Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV · CBSA 47900
Civil Engineer Salary in Washington, D.C.
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for civil engineers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against District of Columbia and the national benchmark.
Civil Engineers in Washington, D.C. earn a median of $100,370 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $82,220–$129,460; the top 10% earn $162,060. That is 1% above the national median and 2% below the District of Columbia median. BLS reports 8,280 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$100,370
+1% vs national
Top 10% earn
$162,060
90th percentile
Employed in metro
8,280
Reliability Good (7.7% RSE)
Civil Engineer pay — Washington, D.C. vs District of Columbia vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $66,780 | +1% |
| 25th percentile | $82,220 | +4% |
| Median50th percentile | $100,370 | +1% |
| 75th percentile | $129,460 | +1% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $162,060 | +1% |
| Meanaverage | $108,530 | +1% |
How concentrated civil engineers are in Washington, D.C.
Location quotient compares local concentration to the national rate. Above 1.00 means this metro employs the occupation more densely than the country overall.
Location quotient
1.15
Jobs per 1,000
2.65
Metro rank (pay)
#77 of 373
All engineering roles
$144,482
Washington, D.C. employs civil engineers at close to the national rate (location quotient 1.15).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a civil engineer make in Washington, D.C.?
Does Washington, D.C. pay more than the rest of District of Columbia?
Where does Washington, D.C. rank nationally for civil engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2051 (Civil Engineers), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →