Entry-level Civil Engineer salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 86 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bellevue, Redmond, Renton, Woodinville, Tacoma.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $78,052 |
| 25th | $85,000 |
| 50th (median) | $85,894 |
| 75th | $92,092 |
| 90th | $97,089 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,000 | $68,000 | $72,500 | 53 |
| FY2021 | $71,500 | $67,350 | $77,850 | 46 |
| FY2022 | $72,135 | $67,350 | $84,131 | 32 |
| FY2023 | $80,000 | $73,174 | $90,000 | 39 |
| FY2024 | $81,000 | $77,148 | $86,345 | 53 |
| FY2025 | $85,068 | $79,524 | $91,646 | 47 |
| FY2026 | $89,144 | $85,800 | $92,262 | 39 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median entry-level Civil Engineer salary of $85,894 is worth about $77,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Seattle = 111.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Seattle, WA area earned a median of $116,480 in May 2025 (7,680 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,894, 26% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | too few | 8 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group | too few | 8 |
| Magnusson Klemencic Associates | too few | 8 |
| WSP | too few | 5 |
| HDR Engineering | too few | 5 |
| Kpff | too few | 5 |
| Integrated Design Engineers | too few | 4 |
| AECOM Technical Services | too few | 3 |
| Geoengineers | too few | 3 |
| The Lane Construction | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $85,894 | 86 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,036 | 88 |
| Senior · Level III | $121,232 | 35 |
| Expert · Level IV | $144,171 | 36 |
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 | $85,800 | $85,894 | 86 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,984 | $112,036 | 88 |
| Senior · Level III | $116,189 | $121,232 | 35 |
| Expert · Level IV | $131,373 | $144,171 | 36 |
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.