Civil engineering requires incredibly prepared professionals that have invested in their education to perform essential duties for our society, and their compensation usually reflects that.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a civil engineer has a median annual wage of $87,060, which is more than double the median wage for all occupations in the United States.
The highest-earning 10% of civil engineers made more than $144,560 per year, reports the BLS.
Civil engineering technicians work closely with civil engineers in the same projects and require only an associate degree and training in civil engineering technology.
The BLS states that the median annual wage for these technicians in May 2019 was $53,410.
The highest paying industries for civil engineering technicians are in local government with a median salary of $60,510, whereas the lowest paying industry is in state government with a median wage of $45,440, reported the BLS.