Median annual earnings of civil engineers were $60,070 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $48,360 and $74,700. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $39,960, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $91,010. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of civil engineers in 2002 were:

Federal government .....................................................  $67,410
Local government ........................................................  $62,210
Architectural, engineering, and related services................  $59,060
State government ........................................................  $58,350
Nonresidential building construction ..............................  $54,190

According to a 2003 salary survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, bachelor’s degree candidates in civil engineering received starting offers averaging $41,669 a year; master’s degree candidates received an average offer of $47,245, and Ph.D. candidates were offered $69,079, on average, as an initial salary.

*Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.