Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA make a median of $130,150 a year, or about $62.57 an hour. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $176K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.67), so that salary is closer to $122,012 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,255/month, or 29.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $130K get you in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom’s Regional Price Parity (106.67). 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom sits well above the national pay line for civil engineers, local pay runs about 29% higher than the U.S. median of $101K. Rent runs $2,255/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 7% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.67), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for civil engineers in metros near Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $109K | $96K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $130K | $113K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $109K | $97K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $115K | $108K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $130K. Top earners bring in $176K or more, a $94K 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Yes — at the median salary of $130K, rent takes 29.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,255/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,901/month. At HUD’s $2,255/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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Local pay is 29% above the national median — $130K here vs. $101K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 7% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom pays $130K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA?
The median is $130,150 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $81,680, and experienced civil engineers can clear $175,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $130K enough to live in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,622/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,255/month, which eats 29.6% 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 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom has a Regional Price Parity of 106.67 (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 $122,012 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.