Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Virginia make a median of $97,120 a year, or about $46.69 an hour. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $151K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $102,458 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 26.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $97K get you in Virginia?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Civil engineers pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $97K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $151K or more, a $77K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester | $101K | +4% | 150 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $98K | +0% | 90 |
| Lynchburg | $96K | -1% | 170 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $95K | -3% | 1,990 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $94K | -3% | N/A |
| Richmond | $91K | -6% | 1,680 |
| Roanoke | $91K | -7% | 250 |
| Charlottesville | $89K | -8% | N/A |
| Harrisonburg | $79K | -19% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 27.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,440/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $97K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Virginia pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Virginia?
The median is $97,120 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,000, and experienced civil engineers can clear $150,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,970/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 27.6% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $102,458 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.