Expert Civil Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 56 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $122,100 |
| 25th | $126,542 |
| 50th (median) | $142,765 |
| 75th | $168,912 |
| 90th | $180,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2024 | $120,000 | $117,547 | $141,113 | 22 |
| FY2025 | $127,889 | $119,763 | $138,800 | 18 |
| FY2026 | $152,062 | $132,475 | $173,610 | 38 |
Cost of living
Washington's median expert Civil Engineer salary of $142,765 is worth about $131,100 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 $142,765, 40% higher.
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 | $168,735 | 11 |
| Hazen and Sawyer, D.P.C. | too few | 4 |
| WSP | too few | 2 |
| Ardent Company | too few | 2 |
| Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson | too few | 2 |
| Parsons Transportation Group | too few | 2 |
| Pini Group | 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 | $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.