Civil Engineers pay range in Washington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,970 a year or less, while the top 10% make $159,990 or more. The middle half of civil engineers in Washington earn between $84,590 and $129,830.
- $78K10th
- $85K25th
- $102KMedian
- $130K75th
- $160K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $110,950 | $9,246 | $53.34 |
| Median | $101,780 | $8,482 | $48.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $84,590 | $7,049 | $40.67 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $129,830 | $10,819 | $62.42 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Civil Engineers salary after taxes in Washington
On the average salary of $110,950, a single filer in Washington takes home about $80,421 a year, or $6,702 a month and $3,093 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WV | $82,691 | $6,891 |
| Working in MD | $81,806 | $6,817 |
| Working in VA | $81,318 | $6,776 |
| Working in DC | $80,421 | $6,702 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Washington a good place for civil engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $110,950 buys what about $101,897 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 5.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Civil Engineers salary in nearby metro areas
- Hagerstown, MD$109,440
- Baltimore, MD$107,130
- Winchester, VA$105,860
- Lexington Park, MD$107,140
- Chambersburg, PA$96,850
- Harrisonburg, VA$92,720
Highest-paying cities for civil engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($137,910).
- San Jose, CA$137,910
- San Francisco, CA$136,350
- Napa, CA$130,620
- Sacramento, CA$129,650
- Redding, CA$124,340
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Civil Engineers salary in Washington: questions
How much do civil engineers make an hour in Washington?
$53.34 an hour on average, and $48.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level civil engineers salary in Washington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,970 a year and the 25th percentile is $84,590, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the civil engineers take-home pay in Washington?
About $80,421 a year ($6,702 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $110,950.
Do civil engineers earn more in Washington than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. metro average for this job ($109,384).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2051; area Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.14, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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