Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Nebraska make a median of $103,150 a year, or about $49.59 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $150K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $114,547 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,113/month, or 17.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nebraska. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $103K get you in Nebraska?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in Nebraska
Civil engineers pay in Nebraska tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,113/month, 17.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Nebraska
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $150K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in Nebraska
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha | $102K | -1% | 1,240 |
| Lincoln | $96K | -7% | 530 |
| Grand Island | $91K | -12% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nebraska numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nebraska?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 17.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Nebraska?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,137/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in Nebraska?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Nebraska compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Nebraska pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $115K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Nebraska?
The median is $103,150 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,950, and experienced civil engineers can clear $149,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Nebraska?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,338/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 17.6% 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 Nebraska?
Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 $114,547 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.