What the numbers say
Ohio's median wage for Civil Engineers was $93,480 in 2024, about 3% below the national median of $96,198. That gap is smaller than it looks once you account for what the money actually buys. Ohio's cost-of-living index sits at 90.6 against a national baseline of 100, so the nominal shortfall flips into a modest real-terms advantage over higher-paying states where housing and everyday costs run well above average.
The spread between entry-level and experienced pay is wide. Civil Engineers at the 10th percentile earned $64,080, while those at the 90th earned $133,600. Top earners make roughly twice what those near the bottom do. That range reflects how much experience, specialization, and project complexity matter in this field. Early-career engineers working on county infrastructure projects and senior engineers overseeing large transportation or water systems are doing related work, but the pay scales are far apart.
About 8,520 Civil Engineers were employed in Ohio in 2024, a sizable base for a state with a mix of urban infrastructure, industrial facilities, and an extensive highway network. BLS projects 5% growth nationally for this occupation between 2024 and 2034, which falls into the faster-than-average category. Ohio's employment total suggests the state is a meaningful part of that story, though the projection is a national figure.
The mean wage of $97,590 ran about $4,100 above the median. That modest gap means the top of the distribution pulls the average up a bit, but the effect is not dramatic. The middle of this field in Ohio is reasonably well-represented by the median number.
Salary distribution
Where Ohio civil engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $76,800 and $118,670, with a median of $93,480.
Civil Engineers in Ohio: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 115 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $80,000. 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 | 51 | $69,680 |
| Level II — qualified | 40 | $83,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 9 | $101,452 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 6 | $112,500 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Civil Engineers in Ohio. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | Civil Engineering II | 8 | $84,000 |
| Arcadis U.S., Inc. | Water Engineer 2 | 5 | $87,761 |
| Amazon Web Services, Inc. | Data Centre Infrastructure Engineer I | 5 | $121,400 |
| Amazon Data Services, Inc | Data Centre Infrastructure Engineer I | 5 | $130,400 |
| DLZ Corporation | Civil Engineer II | 5 | $79,000 |
| GFT Infrastructure, Inc. | Sr. Designer, Transportation Operations | 3 | $85,072 |
| ClarkWestern Dietrich Building Systems, LLC | Research Engineer | 3 | $77,256 |
| CTL Engineering, Inc. | Project Engineer | 3 | $85,000 |
| Rudolph Libbe Inc. | Project Engineer | 3 | $67,438 |
| RESOURCE INTERNATIONAL, INC | Staff Geotechnical Engineer (Civil Engineering) | 3 | $95,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Project Scheduler at Arcadis U.S., Inc.$110,011ColumbusDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503515
- Sr. Designer, Transportation Operations at GFT Infrastructure, Inc.$85,072ColumbusDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-494340
- Environmental Engineer 4 at CDM Smith Inc.$116,834ColumbusDecided Dec 16, 2025I-200-25343-469633
- Staff Project Engineer at Cenovus U.S. Services Inc.$180,700LimaDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-464124
- Designer, Highway at GFT Infrastructure, Inc.$69,202ColumbusDecided Dec 9, 2025I-200-25336-448962
- Sr. Analyst, Bridge at GFT Infrastructure, Inc.$85,072ColumbusDecided Dec 9, 2025I-200-25336-448963
- Sr. Engineer I at Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc.$99,392ColumbusDecided Nov 14, 2025I-200-25308-369265
- Civil Engineering II at AECOM Technical Services, Inc.$75,443AkronDecided Nov 7, 2025I-200-25273-349185
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.
Civil Engineers pay by experience level in Ohio
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 Ohio
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 71 certified offers. The most common variant is Civil Engineer at a median of $79,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | DLZ Corporation | 18 | $79,000 |
| Project Engineer | Rudolph Libbe Inc. | 14 | $79,700 |
| Staff Engineer | Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. | 9 | $69,926 |
| Civil Engineering | AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | 5 | $77,063 |
| Data Centre Infrastructure Engineer | Amazon Web Services, Inc. | 5 | $126,000 |
| Geotechnical Engineer | RESOURCE INTERNATIONAL, INC | 5 | $84,000 |
| Designer, Highway | GFT Infrastructure, Inc. | 4 | $69,202 |
| Data Center Infrastructure Engineer | Amazon Data Services, Inc | 4 | $129,500 |
| Research Engineer | ClarkWestern Dietrich Building Systems, LLC | 4 | $83,628 |
| Transportation Engineer | AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | 3 | $83,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Civil Engineers in Ohio, by industry
Median offered wage across 95 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $79,560.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | 77 | $79,560 |
| Technology and software | Amazon Web Services, Inc. | 12 | $127,300 |
| Manufacturing | ClarkWestern Dietrich Building Systems, LLC | 4 | $77,768 |
| Retail and wholesale | Quartz America LLC | 1 | $76,900 |
| Healthcare | AGAPE COMMUNITY SERVICES LLC | 1 | $75,600 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Ohio over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 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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Explore coursesTop metros in Ohio
Metro-level salary data for civil engineers in major Ohio metropolitan areas.
- Columbus$97,990
- Cincinnati$90,580
- Cleveland$85,030
Compare Civil Engineers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Civil Engineers in Ohio?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Civil Engineers in Ohio is $93,480.
- How does Ohio compare to the national median for Civil Engineers?
- The Ohio median is -2.8% versus the BLS national figure of $96,198.
- What is the salary range for Civil Engineers in Ohio?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $64,080 and the 90th-percentile at $133,600, 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.