Entry-level Civil Engineer salary in Portland, OR
Based on 22 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Hillsboro, Gresham, Tigard, Vancouver, Beaverton.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $75,300 |
| 25th | $78,146 |
| 50th (median) | $84,777 |
| 75th | $87,335 |
| 90th | $98,523 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $66,634 | $64,775 | $68,750 | 18 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2022 | $68,390 | $65,749 | $74,950 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $75,877 | $75,000 | $79,152 | 14 |
| FY2024 | $76,908 | $75,041 | $79,500 | 14 |
| FY2025 | $80,400 | $76,500 | $86,973 | 11 |
| FY2026 | $86,000 | $80,000 | $91,905 | 11 |
Cost of living
Portland's median entry-level Civil Engineer salary of $84,777 is worth about $80,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Portland = 105.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Portland, OR area earned a median of $106,280 in May 2025 (4,180 employed). The H-1B median here is $84,777, 20% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Global Transportation Engineering | too few | 2 |
| Mott MacDonald Group | too few | 2 |
| Oscar Renda Contracting | 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 | $84,777 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,309 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | $112,000 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
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 | $78,000 | $84,777 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,702 | $98,309 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,405 | $112,000 | 13 |
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.