Civil Engineers pay range in Charlotte
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $73,790 a year or less, while the top 10% make $164,990 or more. The middle half of civil engineers in Charlotte earn between $79,280 and $129,680.
- $74K10th
- $79K25th
- $102KMedian
- $130K75th
- $165K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $107,680 | $8,973 | $51.77 |
| Median | $102,370 | $8,531 | $49.22 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $79,280 | $6,607 | $38.12 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $129,680 | $10,807 | $62.35 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Civil Engineers pay in Charlotte vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Civil engineers in Charlotte earn about the same as the North Carolina average ($104,760) and about the same as the U.S. average ($108,670). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $100,840.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $107,680 | $102,370 | $73,790 | $164,990 | 3,730 |
| North Carolina | $104,760 | $100,730 | $70,760 | $160,520 | 12,810 |
| United States | $108,670 | $100,840 | $68,240 | $163,220 | 367,840 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Civil Engineers salary after taxes in Charlotte
On the average salary of $107,680, a single filer in Charlotte takes home about $80,795 a year, or $6,733 a month and $3,108 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NC | $80,795 | $6,733 |
| Working in SC | $79,939 | $6,662 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Charlotte a good place for civil engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Charlotte area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $107,680 buys what about $110,613 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Charlotte ($49,990). A typical home costs $390,321, or 3.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Civil Engineers salary in other North Carolina cities
Charlotte ranks 2nd of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Raleigh pays the most ($107,710).
- Raleigh$107,710
- Charlotte$107,680
- Burlington$106,400
- Asheville$105,240
- Durham$102,390
- Pinehurst$102,250
- Fayetteville$100,170
- Greensboro$97,330
- Wilmington$96,680
- Hickory$96,500
Highest-paying cities for civil engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($137,910).
- San Jose, CA$137,910
- San Francisco, CA$136,350
- Napa, CA$130,620
- Sacramento, CA$129,650
- Redding, CA$124,340
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Civil Engineers salary in Charlotte: questions
How much do civil engineers make an hour in Charlotte?
$51.77 an hour on average, and $49.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level civil engineers salary in Charlotte?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $73,790 a year and the 25th percentile is $79,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the civil engineers take-home pay in Charlotte?
About $80,795 a year ($6,733 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $107,680.
Do civil engineers earn more in Charlotte than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($108,670).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2051; area Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (16740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.16, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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