Entry-level Civil Engineer salary in Raleigh, NC
Based on 49 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cary, Holly Springs, Apex, Morrisville, Youngsville.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $67,978 |
| 25th | $71,656 |
| 50th (median) | $74,006 |
| 75th | $82,014 |
| 90th | $90,401 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $63,500 | $61,318 | $70,013 | 25 |
| FY2021 | $69,680 | $65,270 | $70,800 | 25 |
| FY2022 | $70,000 | $64,750 | $73,000 | 13 |
| FY2023 | $73,254 | $66,269 | $77,400 | 18 |
| FY2024 | $74,006 | $68,203 | $77,001 | 27 |
| FY2025 | $76,076 | $68,500 | $83,504 | 26 |
| FY2026 | $71,656 | $71,656 | $79,820 | 23 |
Cost of living
Raleigh's median entry-level Civil Engineer salary of $74,006 is worth about $75,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Raleigh = 98.2).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Raleigh, NC area earned a median of $101,440 in May 2025 (4,640 employed). The H-1B median here is $74,006, 27% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| WSP | too few | 5 |
| North Carolina State University | too few | 5 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group | too few | 4 |
| GFT Infrastructure | too few | 3 |
| HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas | too few | 3 |
| IPS-Integrated Project Services | too few | 3 |
| Atcs | too few | 2 |
| Kleinfelder | too few | 2 |
| Mott MacDonald Group | too few | 2 |
| Skyrock Construction | 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 | $74,006 | 49 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,740 | 38 |
| Senior · Level III | $104,656 | 24 |
| Expert · Level IV | $125,000 | 19 |
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 | $71,656 | $74,006 | 49 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $87,984 | $90,740 | 38 |
| Senior · Level III | $104,312 | $104,656 | 24 |
| Expert · Level IV | $114,421 | $125,000 | 19 |
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.