Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA make a median of $87,510 a year, or about $42.07 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $101,226 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,044/month, or 17.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $88K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kingsport-Bristol
Pay for civil engineers in Kingsport-Bristol runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $101K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,044/month, 17.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kingsport-Bristol can be a reasonable trade-off for civil engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for civil engineers in metros near Kingsport-Bristol, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $99K | $102K |
| Knoxville | $96K | $104K |
| Memphis | $96K | $104K |
| Chattanooga | $96K | $105K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $60K 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 Kingsport-Bristol numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kingsport-Bristol?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 17.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,044/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Kingsport-Bristol?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,787/month. At HUD’s $1,044/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in Kingsport-Bristol?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $88K here vs. $101K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kingsport-Bristol compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Kingsport-Bristol pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $87,510 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,120, and experienced civil engineers can clear $122,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,829/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 17.9% 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 Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $101,226 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.