Civil Engineers in Washington. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median wage for Civil Engineers in Washington was $105,090 in 2024, about 9% above the national median of $96,198. That gap is real but not dramatic. Washington pays more; it also costs more to live there.
The spread between the lowest and highest earners is wide. Civil Engineers at the 10th percentile earned $80,650, while those at the 90th earned $155,010. Top earners make roughly 1.9 times what those starting out do. That kind of range usually reflects a mix of experience levels, project complexity, and specialization within the field.
Cost of living narrows the headline advantage. Washington's overall price index sits at 108.9, meaning everyday expenses run about 9% above the national baseline. Adjusted for that, the state median lands closer to the national figure than the raw numbers suggest. The premium is still there, but thinner once you account for what the paycheck actually buys.
BLS projects employment for Civil Engineers to grow 5% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as faster than average. Washington's ongoing investment in infrastructure, transit, and water systems gives that projection some grounding, though the state figure will follow federal funding cycles and construction activity more than any single trend.
With 11,900 Civil Engineers employed in Washington as of 2024, this is one of the larger state-level concentrations for the occupation. Whether that density works in a candidate's favor depends on the sub-specialty and the public versus private split in a given job search.
Salary distribution
Where Washington civil engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $96,230 and $133,050, with a median of $110,000.
Civil Engineers in Washington: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 196 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $106,269. 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 | $85,800 |
| Level II — qualified | 71 | $107,078 |
| Level III — experienced | 34 | $132,888 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 24 | $144,452 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Civil Engineers in Washington. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Data Services, Inc | Data Center Infrastructure Engineer II | 17 | $120,600 |
| WSP USA Inc. | Structural Engineer | 14 | $104,104 |
| HDR Engineering, Inc. | Bridge Engineer in Training (EIT) | 10 | $95,358 |
| AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | Civil Engineering III | 6 | $120,479 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Data Center Infrastructure Engineer III | 6 | $136,600 |
| Microsoft Corporation | Technical Program Management | 6 | $176,900 |
| Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Inc. | Design Engineer | 5 | $90,000 |
| Stantec Consulting Services Inc. | Structural Engineer | 5 | $116,542 |
| The Lane Construction Corporation | Senior Field Engineer | 5 | $107,078 |
| KPFF Inc. | Structural Design Engineer | 4 | $85,200 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Data Center Infrastructure Engineer II at Amazon Data Services, Inc$119,000SeattleWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728418
- Water Resources Engineer at WSP USA Inc.$90,314SeattleWage Level IDecided Mar 27, 2026I-200-26079-718886
- Project Manager - Rail and Transit at Parsons Transportation Group Inc.$187,959SeattleWage Level IVDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-715369
- Structural project Engineer V at Apex Companies, LLC$146,000IssaquahWage Level IVDecided Mar 24, 2026I-200-26076-709499
- Structural Design Engineer at KPFF, Inc.$92,400TacomaWage Level IDecided Mar 17, 2026I-200-26069-692991
- Materials Scientist (Civil Engineer) at Battelle Memorial Institute$116,000RichlandWage Level IIDecided Mar 11, 2026I-200-26063-679888
- Project Engineer III at AHBL, Inc.$101,000TacomaWage Level IIDecided Mar 10, 2026I-203-26062-677805
- Data Center Infrastructure Engineer II at Amazon Data Services, Inc$119,000SeattleWage Level IIDecided Mar 9, 2026I-200-26061-672336
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 Washington
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 Washington
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 118 certified offers. The most common variant is Project Engineer at a median of $107,829.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Engineer | Martinus Bottom Line, LLC | 22 | $107,829 |
| Data Center Infrastructure Engineer | Amazon Data Services, Inc | 20 | $136,600 |
| Civil Engineer | People Infra Inc | 13 | $92,123 |
| Structural Engineer | Stantec Consulting Services Inc. | 12 | $108,271 |
| Structural Design Engineer | Integrated Design Engineers LLC | 9 | $92,123 |
| Geotechnical Engineer | GEOENGINEERS, INC. | 8 | $88,061 |
| Consultant | WSP USA Inc. | 7 | $136,500 |
| Engineer | MLA Engineering, LLC | 7 | $95,000 |
| Field Engineer | Advanced Construction Techniques Inc. | 6 | $86,792 |
| Design Engineer | Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Inc. | 5 | $90,000 |
| Senior Project Manager | Osborn Consulting, Inc. | 5 | $145,578 |
| Data Centre Infrastructure Engineer | Amazon Data Services, Inc | 4 | $107,970 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Civil Engineers in Washington, by industry
Median offered wage across 159 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $97,750.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | WSP USA Inc. | 111 | $97,750 |
| Technology and software | Amazon Data Services, Inc | 27 | $138,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 9 | $137,500 |
| Transportation and logistics | Martinus Bottom Line, LLC | 4 | $140,000 |
| Manufacturing | Weyerhaeuser NR Company | 4 | $89,139 |
| Government and public sector | King County | 3 | $127,131 |
| Real estate | CimpleSpaces LLC | 1 | $85,800 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Washington 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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Metro-level salary data for civil engineers in major Washington metropolitan areas.
- Seattle$116,480
Compare Civil Engineers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Washington with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Civil Engineers in Washington?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Civil Engineers in Washington is $110,000.
- How does Washington compare to the national median for Civil Engineers?
- The Washington median is +7.3% versus the BLS national figure of $102,499.
- What is the salary range for Civil Engineers in Washington?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $81,840 and the 90th-percentile at $160,670, 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.