Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Indiana make a median of $98,270 a year, or about $47.25 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $140K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $107,036 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 18.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $98K get you in Indiana?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in Indiana
Civil engineers pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $140K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in Indiana
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | $103K | +4% | 80 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $102K | +4% | 2,000 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $99K | +1% | 60 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $96K | -2% | 180 |
| Terre Haute | $94K | -4% | 40 |
| Fort Wayne | $89K | -10% | 250 |
| Evansville | $88K | -11% | 180 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $87K | -11% | 90 |
| Michigan City-La Porte | $73K | -26% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,852/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Indiana pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $107K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Indiana?
The median is $98,270 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,200, and experienced civil engineers can clear $140,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,210/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 18.4% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median civil engineers salary is worth about $107,036 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.