Civil engineer pay in San Jose, CA
Civil engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a typical $130,280 a year. The middle half earn $100,300 to $166,320, and the top 10% earn more than $205,330. About 3,170 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 | $81,790 |
| 25th percentile | $100,300 |
| Median (typical) | $130,280 |
| 75th percentile | $166,320 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $205,330 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 1 of 50 large metros for civil engineers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $130,280, a single filer keeps about $92,400 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Jose are 10% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $83,700 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Jose No. 2 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
- Las Vegas, NV$106,110 typical · worth $83.3k
- Memphis, TN$96,100 typical · worth $82.9k
- Oklahoma City, OK$98,960 typical · worth $82.5k
All 50 metros for civil engineers →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among civil engineers in San Jose. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 2 employers 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 San Jose, CA?
The typical (median) civil engineer in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earns $130,280 a year. The middle half earn between $100,300 and $166,320, and the top 10% earn more than $205,330. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a civil engineer in San Jose?
Anything above $130,280 pays more than half of civil engineers in San Jose. $166,320 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $205,330 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a civil engineer in San Jose take home after taxes?
At the typical $130,280, a single filer keeps about $92,400 a year ($7,700 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 10% above the US average, that buys what $83,700 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, Las Vegas, NV, Memphis, TN. San Jose, CA ranks No. 2.
More: Civil engineer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Jose, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.