Civil Engineers pay range in Raleigh
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $74,170 a year or less, while the top 10% make $163,710 or more. The middle half of civil engineers in Raleigh earn between $79,840 and $127,280.
- $74K10th
- $80K25th
- $101KMedian
- $127K75th
- $164K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $107,710 | $8,976 | $51.78 |
| Median | $101,440 | $8,453 | $48.77 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $79,840 | $6,653 | $38.38 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $127,280 | $10,607 | $61.19 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Civil Engineers pay in Raleigh vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Civil engineers in Raleigh 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 +1% against the U.S. median of $100,840.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | $107,710 | $101,440 | $74,170 | $163,710 | 4,640 |
| 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 Raleigh
On the average salary of $107,710, a single filer in Raleigh takes home about $80,815 a year, or $6,735 a month and $3,108 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Raleigh a good place for civil engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Raleigh area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.2), so the average $107,710 buys what about $109,732 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Raleigh ($51,990). A typical home costs $438,364, or 4.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Civil Engineers salary in other North Carolina cities
Raleigh ranks 1st of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 Raleigh: questions
How much do civil engineers make an hour in Raleigh?
$51.78 an hour on average, and $48.77 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level civil engineers salary in Raleigh?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $74,170 a year and the 25th percentile is $79,840, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the civil engineers take-home pay in Raleigh?
About $80,815 a year ($6,735 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $107,710.
Do civil engineers earn more in Raleigh 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC (39580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.9%.
- 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 2.64, this job is 2.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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