Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in New Jersey make a median of $104,660 a year, or about $50.32 an hour. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $169K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $105,355 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 32.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $105K get you in New Jersey?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in New Jersey
Civil engineers pay in New Jersey tracks closely to the national median, $105K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $2,067/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $169K or more, a $95K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in New Jersey
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton | $101K | -3% | 1,100 |
| Vineland | $101K | -4% | 60 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $99K | -5% | 170 |
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 32% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,478/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 New Jersey?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $105K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for civil engineers?
New Jersey pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $105K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in New Jersey?
The median is $104,660 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,640, and experienced civil engineers can clear $169,220. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,456/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 32% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a civil engineers salary go in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $105,355 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.