Are you considering a civil engineering career in Wisconsin, or looking to benchmark your current compensation?
We have conducted a comprehensive analysis of 731 civil engineering positions across Wisconsin to provide insights into the civil engineer salary landscape. This article details the civil engineer wages and Civil Engineer Salary in Wisconsin for 2025, exploring how much civil engineers make and the key factors that influence compensation as revealed by the data.
Average Civil Engineer Salary in Wisconsin
The median Wisconsin civil engineering salary is $102,805 USD per year or $49.43 USD per hour. This figure provides insight into how much civil engineers make in Wisconsin and serves as a benchmark for engineering salaries in the state. What’s particularly striking is that Wisconsin civil engineers earn significantly above the national median, reflecting the state’s robust infrastructure investment and growing demand for skilled professionals.
Salary Range Overview
Factors Influencing Civil Engineer Salaries
Educational Level
The education data reveals compelling insights about the value of advanced degrees in Wisconsin’s civil engineering market:
Here’s where it gets interesting: while a bachelor’s degree commands a solid salary, pursuing a master’s degree can increase your earning potential by nearly $10,000 annually. This 9% salary bump might seem modest compared to other engineering fields, but it represents a significant return on investment over a career span.
Civil engineering positions in Wisconsin predominantly require a civil engineering degree, with 78.27% of positions (508 jobs) listing a bachelor’s degree as the minimum requirement. The breakdown shows:
What’s particularly noteworthy is that Wisconsin’s civil engineering market is more accessible than many assume – nearly 8 in 10 positions only require a bachelor’s degree, making this an achievable career path for most engineering graduates.
Remote Work
The modern workplace has transformed how we think about compensation, and Wisconsin’s civil engineering market reflects this evolution:
Work Arrangement | Average Annual Salary (USD) | Number of Positions |
---|---|---|
Onsite | $99,976 | 467 |
Remote | $109,583 | 10 |
Hybrid | $110,507 | 254 |
Here’s a surprising finding: hybrid and remote positions command premium salaries – about $10,000 more than traditional onsite roles. This reflects the competitive market for civil engineers who can effectively manage infrastructure projects while offering flexibility. However, remote opportunities remain limited (only 10 positions), suggesting that the hands-on nature of civil engineering still requires significant in-person collaboration.
Years of Experience
The Wisconsin job market shows interesting patterns in experience requirements:
The data reveals several critical career inflection points for Wisconsin civil engineers:
The Two-Year Jump: The most significant salary acceleration occurs between years 1 and 2, with compensation jumping from $79,841 to $95,165 – a remarkable 19% increase. This suggests that once you prove your competency and move beyond the “new graduate” phase, employers recognize your value substantially.
The Five-Year Sweet Spot: A full 25.39% of all civil engineering positions in Wisconsin target candidates with exactly 5 years of relevant work experience, offering an average salary of $109,781. This appears to be the optimal balance point where engineers have enough experience to lead projects but haven’t yet moved into senior management roles.
The Experience Premium: Engineers with 8+ years of experience command $153,594 annually, representing more than double the entry-level salary. This demonstrates the strong earning potential for career-focused civil engineers in Wisconsin.
Seniority Level
The progression from entry-level to lead represents a 119% increase in compensation, highlighting the substantial value Wisconsin places on engineering leadership and expertise. Interestingly, the data shows that “Principal” level positions actually pay less than entry-level roles – this anomaly likely reflects differences in job classification systems between companies or potentially represent specialized consultant roles with different compensation structures.
Leadership Premium: The jump from Senior ($124,129) to Lead ($164,206) represents a $40,000 annual increase, demonstrating how Wisconsin companies reward engineers who can effectively manage teams and complex infrastructure projects.
Location
City | Average Annual Salary (USD) | Average Hourly Rate (USD) |
---|---|---|
Delafield | $160,000 | $76.92 |
Menomonie | $135,000 | $64.90 |
Ashwaubenon | $129,730 | $62.37 |
Middleton | $124,952 | $60.07 |
Milwaukee | $119,874 | $57.63 |
Kenosha | $117,500 | $56.49 |
Vernon | $117,500 | $56.49 |
Rice Lake | $115,183 | $55.38 |
Cedarburg | $115,000 | $55.29 |
Cottage Grove | $114,550 | $55.07 |
Delafield leads Wisconsin’s civil engineering compensation, offering salaries that rival major metropolitan areas. This premium likely reflects the city’s proximity to Milwaukee while maintaining lower overhead costs, creating an attractive value proposition for both employers and employees.
The Milwaukee Metro Advantage: Several cities in the greater Milwaukee area (Delafield, Middleton, Cedarburg) appear in the top rankings, suggesting that Wisconsin’s largest metropolitan area creates a competitive salary environment for civil engineers.
Regional Opportunities: Wisconsin faces nearly $11.8 billion in water project needs between now and 2040, with available funding expected to fall well short, creating significant opportunities for civil engineers across the state, not just in major metropolitan areas.
Top Paying Companies in Wisconsin
Here are the companies that consistently offer above-average salaries for civil engineers in Wisconsin, representing some of the highest paying civil engineering jobs in the state:
Company | Average Annual Salary (USD) | Average Hourly Rate (USD) |
---|---|---|
HNTB | $174,733 | $84.00 |
Brown and Caldwell | $147,500 | $70.91 |
AECOM | $133,926 | $64.39 |
Arcadis | $128,271 | $61.67 |
SRF Consulting Group | $118,917 | $57.17 |
HGA | $117,525 | $56.50 |
Stantec | $114,550 | $55.07 |
Baxter & Woodman | $112,500 | $54.09 |
HDR | $112,254 | $53.97 |
We Energies | $109,757 | $52.77 |
Jacobs | $107,741 | $51.80 |
Industry Diversity: These top-paying companies span various sectors including transportation consulting (HNTB), environmental engineering (Brown and Caldwell), global infrastructure (AECOM), and utilities (We Energies). This diversity indicates strong demand for civil engineering expertise across multiple industries in Wisconsin.
The HNTB Premium: HNTB’s average salary of $174,733 significantly exceeds the state median, likely reflecting the company’s focus on high-complexity transportation projects and infrastructure modernization – areas where federal infrastructure investments like the IIJA continue to benefit nonresidential building construction, including transportation, manufacturing, and utility facilities.
How to Maximize Your Civil Engineer Salary Potential in Wisconsin
Based on our comprehensive data analysis and current market trends, we recommend the following strategies to optimize your civil engineering salary in Wisconsin:
- Target the 2-3 Year Experience Mark – The most significant salary increase occurs at this career stage, representing your transition from junior to competent professional
- Consider Geographic Opportunities – Cities like Delafield and Menomonie offer premium compensation packages while potentially providing better work-life balance than major metropolitan areas
- Pursue Leadership Development – The progression to Lead level offers the highest compensation potential, with a $40,000+ premium over senior roles
Technical Competencies:
- AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and MicroStation for design work
- Project management software and methodologies
- Environmental compliance and sustainability practices
- Building information modeling (BIM), advanced materials like self-healing concrete, and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) improve project conceptualization and execution
Explore our article detailing the most required Civil Engineering Skills in 2025
Future Trends in Civil Engineering Salaries in Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s civil engineering field continues to evolve, driven by several key factors:
Infrastructure Investment Impact
Wisconsin’s construction industry is expected to see ongoing opportunities in transportation infrastructure, water line replacement, fiber optic construction, renewable energy, energy storage, conversion of coal power plants to natural gas, and technology-driven projects like data centers, provided federal investments remain intact.
Economic Outlook
The industry is cautiously optimistic about the 2025 economic forecasts that predict moderate economic growth, with nonresidential building construction activity projected to rise by 8%, due to significant investments in manufacturing, data centers and infrastructure.
The data presented in this article was compiled through an analysis of 731 civil engineering positions across Wisconsin. Salaries, required education levels, experience expectations, seniority titles, and locations were extracted and analyzed to identify trends and calculate average and median figures. The data analysis provides the most up-to-date information on civil engineer pay in Wisconsin, comparable to the ASCE salary report.
Conclusion
The civil engineering profession offers excellent earning potential across Wisconsin, with the median civil engineering salary reaching $102,805 USD annually. While education provides a strong foundation, experience and specialization significantly influence salary levels. Work arrangement flexibility and geographic location choices have equally important impacts on total compensation.
For civil engineers looking to maximize their earning potential in Wisconsin, a strategic approach combining technical skill development, professional certification, and leadership capabilities is essential. The construction industry is a crucial contributor to Wisconsin’s economy, with state and federal policymakers continuing to advocate for existing legislation and maintain appropriations to provide more funding through federal programs to improve roads and bridges.
Understanding salary trends and market dynamics will help you negotiate competitive compensation packages and advance your career effectively in Wisconsin’s thriving civil engineering market. Tools like the ASCE salary calculator can provide additional insights into your earning potential based on your specific qualifications and experience.