Salary report · Seattle, WA

What is the average Civil Engineer salary in Seattle, WA?

Civil Engineers in Seattle earn a median of $124,700 per year — about 30% above the national average. Pay ranges from $89,800 (25th percentile) to $193,300 (90th percentile).

25th percentile
$89,800
Median
$124,700
75th percentile
$159,600
90th percentile
$193,300
YoY change
+5.1%

Civil Engineer salary by experience level

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$81,100
Mid · 3–5 yrs
$124,700
Senior · 6–8 yrs
$159,600
Lead · 8+ yrs
$180,800

How Seattle pay compares

Seattle median$124,700
National median$95,890
Cost-of-living adjusted(COL index 158)$78,900

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

5-year salary trend

$102K
2022
$107K
2023
$113K
2024
$119K
2025
$125K
2026

Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 5.1%.

Civil Engineer job market in Seattle

Seattle is home to Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing and a thriving startup scene. Washington has no state income tax, which boosts net pay vs California.

An estimated 6,600 civil engineers work in the Seattle metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:

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

Related job salaries in Seattle

Civil Engineer salary in other cities

FAQ

How much does a Civil Engineer make in Seattle, WA?+

Civil Engineers in Seattle earn a median of $124,700 per year — about 30% above the national average of $95,890.

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

Entry-level Civil Engineers in Seattle typically earn around $81,100 per year. Salaries scale to about $180,800 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.

Is $124,700 a good Civil Engineer salary in Seattle?+

$124,700 is the median, meaning half of Civil Engineers in Seattle earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 158, that's roughly $78,900 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.

How fast is Civil Engineer pay growing in Seattle?+

Civil Engineer salaries in Seattle grew about 5.1% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +5%.

Where do Civil Engineers in Seattle get paid the most?+

The 90th percentile Civil Engineer salary in Seattle is around $193,300. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.

Are you being paid fairly in Seattle?

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

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