Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD make a median of $88,460 a year, or about $42.53 an hour. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $102,325 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,154/month, or 20.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $88K get you in Sioux City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux City’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
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What this looks like in Sioux City
Pay for civil engineers in Sioux City runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $101K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,154/month, 21% 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, Sioux City 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 Sioux City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $97K | $106K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $93K | $104K |
| Cedar Rapids | $96K | $107K |
| Ames | $100K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $139K or more, a $69K 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
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Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sioux City?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 21% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,154/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Sioux City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,186/month. At HUD’s $1,154/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in Sioux City?
Local pay runs 12% 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 Sioux City compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Sioux City pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?
The median is $88,460 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,760, and experienced civil engineers can clear $138,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Sioux City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,500/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,154/month, which eats 21% 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 Sioux City?
Sioux City 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 $102,325 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.