Salary report · Los Angeles, CA

What is the average Civil Engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA?

Civil Engineers in Los Angeles earn a median of $110,300 per year — about 15% above the national average. Pay ranges from $79,400 (25th percentile) to $171,000 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$79,400
Median
$110,300
75th percentile
$141,200
90th percentile
$171,000
YoY change
+4.7%

Civil Engineer salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$71,700
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$110,300
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$141,200
Lead · 8+ yrs
$159,900

How Los Angeles pay compares

Los Angeles median$110,300
National median$95,890
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 173)$63,800

Cost-of-living adjusted is the Los Angeles salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.

5-year salary trend

$92K
2022
$96K
2023
$101K
2024
$105K
2025
$110K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 4.7%.

Civil Engineer job market in Los Angeles

LA is the entertainment and aerospace capital of the US, with strong tech and healthcare sectors. Salaries run 15–30% above national average; California state taxes are among the highest.

An estimated 13,900 civil engineers work in the Los Angeles metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

  • Design infrastructure
  • Review construction plans
  • Conduct site inspections
  • Calculate load and stress
  • Prepare cost estimates

Related job salaries in Los Angeles

Civil Engineer salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a Civil Engineer make in Los Angeles, CA?+

Civil Engineers in Los Angeles earn a median of $110,300 per year — about 15% above the national average of $95,890.

What's the entry-level Civil Engineer salary in Los Angeles?+

Entry-level Civil Engineers in Los Angeles typically earn around $71,700 per year. Salaries scale to about $159,900 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $110,300 a good Civil Engineer salary in Los Angeles?+

$110,300 is the median, meaning half of Civil Engineers in Los Angeles earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 173, that's roughly $63,800 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is Civil Engineer pay growing in Los Angeles?+

Civil Engineer salaries in Los Angeles grew about 4.7% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +5%.

Where do Civil Engineers in Los Angeles get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile Civil Engineer salary in Los Angeles is around $171,000. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in Los Angeles?

Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the Los Angeles median.

Check my salary →

Stay Ahead With RealProfits

Get practical insights, new tools, and smarter ways to think about money, work, and your future.