9 of the Highest Paying Civil Engineering Designer Jobs in 2026

The best Civil Engineering Designer jobs can pay up to $140,000 per year.

High Paying Civil Engineering Designer Jobs

• Physical Design Engineer

  Salary range: $136,000 - $140,000

  The majority of Physical Design Engineer salaries across the United States currently range between $136,000 (25th percentile) and $140,000 (75th percentile) annually. Most people working in this role make similar salaries regardless of skill level, location and years of experience. Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Physical Design Engineer job market in the United States is somewhat active, with a few companies hiring.

• Drafting Supervisor

  Salary range: $72,500 - $103,000

  The majority of Drafting Supervisor salaries across the United States currently range between $72,500 (25th percentile) and $103,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Drafting Supervisor job market in the United States is somewhat active, with a few companies hiring.

• Civil Designer

  Salary range: $67,500 - $94,000

  A civil designer creates plans for the construction of municipal infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges. In this career, your duties and responsibilities revolve around using computer-aided design (CAD) software to create maps for these construction projects. You draft and scale the drawings to provide a basic outline and plan for the construction. Civil designers can operate in both commercial and residential areas, so you must be aware of municipal laws and regulations as they relate to these areas. Additionally, you work with the managers of the construction projects you design to determine the costs of the projects. You work on many different infrastructure projects, from basic road and traffic management to wastewater facilities and erosion control systems.

• Civil Drafting Technician

  Salary range: $55,500 - $84,000

  The majority of Civil Drafting Technician salaries across the United States currently range between $55,500 (25th percentile) and $84,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Civil Drafting Technician job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.

• Facility Designer

  Salary range: $59,500 - $79,500

  The majority of Facility Designer salaries across the United States currently range between $59,500 (25th percentile) and $79,500 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Facility Designer job market in the United States is somewhat active, with a few companies hiring.

• Civil Engineering Drafter

  Salary range: $62,500 - $70,500

  The majority of Civil Engineering Drafter salaries across the United States currently range between $62,500 (25th percentile) and $70,500 (75th percentile) annually. Most people working in this role make similar salaries regardless of skill level, location and years of experience. Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Civil Engineering Drafter job market in the United States is somewhat active, with a few companies hiring.

• Drawing Checker

  Salary range: $49,500 - $60,000

  A drawing checker reviews 3D models, concepts, and designs from engineers or drafters to ensure that they meet all technical specifications and are in compliance with national and international standards. Their duties and responsibilities include identifying technical issues and suggesting solutions. They also ensure that each drawing or draft provides a complete list of technical specifications to prevent problems during prototyping or production. The qualifications to become a drawing checker often include a technical certificate or an associate’s degree in drafting as well as experience.

• Civil Drafter

  Salary range: $43,000 - $58,500

  A civil drafter aids in the design of civil engineering projects, such as waterways, bridges, dams, and highways. As a civil drafter, your job duties include drawing topographical or relief maps of terrain set for construction and creating reports detailing your analysis of the area. You also use technology, such as CAD software, to create the drawings. The career typically requires an associate degree in a relevant field, such as design and drafting technology, and prior work experience in civil design. Additional qualifications include experience with a variety of visualization tools, knowledge of engineering principles, and strong analytical problem-solving skills.

• Drafting Technician

  Salary range: $40,000 - $54,000

  The majority of Drafting Technician salaries across the United States currently range between $40,000 (25th percentile) and $54,000 (75th percentile) annually. This moderate range of salaries suggests pay in this role will be consistent, regardless skill level, location and years of experience, though some advancement is possible. Based on recent job posting activity on ZipRecruiter, the Drafting Technician job market in the United States is not very active as few companies are currently hiring for this role. You can try exploring related titles to find jobs with more active opportunities.