The pay trend for civil engineers continues to point up.
The “2018 ASCE Civil Engineering Salary Report” shows a median $106,500 pre-tax annual income for civil engineers – a significant increase from the $101,000 figure in the 2017 salary report.
“Civil engineers are the creators and stewards of the infrastructure systems we use each day, and the rise in salaries shows that the marketplace values our services,” said ASCE President Kristina Swallow.
Likewise, the median base salary for civil engineers has increased from $88,000 in 2014 to $104,000 in ASCE’s latest report.
The 2018 ASCE Salary Report is derived from survey responses by ASCE members. This year, 6,385 Society members participated, providing an invaluable snapshot of industry trends by sector, discipline, region, and a host of other qualifiers.
The typical respondent is male, about 43 years old, holds a bachelor’s or advanced degree, has about 18 years of professional experience, and is professionally licensed.
Other notable findings from the report:
• The West Coast (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California) is the highest-paid region in the United States. Civil engineers there bring home a median salary of $114,000.
• Construction, with a median salary of $122,000, is the most lucrative engineering discipline.
• The median salary for a civil engineer with a bachelor’s degree is $97,000, while that figure rises to an average $113,000 for a CE with a Professional Engineer license.
Still lagging behind
Last March, ASCE News examined various factors that may have been responsible for a gender wage gap found in the 2017 salary report.
This year, the findings indicate that the pay gap for women and underrepresented groups is widening. Women’s median salary is $86,463, while men draw $108,000, for a gap of $21,537. Last year, the gap was $18,467, with women earning a median $82,924 while men earned $101,391. Hispanic and African-American respondents earned median incomes of $91,874 and $87,500, respectively, according to the 2018 report.
“It is disheartening to see that a pay gap persists for women and underrepresented groups,” Swallow said. “ASCE is working to make the profession more inclusive, but like many industries we have a way to go to achieve pay equity.”
Find out what you’re worth
With the 2018 report’s release, ASCE members (who have paid their current-year dues) get five free data uses of the salary calculator. The powerful tool determines an engineer’s expected income based on a variety of factors, including discipline, experience level, and location.
