Civil Engineer Hourly Pay in Watertown, SD: $44.40 (2026)
Quick Answer:Hourly pay for a civil engineer working in Watertown, SD runs $44.40 at the median for 2026 — annualizing to $92,348 at a standard 2,080-hour year. Figures projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 17-2051). Weighted against Watertown's regional price level (BEA RPP 92.8, 7% below national), each hour of work buys what $47.84 nationally would. A 24-hour part-time schedule grosses $55,408 per year.
Based on BLS state-level estimates · View source
Civil engineers in Watertown, South Dakota, can expect a median hourly pay of $44.40 in 2026. This figure falls below the national median hourly rate of $49.76, reflecting the regional variances in both cost of living and market demand. For civil engineers working part-time—say, three days a week—their earnings translate to approximately $34,272 annually, making it essential to evaluate part-time opportunities carefully. Typical work environments for these professionals include consulting firm offices equipped with CAD, Revit, and AutoCAD, construction site field offices, and public agencies like state DOTs. Hourly rates in Watertown can vary significantly, ranging from $31.98 for entry-level positions to as much as $67.93 for top-tier professionals, illustrating a broad spectrum of earning potential that is reflective of experience and specialization within this engineering field.
About the Watertown Market
Salary estimated from South Dakota average ($82,000) adjusted for local cost of living.
Civil Engineer Hourly Wage Breakdown
| Percentile | Hourly Rate | Per 8hr Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $31.98 | $255.84 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $35.96 | $287.69 |
| Median (P50) | $44.40 | $355.18 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $55.78 | $446.24 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $67.93 | $543.45 |
Estimated Annual Income by Work Schedule in Watertown
Based on $44.40/hr median hourly rate · 2026 est.
At $44.40/hr, a civil engineer working full-time (40 hr/wk) in Watertown, SD can expect to earn approximately $92,347 per year (2026 est.). Part-time hygienists working 24 hours per week would earn around $53,277. With a cost-of-living index of 92.80 (below the national average), these earnings stretch further in Watertown.
Hourly Rate Calculator
Schedule Comparison in Watertown
| Schedule | Weekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time (40 hrs) | $1,775.91 | $7,696 | $92,347 |
| Part-Time (24 hrs) | $1,065.55 | $4,617 | $55,408 |
| Per Diem (16 hrs) | $710.36 | $3,078 | $36,939 |
Compare CE, PE Wages With Similar Roles
| Role | Median Hourly |
|---|---|
| Civil Engineer (Watertown) | $44.40 |
| Mechanical Engineer (National Avg) | $48.61 |
| Electrical Engineer (National Avg) | $54.18 |
| Architect (National Avg) | $45.72 |
| Construction Manager (National Avg) | $51.87 |
Civil Engineers in Watertown, SD earn a median of $92,348 per year (2026 est.), which is 10.77% lower than the national median of $103,492 and 3.80% below the South Dakota state average of $95,995.
Civil Engineer Hourly Pay vs. Cost of Living
Working 24h/week at $44.40/hr = $55,408/year (purchasing power: $59,707).
Working 40h/week (full-time) = $92,347/year (purchasing power: $99,512).
CoL index: 92.8 (100 = national average). Your dollars stretch further here.
2019 BLS Actual
$37.35/hr
2025 BLS Actual
$43.26/hr
2026 Current Est.
$44.40/hr
2019–2027 Growth
+22.0%
Hourly Rate Trajectory for Civil Engineers in Watertown (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 2.63% projection.
| Year | Hourly Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $37.35/hr | Actual |
| 2020 | $38.00/hr | Actual |
| 2021 | $37.77/hr | Actual |
| 2022 | $38.58/hr | Actual |
| 2023 | $41.14/hr | Actual |
| 2024 | $35.18/hr | Actual |
| 2025 | $43.26/hr | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $44.40/hr | Estimated |
| 2027 | $45.57/hr | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS metropolitan area data, the median hourly rate for civil engineers in Watertown grew 15.8% from $37.35/hr (2019) to $43.26/hr (2025). At a 2.63% projected growth rate, hourly pay is expected to reach $45.57/hr by 2027. Part-time and per-diem civil engineers can use this multi-year trend to benchmark future contract negotiations.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Watertown metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 2.63% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Working as an Hourly Civil Engineer in Watertown
Evaluating the full-time versus part-time context reveals noteworthy gross annual earnings differences. A civil engineer retaining a 3-day-a-week schedule comes away with far less than their full-time counterparts, who earn a median hourly pay that sums to approximately $92,348 each year. Many civil engineers also navigate the per-diem or contracted work environment in Watertown, where 1099 arrangements can lead to billing rates anywhere from $100 to $180 per hour. Notably, specialized functions within the field, such as structural engineering or expert witness services, may command rates from $250 to $500 per hour. Compensation structures differ vastly depending on employer type; firms like AECOM and WSP offer stable hourly wages in exchange for benefits, while larger construction companies or government contracts may present higher pay but without insurance incentives, forcing engineers to weigh the trade-offs attentively. When negotiating hourly pay, engineers should underscore their value, consider the local demand within this growing sector fueled by infrastructure spending increases, and prepare to demonstrate how their experience aligns with company needs in the ever-evolving civil engineering landscape in Watertown.
More salary data for Watertown, SD:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Jordan Chen, P.E.
Career Analyst
Jordan Chen has 10 years of experience in structural engineering. He works primarily in urban infrastructure projects.
Methodology & Data Source
Hourly wage figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 2.63% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to estimate current 2026 hourly rates for civil engineers in Watertown. Part-time and full-time income estimates assume consistent weekly hours and do not account for overtime, benefits, or seasonal variation.
Data Sources & Methodology
Salary data for Watertown is estimated from official BLS state-level occupational wage data (2025), adjusted for regional cost-of-living differences using BEA RPP (Regional Price Parities).
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.63%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for civil engineers (SOC 17-2051).
Compiled and verified by Jordan Chen, P.E., a licensed civil engineer with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov