Civil Engineer Salary in Columbus, OH
Civil Engineers in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $99,010 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $76,543 take-home, or $6,379 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median civil engineer salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$12,952
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,139
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,436
- Ohio income tax$1,940
- Take-home pay$76,543
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $2,475 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $74,068 ($6,172 a month). Choose “Columbus” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Civil Engineer pay by experience in Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $68,340 | $32.86 | $55,810 | $4,651 |
| 25th percentile | $78,620 | $37.80 | $62,759 | $5,230 |
| Median (50th) | $99,010 | $47.60 | $76,543 | $6,379 |
| 75th percentile | $127,940 | $61.51 | $95,977 | $7,998 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $169,390 | $81.44 | $123,168 | $10,264 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $99,010 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median civil engineer's $76,543 take-home pay has the buying power of $80,176 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Civil Engineer jobs are about as common in Columbus, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.01).
Best-paying cities for civil engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #8 of 33 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $130,150 | $90,657 | $84,988 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $130,280 | $90,732 | $82,168 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $116,480 | $90,774 | $81,680 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $100,470 | $79,511 | $81,079 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $100,950 | $79,848 | $80,958 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh, PA | $100,680 | $76,568 | $80,877 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $98,860 | $74,669 | $80,686 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $99,010 | $76,543 | $80,176 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 33 metros →
About the job: civil engineers
Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +6.4% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a civil engineer make in Columbus, OH?
The median civil engineer salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $99,010 a year, or about $47.60 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $78,620 and $127,940.
What is a civil engineer’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $99,010 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $76,543 a year ($6,379 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,940 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a civil engineer?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $100,840. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $80,176 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #8 of 33 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a civil engineer afford rent in Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 18% of a median civil engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Columbus, OH
- Mechanical Engineer — $100,730
- Industrial Engineer — $100,570