Civil Engineers in North Carolina. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median annual wage for Civil Engineers in North Carolina was $93,590 in 2024, about 2.7% below the US median of $96,198. That gap is smaller than it looks once you factor in cost of living. North Carolina's price index sits at 95, meaning typical expenses run about 5% below the national baseline. In real terms, the $93,590 median buys slightly more here than the same dollar figure would in an average-cost state.
The spread between low and high earners is wide. Civil Engineers at the 10th percentile earned $65,160, while those at the 90th earned $145,010. Top earners made more than twice what the lowest-paid did. That kind of range usually reflects differences in experience, project scale, and whether an engineer works in the public sector or for a private design firm. Entry-level roles in state or municipal agencies tend to anchor the lower end; senior project engineers on large infrastructure contracts push toward the top.
The mean wage of $100,500 runs about $6,900 above the median. A smaller group of higher-paid engineers pulls the average up, which is typical for a field where seniority and specialization matter a lot.
BLS projects employment for Civil Engineers to grow 5% between 2024 and 2034, which puts the outlook in the faster-than-average category. North Carolina's infrastructure spending, driven in part by ongoing population growth in the Charlotte and Research Triangle metro areas, likely supports that trajectory, though the projection is a national figure and regional results can differ.
With 12,670 Civil Engineers employed in the state, North Carolina has one of the larger concentrations in the Southeast. The combination of below-average living costs and a reasonable national-comparable wage makes the overall compensation picture more competitive than the headline median suggests.
Salary distribution
Where North Carolina civil engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $79,140 and $125,730, with a median of $100,730.
Civil Engineers in North Carolina: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 169 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $91,998. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 62 | $75,500 |
| Level II — qualified | 55 | $93,309 |
| Level III — experienced | 31 | $104,312 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 19 | $124,800 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Civil Engineers in North Carolina. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland Building Group, LLC | Assistant Project Manager | 8 | $86,750 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. | Quantity Surveyor Professional Intermediate | 7 | $97,571 |
| STV Incorporated | Engineering Specialist, Civil Engineering | 7 | $98,904 |
| Terracon Consultants, Inc. | Field Engineer | 6 | $77,000 |
| Arcadis U.S., Inc. | Water Engineer 1 | 4 | $91,114 |
| ECS Southeast, LLC | CMT Project Manager | 4 | $73,884 |
| GFT Infrastructure, Inc. | Designer, Highway | 4 | $71,656 |
| HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas | Hydraulics Designer | 4 | $92,269 |
| Kleinfelder, Inc. | Project Professional | 3 | $98,904 |
| North Carolina State University | Research Associate | 3 | $70,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Project Engineer at NWR Services LLC$100,911DurhamWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728405
- Consultant, Water Resources Engineering at WSP USA Inc.$93,309Fuquay-VarinaWage Level IIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-726659
- CMT Project Engineer at Boyle Consulting Engineers, PLLC$77,000CharlotteWage Level IDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-719537
- Design Engineer 10322062 at AG&E Associates, PLLC$94,000DurhamWage Level IIDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-716046
- Project Engineer at McFarland Building Group, LLC$77,000CharlotteWage Level IDecided Mar 25, 2026I-200-26077-712173
- Substation Senior Civil/Structural Engineer at Leidos Engineering, LLC$135,000Holly SpringsWage Level IVDecided Mar 23, 2026I-200-26075-706748
- Design/Build Manager at ARCO Design/Build, Inc.$75,000RaleighWage Level IDecided Mar 9, 2026I-200-26061-674593
- Designer II (Civil Engineering) at LandDesign, Inc.$79,100CharlotteWage Level IDecided Mar 5, 2026I-200-26057-666290
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Civil Engineers pay by experience level in North Carolina
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Civil Engineers specialties in North Carolina
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 88 certified offers. The most common variant is Project Engineer at a median of $98,100.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Engineer | McFarland Building Group, LLC | 29 | $98,100 |
| Project Manager | McFarland Building Group, LLC | 15 | $100,000 |
| Staff Engineer | Terracon Consultants, Inc. | 14 | $90,678 |
| Civil Engineer | Alhobishi Convenience Stores & Rental, Inc. | 7 | $76,856 |
| Senior Structural Engineer | Delta Oaks Group, PLLC | 6 | $88,992 |
| Designer, Highway | GFT Infrastructure, Inc. | 5 | $71,656 |
| Water Resources Engineer | ATCS, Inc. | 3 | $85,000 |
| CMT Project Manager | ECS Southeast, LLC | 3 | $67,891 |
| Design Engineer | AG&E Associates, PLLC | 3 | $105,000 |
| Field Engineer | Terracon Consultants, Inc. | 3 | $67,122 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Civil Engineers in North Carolina, by industry
Median offered wage across 116 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $90,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | STV Incorporated | 103 | $90,000 |
| Education | North Carolina State University | 3 | $70,000 |
| Real estate | NWR Services LLC | 3 | $100,911 |
| Technology and software | Airosmith Inc | 3 | $76,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Alhobishi Convenience Stores & Rental, Inc. | 2 | $86,378 |
| Government and public sector | City of Charlotte | 1 | $109,180 |
| Manufacturing | B/E Aerospace, Inc. | 1 | $94,245 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in North Carolina over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.7 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.5 / 5
Building and Construction
Knowledge
- 4.5 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Direct engineering activities, ensuring compliance with environmental, safety, or other governmental regulations.
- 02
Test soils or materials to determine the adequacy and strength of foundations, concrete, asphalt, or steel.
- 03
Inspect project sites to monitor progress and ensure conformance to design specifications and safety or sanitation standards.
- 04
Manage and direct the construction, operations, or maintenance activities at project site.
- 05
Compute load and grade requirements, water flow rates, or material stress factors to determine design specifications.
- 06
Plan and design transportation or hydraulic systems or structures, using computer-assisted design or drawing tools.
- 07
Provide technical advice to industrial or managerial personnel regarding design, construction, program modifications, or structural repairs.
- 08
Analyze survey reports, maps, drawings, blueprints, aerial photography, or other topographical or geologic data.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+5.0%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Civil Engineers in North Carolina?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Civil Engineers in North Carolina is $100,730.
- How does North Carolina compare to the national median for Civil Engineers?
- The North Carolina median is -1.7% versus the BLS national figure of $102,499.
- What is the salary range for Civil Engineers in North Carolina?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $70,760 and the 90th-percentile at $160,520, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Civil Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 5.0% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Civil Engineers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.