Entry-level Civil Engineer salary in Detroit, MI
Based on 45 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Dearborn, Novi, Farmington Hills, Wixom, Southfield.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $62,379 |
| 25th | $63,000 |
| 50th (median) | $66,737 |
| 75th | $70,000 |
| 90th | $74,882 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $57,990 | $57,098 | $60,000 | 23 |
| FY2021 | $60,000 | $57,637 | $65,000 | 25 |
| FY2022 | $60,000 | $58,952 | $60,000 | 18 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2025 | $64,740 | $62,379 | $66,693 | 30 |
| FY2026 | $66,976 | $66,976 | $71,000 | 15 |
Cost of living
Detroit's median entry-level Civil Engineer salary of $66,737 is worth about $66,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Detroit = 100.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Detroit, MI area earned a median of $92,550 in May 2025 (3,870 employed). The H-1B median here is $66,737, 28% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| LGC Global | $66,976 | 15 |
| Lakeshore Global | too few | 6 |
| Dlz | too few | 2 |
| F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates | too few | 2 |
| Major Contracting Group | too few | 2 |
| Timber Systems | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $66,737 | 45 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,631 | 40 |
| Senior · Level III | $96,840 | 22 |
| Expert · Level IV | $119,652 | 12 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $62,379 | $66,737 | 45 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $76,274 | $85,631 | 40 |
| Senior · Level III | $90,147 | $96,840 | 22 |
| Expert · Level IV | $108,514 | $119,652 | 12 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.