Civil Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 530 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Herndon, Fairfax, Sterling, Reston, Arlington.
Also listed as: Structural Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $75,000 |
| 25th | $86,105 |
| 50th (median) | $105,000 |
| 75th | $126,200 |
| 90th | $145,530 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $75,000 | $65,270 | $83,533 | 198 |
| FY2021 | $82,000 | $66,560 | $90,000 | 202 |
| FY2022 | $84,000 | $70,040 | $100,506 | 253 |
| FY2023 | $85,000 | $75,600 | $104,000 | 175 |
| FY2024 | $92,780 | $84,219 | $120,500 | 280 |
| FY2025 | $100,920 | $83,257 | $122,300 | 282 |
| FY2026 | $108,347 | $90,938 | $128,092 | 248 |
Cost of living
Washington's median Civil Engineer salary of $105,000 is worth about $96,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Civil Engineers in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $101,780 in May 2025 (8,470 employed). The H-1B median here is $105,000, 3% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $136,150 | 128 |
| Dulles Engineering | $73,507 | 19 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group | $92,700 | 15 |
| WSP | $107,062 | 14 |
| Rummel, Klepper & Kahl | $102,679 | 10 |
| Stantec Consulting Services | too few | 8 |
| DPR Construction, A General Partnership | too few | 7 |
| HDR Engineering | too few | 7 |
| Ai Engineers | too few | 5 |
| Allan Myers | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $82,694 | 208 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,140 | 178 |
| Senior · Level III | $116,355 | 79 |
| Expert · Level IV | $142,765 | 56 |
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 | $71,906 | $82,694 | 208 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,938 | $100,140 | 178 |
| Senior · Level III | $108,347 | $116,355 | 79 |
| Expert · Level IV | $125,778 | $142,765 | 56 |
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.