Civil engineer pay in Detroit, MI
Civil engineers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a typical $92,550 a year. The middle half earn $76,300 to $106,970, and the top 10% earn more than $129,700. About 3,870 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Civil Engineers, SOC 17-2051).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $64,000 |
| 25th percentile | $76,300 |
| Median (typical) | $92,550 |
| 75th percentile | $106,970 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $129,700 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 45 of 50 large metros for civil engineers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $92,550, a single filer keeps about $68,000 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and Michigan state and local (about $2,221) income tax. Prices in Detroit are about the US average, so that take-home buys what $67,800 would in a typical US city. That ranks Detroit No. 47 of 50 large metros for civil engineers after cost of living.
Where civil engineers’ pay goes furthest
- Sacramento, CA$130,150 typical · worth $86.6k
- San Jose, CA$130,280 typical · worth $83.7k
- Las Vegas, NV$106,110 typical · worth $83.3k
- Memphis, TN$96,100 typical · worth $82.9k
All 50 metros for civil engineers →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among civil engineers in Detroit. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 1 employer here filed pay above the typical rate in government filings; your check shows how many pay more than you.
Common questions
How much does a civil engineer make in Detroit, MI?
The typical (median) civil engineer in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earns $92,550 a year. The middle half earn between $76,300 and $106,970, and the top 10% earn more than $129,700. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a civil engineer in Detroit?
Anything above $92,550 pays more than half of civil engineers in Detroit. $106,970 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $129,700 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a civil engineer in Detroit take home after taxes?
At the typical $92,550, a single filer keeps about $68,000 a year ($5,670 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, Michigan state, and local income tax. With local prices about the US average, that buys what $67,800 would in a typical US city.
Where do civil engineers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical civil engineer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in Sacramento, CA, San Jose, CA, Las Vegas, NV. Detroit, MI ranks No. 47.
More: Civil engineer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in Detroit, MI
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.