Civil Engineer Salary in Salt Lake City, UT
Civil Engineers in the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area earn a median $98,800 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $74,856 take-home, or $6,238 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median civil engineer salary in Salt Lake City, UT. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$12,906
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,126
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,433
- Utah income tax$3,480
- Take-home pay$74,856
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.50% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Civil Engineer pay by experience in Salt Lake City, UT
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $62,280 | $29.94 | $50,385 | $4,199 |
| 25th percentile | $81,000 | $38.94 | $63,135 | $5,261 |
| Median (50th) | $98,800 | $47.50 | $74,856 | $6,238 |
| 75th percentile | $125,790 | $60.48 | $92,549 | $7,712 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $150,100 | $72.16 | $108,071 | $9,006 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Utah resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $98,800 buys in Salt Lake City, UT
Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 0.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.23× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median civil engineer's $74,856 take-home pay has the buying power of $74,212 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Salt Lake City, UT has 1.5× 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
Salt Lake City, UT ranks #19 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 |
| 19 | Salt Lake City, UT | $98,800 | $74,856 | $74,212 |
*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 Salt Lake City, UT?
The median civil engineer salary in the Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro area is $98,800 a year, or about $47.50 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $81,000 and $125,790.
What is a civil engineer’s take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT?
On the median $98,800 salary, a single filer living in Utah takes home about $74,856 a year ($6,238 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,480 in Utah taxes in 2026.
Is Salt Lake City, UT a good place to work as a civil engineer?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $100,840. Local prices are 0.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $74,212 would in a typical U.S. city. Salt Lake City, UT ranks #19 of 33 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a civil engineer afford rent in Salt Lake City, UT?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Salt Lake City, UT is $1,426 a month ($1,717 for two bedrooms) — 23% of a median civil engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Salt Lake City, UT
- Industrial Engineer — $105,920