Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Colorado make a median of $101,420 a year, or about $48.76 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $165K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $97,792 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,832/month, or 28% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $101K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About civil engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Colorado
Civil engineers pay in Colorado tracks closely to the national median, $101K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,832/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $165K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in Colorado
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $105K | +3% | 9,130 |
| Pueblo | $102K | +1% | 130 |
| Colorado Springs | $95K | -6% | 1,100 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $95K | -7% | 680 |
| Greeley | $93K | -9% | 370 |
| Grand Junction | $92K | -9% | 190 |
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
Yes — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 29.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,920/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Colorado?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $101K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Colorado pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — below the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Colorado?
The median is $101,420 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,810, and experienced civil engineers can clear $165,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,273/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 29.2% 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 Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (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 $97,792 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.