Bachelor’s Degree degree.
Civil Engineer average salary difference by education level in United States
| Bachelor’s Degree | 75,600 USD | |
| Master’s Degree | +43% | 108,000 USD |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
