Civil Engineer Salary in Kansas City, MO
Civil Engineers in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area earn a median $98,860 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $74,669 take-home, or $6,222 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median civil engineer salary in Kansas City, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$12,919
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,129
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,433
- Missouri income tax$3,709
- Take-home pay$74,669
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.70% state
Living in Kansas City, MO? City residents also pay Kansas City, MO’s Earnings Tax — about $989 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $73,680 ($6,140 a month). Choose “Kansas City, MO” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Kansas City, MO-KS metro spans Missouri, Kansas. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Civil Engineer pay by experience in Kansas City, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $68,040 | $32.71 | $54,436 | $4,536 |
| 25th percentile | $78,780 | $37.88 | $61,486 | $5,124 |
| Median (50th) | $98,860 | $47.53 | $74,669 | $6,222 |
| 75th percentile | $127,270 | $61.19 | $93,211 | $7,768 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $155,110 | $74.57 | $110,931 | $9,244 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $98,860 buys in Kansas City, MO
Prices in Kansas City, MO are 7.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 13% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median civil engineer's $74,669 take-home pay has the buying power of $80,686 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Kansas City, MO has 1.2× the national concentration of civil engineer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for civil engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Kansas City, MO ranks #7 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.
Civil Engineer salaries elsewhere in Missouri
- St. Louis, MO — $96,830
Frequently asked questions
How much does a civil engineer make in Kansas City, MO?
The median civil engineer salary in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area is $98,860 a year, or about $47.53 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $78,780 and $127,270.
What is a civil engineer’s take-home pay in Kansas City, MO?
On the median $98,860 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $74,669 a year ($6,222 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,709 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is Kansas City, MO a good place to work as a civil engineer?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $100,840. Local prices are 7.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $80,686 would in a typical U.S. city. Kansas City, MO ranks #7 of 33 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a civil engineer afford rent in Kansas City, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Kansas City, MO is $1,193 a month ($1,355 for two bedrooms) — 19% of a median civil engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Kansas City, MO
- Mechanical Engineer — $99,630