Civil Engineers in Tennessee. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
Tennessee's median Civil Engineer wage was $97,730 in 2024, just above the US median of $96,198. The gap is narrow, around 1.6%, so the state sits close to the national center rather than at either extreme.
The real story is the spread within Tennessee. Engineers at the 10th percentile earned $67,410, while those at the 90th earned $141,710. Top earners made about twice what the lowest-paid tenth made. That kind of range usually reflects differences in project scale, employer type, and years of experience. A municipal drainage engineer and a senior infrastructure project lead doing federal highway work can both carry the same job title.
The average wage of $102,150 runs about $4,400 above the median. A smaller group of higher-paid engineers pulls the average up, which means most of the workforce sits closer to that $97,730 figure than the average alone would suggest.
Tennessee's cost-of-living index sits at 92.5, meaning prices here run roughly 7.5% below the national baseline. After accounting for that, the state's near-parity nominal wage translates to a purchasing-power advantage. A $97,730 paycheck buys more in Knoxville or Chattanooga than the same number would in most other states where Civil Engineers earn a similar wage.
BLS projects Civil Engineer employment to grow 5% between 2024 and 2034, a rate BLS classifies as faster than average. Tennessee's ongoing infrastructure investment, including highway expansion and water system upgrades across several metro areas, fits that national trend rather than running against it.
Salary distribution
Where Tennessee civil engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $76,900 and $123,160, with a median of $95,910.
Civil Engineers in Tennessee: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 58 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $88,088. 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 | 21 | $74,600 |
| Level II — qualified | 20 | $88,088 |
| Level III — experienced | 7 | $103,126 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 8 | $122,148 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Civil Engineers in Tennessee. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| W.G. Yates and Sons Construction Co. | Project Manager | 4 | $102,128 |
| Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | Senior Engineer | 3 | $107,625 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE | Research Assistant Professor | 3 | $100,000 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Data Center Infrastructure Engineer II | 2 | $144,350 |
| Bennett & Pless, Inc | Design Engineer | 2 | $78,120 |
| Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. | Staff Consultant/Civil Engineer | 2 | $66,500 |
| DPR Construction, A General Partnership | Project Engineer (Civil/Construction) | 2 | $92,716 |
| Flintco, LLC | Assistant Project Manager | 2 | $82,926 |
| Gresham Smith | Engineer 1 (Unlicensed) | 2 | $90,000 |
| STV Incorporated | Civil/Transportation Engineering Speciliast | 2 | $85,166 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Senior Traffic/ITS Engineer at AECOM Technical Services, Inc.$130,000FranklinWage Level IVDecided Mar 20, 2026I-200-26072-702325
- Civil Engineer at ARCO/Murray National Construction Company, LLC$97,000NashvilleWage Level IIDecided Mar 20, 2026I-200-26072-702075
- Reality Capture Manager II at Amazon.com Services LLC$148,700NashvilleWage Level IIDecided Mar 10, 2026I-200-26062-675446
- Field Engineer at Kiewit Power Constructors Co.$100,320Cumberland CityWage Level IDecided Feb 27, 2026I-200-26053-656297
- Field Engineer II at Sundt Construction, Inc.$73,000NashvilleWage Level IDecided Feb 27, 2026I-200-26051-653972
- Senior Lead Site Reliability Engineer at Hilton Domestic Operating Company Inc.$167,622MemphisWage Level IVDecided Feb 20, 2026I-200-26043-637613
- Principal at Geosyntec Consultants, Inc.$122,346ChattanoogaWage Level IVDecided Feb 20, 2026I-203-26043-636498
- Post-Doctoral Research Associate at THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE$70,656KnoxvilleWage Level IDecided Feb 19, 2026I-200-26042-634592
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.
Where do you stand?
Get an instant percentile reading. Anonymous, no signup.
Aggregate unlocks once 5 readers have shared a salary for this role and state.
Civil Engineers pay by experience level in Tennessee
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 Tennessee
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 28 certified offers. The most common variant is Project Engineer at a median of $81,153.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Engineer | DPR Construction, A General Partnership | 10 | $81,153 |
| Assistant Project Manager | W.G. Yates and Sons Construction Co. | 6 | $84,882 |
| Engineer 1 (Unlicensed) | Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | 5 | $93,600 |
| Civil Engineer | TTL, Inc. | 4 | $76,153 |
| Field Engineer | Kiewit Power Constructors Co. | 3 | $83,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Civil Engineers in Tennessee, by industry
Median offered wage across 35 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $85,166.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | 24 | $85,166 |
| Education | THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE | 3 | $100,000 |
| Government and public sector | City of Memphis | 3 | $88,046 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 2 | $144,350 |
| Technology and software | Microsoft Corporation | 2 | $149,114 |
| Manufacturing | AESC US LLC | 1 | $95,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Tennessee 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.
Sponsored
Build the skills employers list for Civil Engineers
Online courses from licensed providers. We may earn a commission when you enroll. The commission does not influence our rankings or wage data.
Explore coursesTop metros in Tennessee
Metro-level salary data for civil engineers in major Tennessee metropolitan areas.
Compare Civil Engineers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Tennessee with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Civil Engineers in Tennessee?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Civil Engineers in Tennessee is $95,910.
- How does Tennessee compare to the national median for Civil Engineers?
- The Tennessee median is -6.4% versus the BLS national figure of $102,499.
- What is the salary range for Civil Engineers in Tennessee?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $65,090 and the 90th-percentile at $154,100, 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.