Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Chico, CA make a median of $107,350 a year, or about $51.61 an hour. The range runs from $71K at the entry level to $163K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.2), that's roughly $106,077 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,625/month, or 24.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $107K get you in Chico?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chico’s Regional Price Parity (101.2). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in Chico
Civil engineers pay in Chico tracks closely to the national median, $107K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,625/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 101.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for civil engineers in metros near Chico, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $109K | $96K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $130K | $113K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $109K | $97K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $130K | $122K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chico, CA
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $71K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $163K or more, a $91K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Civil Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $123K | +21% | 55,180 |
| Alaska | $115K | +14% | 1,670 |
| Washington | $110K | +9% | 12,590 |
| Massachusetts | $107K | +6% | 9,450 |
| Louisiana | $105K | +5% | 3,780 |
| Oregon | $105K | +4% | 4,890 |
| New Jersey | $105K | +4% | 6,900 |
| Nevada | $104K | +3% | 3,560 |
| New Mexico | $104K | +3% | 1,350 |
| District of Columbia | $104K | +3% | 1,650 |
| New York | $104K | +3% | 17,500 |
| Connecticut | $103K | +2% | 4,370 |
| Nebraska | $103K | +2% | 2,360 |
| South Carolina | $102K | +1% | 7,180 |
| Minnesota | $101K | +1% | 4,710 |
| Colorado | $101K | +1% | 13,290 |
| Kentucky | $101K | +0% | 2,690 |
| North Carolina | $101K | -0% | 12,810 |
| Maryland | $101K | -0% | 5,240 |
| Delaware | $100K | -1% | 920 |
| Mississippi | $100K | -1% | 1,770 |
| Illinois | $100K | -1% | 13,910 |
| Rhode Island | $99K | -2% | 1,270 |
| Alabama | $99K | -2% | 5,370 |
| Oklahoma | $99K | -2% | 2,180 |
| New Hampshire | $99K | -2% | 1,620 |
| South Dakota | $99K | -2% | 1,440 |
| Florida | $99K | -2% | 23,750 |
| Indiana | $98K | -3% | 4,030 |
| North Dakota | $98K | -3% | 1,380 |
| Idaho | $98K | -3% | 2,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | -3% | 15,870 |
| Maine | $98K | -3% | 1,240 |
| Virginia | $97K | -4% | 11,350 |
| Kansas | $97K | -4% | 2,880 |
| Texas | $97K | -4% | 34,870 |
| Utah | $97K | -4% | 5,670 |
| Iowa | $96K | -4% | 2,500 |
| Ohio | $96K | -5% | 10,560 |
| Tennessee | $96K | -5% | 5,790 |
| Vermont | $96K | -5% | 770 |
| Wisconsin | $95K | -6% | 7,410 |
| Hawaii | $94K | -7% | 2,640 |
| Montana | $93K | -8% | 1,870 |
| Missouri | $93K | -8% | 5,760 |
| Michigan | $92K | -9% | 7,760 |
| Wyoming | $91K | -10% | 990 |
| Arizona | $90K | -11% | 5,940 |
| West Virginia | $87K | -14% | 1,300 |
| Arkansas | $85K | -16% | 1,870 |
| Georgia | $84K | -16% | 9,400 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track civil engineers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chico?
Yes — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 25.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,625/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Chico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $71K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,284/month. At HUD’s $1,625/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in Chico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $107K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Chico compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Chico pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $106K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Chico, CA?
The median is $107,350 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $71,400, and experienced civil engineers can clear $162,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Chico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,482/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,625/month, which eats 25.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a civil engineers salary go in Chico?
Chico has a Regional Price Parity of 101.2 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median civil engineers salary is worth about $106,077 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.