Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Michigan make a median of $92,100 a year, or about $44.28 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $98,094 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,272/month, or 21.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $92K get you in Michigan?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in Michigan
Civil engineers pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $92K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,272/month, 22% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Michigan
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $92K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in Michigan
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $107K | +17% | 80 |
| Ann Arbor | $98K | +6% | 220 |
| Midland | $97K | +5% | 50 |
| Monroe | $97K | +5% | 50 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $96K | +4% | 240 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $96K | +4% | 730 |
| Battle Creek | $96K | +4% | 50 |
| Traverse City | $94K | +2% | 120 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $93K | +1% | 70 |
| Niles | $93K | +1% | 70 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $93K | +1% | 710 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $93K | +0% | 3,870 |
| Bay City | $86K | -7% | 50 |
| Flint | $82K | -11% | 190 |
| Saginaw | $81K | -12% | 170 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
Yes — at the median salary of $92K, rent takes 22% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,835/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $92K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Michigan pays $92K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — below the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Michigan?
The median is $92,100 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,920, and experienced civil engineers can clear $130,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $92K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,772/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 22% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $98,094 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.