Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Kennewick-Richland, WA make a median of $121,370 a year, or about $58.35 an hour. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $176K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.08), that's roughly $121,273 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,538/month, or 19.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $121K get you in Kennewick-Richland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kennewick-Richland’s Regional Price Parity (100.08). 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 Kennewick-Richland
Kennewick-Richland sits well above the national pay line for civil engineers, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $101K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,538/month, 19.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.08) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Kennewick-Richland offers a genuinely strong financial position for civil engineerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for civil engineers in metros near Kennewick-Richland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $116K | $105K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $108K | $104K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $101K | $100K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $116K | $110K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kennewick-Richland, WA
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $176K or more, a $97K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kennewick-Richland numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kennewick-Richland?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 19.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,538/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Kennewick-Richland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,759/month. At HUD’s $1,538/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $121K here vs. $101K nationally.
How does Kennewick-Richland compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Kennewick-Richland pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $121K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
The median is $121,370 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,310, and experienced civil engineers can clear $176,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Kennewick-Richland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,809/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,538/month, which eats 19.7% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Kennewick-Richland has a Regional Price Parity of 100.08 (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 $121,273 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.