Civil Engineers in Pennsylvania. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median Civil Engineer in Pennsylvania earned $92,460 in 2024, about 4% below the US median of $96,198. That gap is smaller than it looks once you factor in cost of living. Pennsylvania's price index sits just under the national baseline, so the nominal discount shrinks to almost nothing in real purchasing terms.
The spread across the pay range is wide. At the 10th percentile, the figure was $67,240. At the 90th, it reached $137,520. Top earners made roughly twice what those at the bottom of the range did. That kind of gap usually reflects a mix of experience, specialization, and the type of employer, whether a small municipal engineering firm or a large infrastructure contractor working on federally funded projects.
Pennsylvania employs 14,610 civil engineers, a large base by state standards. The presence of major highway and transit work in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh corridors, along with aging water and bridge infrastructure across the rest of the state, keeps demand fairly stable across regions rather than concentrated in one metro.
BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 5% between 2024 and 2034, which it classifies as faster than average. That projection was set before any changes to federal infrastructure funding timelines, so we note it as directional rather than precise.
Salary distribution
Where Pennsylvania civil engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $77,920 and $122,320, with a median of $97,850.
Civil Engineers in Pennsylvania: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 164 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $87,390. 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 | 63 | $73,440 |
| Level II — qualified | 40 | $88,733 |
| Level III — experienced | 25 | $114,400 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 27 | $121,563 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Civil Engineers in Pennsylvania. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Philadelphia | Civil Engineer 1 | 9 | $71,841 |
| AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | Civil Engineer II | 8 | $85,374 |
| American Engineers Group, LLC | Civil Designer | 6 | $69,950 |
| Modjeski and Masters, Inc. | Engineer in Training, E2 | 6 | $83,533 |
| RIZZO International, Inc. | Geotechnical Engineer - Level 6 | 6 | $90,709 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. | CIVIL AVIATION ENGINEER | 5 | $115,000 |
| Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC | Geotechnical Engineer | 5 | $74,000 |
| GFT Infrastructure, Inc. | Associate Designer, Water | 4 | $69,555 |
| STV Incorporated | Engineering Specialist, Civil Engineering | 4 | $78,707 |
| Baker Ingram & Associates Inc | Civil Engineer I | 3 | $76,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Designer, Geotechnical, Dams, and Hydraulics at GFT Infrastructure, Inc.$69,555MechanicsburgWage Level IDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-715104
- Scoping Engineering Manager at AMENTUM SERVICES INC.$101,493GilbertsvilleWage Level IIDecided Mar 25, 2026I-200-26077-712481
- DIGITAL DELIVERY SPECIALIST - TRANSPORTATION at Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.$120,000PHILADELPHIAWage Level IVDecided Mar 18, 2026I-200-26070-695959
- Associate Consultant, Water Resources Engineering at WSP USA Inc.$81,016PittsburghWage Level IDecided Mar 18, 2026I-200-26070-695874
- Project Engineer at Terracon Consultants, Inc.$133,250Blue BellWage Level IVDecided Mar 16, 2026I-200-26068-689312
- Systems Engineer - Rail Automation at Siemens Mobility, Inc.$126,642HomesteadWage Level IVDecided Mar 13, 2026I-200-26065-686671
- PROJECT MANAGER at R2T INC.$119,413PHILADELPHIAWage Level IVDecided Mar 10, 2026I-200-26062-675837
- Designer, Geotechnical Dams & Hydraulics at GFT Infrastructure, Inc.$73,382PhiladelphiaWage Level IDecided Mar 5, 2026I-200-26057-667018
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 Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 94 certified offers. The most common variant is Project Engineer at a median of $107,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Engineer | ACELA INC. | 15 | $107,000 |
| Civil Engineer | Baker Ingram & Associates Inc | 15 | $83,200 |
| Senior Engineer | THORNTON TOMASETTI, INC. | 14 | $85,171 |
| Project Manager | P.J. Dick Incorporated | 10 | $101,210 |
| Structural Engineer | Bowman Consulting Group, Ltd. | 8 | $91,867 |
| Designer, Geotechnical Dams & Hydraulics | GFT Infrastructure, Inc. | 7 | $69,555 |
| Engineer in Training, E2 | Modjeski and Masters, Inc. | 5 | $83,533 |
| Civil Designer | American Engineers Group, LLC | 5 | $69,950 |
| Geotechnical Engineer | Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC | 5 | $74,000 |
| Engineering Specialist | City of Philadelphia | 4 | $79,362 |
| Graduate Civil Engineer | City of Philadelphia | 3 | $66,114 |
| Civil Associate | ProMiles Software Development Corporation | 3 | $92,539 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Civil Engineers in Pennsylvania, by industry
Median offered wage across 145 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $85,342.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | 114 | $85,342 |
| Government and public sector | City of Philadelphia | 10 | $71,841 |
| Manufacturing | BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. | 9 | $101,000 |
| Technology and software | ProMiles Software Development Corporation | 4 | $92,539 |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University | 2 | $82,166 |
| Energy and utilities | 3C Drilling, LLC | 2 | $163,500 |
| Real estate | Brixmor Employment Company LLC | 1 | $99,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | AMAZON DATA SERVICES, INC. | 1 | $131,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Aon Re, Inc. | 1 | $130,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Hitachi Rail STS USA, Inc. | 1 | $148,120 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Pennsylvania 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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Explore coursesTop metros in Pennsylvania
Metro-level salary data for civil engineers in major Pennsylvania metropolitan areas.
- Pittsburgh$100,680
- Philadelphia$99,410
Compare Civil Engineers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Pennsylvania with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Civil Engineers in Pennsylvania?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Civil Engineers in Pennsylvania is $97,850.
- How does Pennsylvania compare to the national median for Civil Engineers?
- The Pennsylvania median is -4.5% versus the BLS national figure of $102,499.
- What is the salary range for Civil Engineers in Pennsylvania?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $67,930 and the 90th-percentile at $141,310, 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.