Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

17-2051 Civil Engineers

Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures, and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems. Includes architectural, structural, traffic, ocean, and geo-technical engineers. Excludes "Hydrologists" (19-2043).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
254,130 1.1 % $39.76 $82,710 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $24.22 $29.76 $37.49 $47.25 $57.51
Annual Wage (2) $50,370 $61,910 $77,990 $98,270 $119,620


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 129,350 10.02 $40.48 $84,200
State Government (OES Designation) 34,840 1.53 $36.13 $75,140
Local Government (OES Designation) 29,040 0.53 $40.42 $84,080
Nonresidential Building Construction 12,630 1.94 $39.04 $81,190
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 10,790 0.52 $41.80 $86,950

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 129,350 10.02 $40.48 $84,200
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 3,680 3.78 $48.01 $99,860
Other Pipeline Transportation 180 2.77 $43.17 $89,780
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 220 2.44 $42.14 $87,650
Nonresidential Building Construction 12,630 1.94 $39.04 $81,190

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (8) (8) $66.62 $138,560
Specialized Design Services 60 0.05 $51.04 $106,150
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 3,680 3.78 $48.01 $99,860
Oil and Gas Extraction 260 0.16 $47.07 $97,910
Waste Treatment and Disposal 690 0.72 $44.85 $93,290


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 36,040 2.57 1.30 $45.71 $95,070
Texas 20,540 1.99 1.01 $43.19 $89,840
Florida 13,740 1.92 0.97 $39.27 $81,690
New York 12,730 1.51 0.76 $41.03 $85,340
Washington 12,560 4.62 2.33 $40.05 $83,310




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 1,570 5.03 2.54 $43.95 $91,420
Washington 12,560 4.62 2.33 $40.05 $83,310
Hawaii 2,090 3.63 1.83 $36.93 $76,820
Colorado 7,140 3.28 1.65 $38.74 $80,570
Wyoming 820 3.01 1.52 $33.72 $70,140




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 36,040 2.57 1.30 $45.71 $95,070
Alaska 1,570 5.03 2.54 $43.95 $91,420
Texas 20,540 1.99 1.01 $43.19 $89,840
New Jersey 6,610 1.75 0.89 $43.16 $89,780
Maryland 6,370 2.57 1.30 $42.79 $89,010





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 8,940 3.50 1.77 $49.75 $103,480
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 7,500 1.96 0.99 $44.16 $91,840
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 6,870 1.36 0.68 $43.84 $91,180
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 6,230 2.69 1.36 $41.84 $87,040
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 6,160 4.50 2.27 $40.60 $84,440
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 4,790 1.34 0.67 $39.82 $82,830
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 4,340 2.59 1.31 $40.98 $85,240
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 4,300 3.58 1.81 $39.45 $82,060
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 4,140 4.35 2.19 $47.35 $98,490
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 4,120 1.85 0.93 $37.65 $78,300




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Carson City, NV 230 8.64 4.36 $34.10 $70,930
Olympia, WA 680 7.16 3.62 $34.98 $72,760
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 1,420 7.00 3.53 $41.91 $87,180
Pueblo, CO 360 6.54 3.30 $42.93 $89,300
Yuba City, CA 230 6.47 3.27 $46.90 $97,550
Anchorage, AK 1,020 6.07 3.06 $44.91 $93,420
College Station-Bryan, TX 560 6.06 3.06 $28.34 $58,950
Fairbanks, AK 200 5.62 2.83 $40.57 $84,380
Ames, IA 220 5.48 2.77 (8) (8)
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 420 5.34 2.69 $39.78 $82,750




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Salinas, CA 220 1.46 0.74 $53.53 $111,340
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 2,730 2.84 1.44 $50.45 $104,930
Lafayette, LA 260 1.81 0.91 $50.43 $104,880
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 8,940 3.50 1.77 $49.75 $103,480
Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division 2,000 3.59 1.81 $49.56 $103,090
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,910 2.18 1.10 $49.39 $102,730
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 120 1.03 0.52 $49.31 $102,560
Naples-Marco Island, FL 120 1.08 0.55 $48.59 $101,080
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 630 2.46 1.24 $47.68 $99,180
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 4,140 4.35 2.19 $47.35 $98,490

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 570 5.92 2.99 $44.99 $93,580
Southwestern Montana nonmetropolitan area 540 4.60 2.32 $31.64 $65,810
West Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 420 2.80 1.42 $33.92 $70,560
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 410 2.60 1.31 $36.16 $75,220
Other New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 380 3.89 1.96 $31.82 $66,190

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 200 6.12 3.09 $28.07 $58,390
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 570 5.92 2.99 $44.99 $93,580
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 330 5.75 2.90 $43.62 $90,740
Eastern Sierra Region of California nonmetropolitan area 70 5.33 2.69 $42.36 $88,100
Southeast Alaska nonmetropolitan area 180 5.24 2.65 $41.51 $86,340

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area 100 2.48 1.25 $54.67 $113,720
Western New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 40 0.73 0.37 $46.32 $96,340
East Idaho nonmetropolitan area 70 1.38 0.69 $45.25 $94,120
Southwest Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 570 5.92 2.99 $44.99 $93,580
Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area 170 2.41 1.21 $44.74 $93,060


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012