Civil Engineer Salary in Florence, SC: $97,119 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time civil engineer in Florence, SC earns a median $97,119/year (≈ $46.70/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 17-2051). Once you factor in Florence's price level (13% below national, BEA RPP 86.8), that paycheck buys what $111,922 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 0.3% above the South Carolina state average.
Official BLS data · View source

In 2026, a civil engineer salary in Florence, South Carolina, is projected to reach a median of $97,119, which is slightly below the national median of $103,492. The salary landscape in this region shows a broad range, with entry-level positions starting at around $66,699, while the most experienced professionals can earn up to $134,025. These figures, derived from 2025 BLS OEWS data projected to 2026, reflect a growing market for civil engineers in Florence as the profession benefits from a strong local demand for infrastructure development, particularly due to initiatives like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) which stimulates job growth in engineering fields.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $66,699 | $32.07 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $76,942 | $36.99 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $97,119 | $46.70 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $129,847 | $62.43 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $134,025 | $64.44 |
Median Salary Position
6.16% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Florence
In Florence, SC, the civil engineer salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $67,326 (2026 est.). At $97,119, the local median is 6.16% below the national median of $103,492.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Florence: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Florence Civil Engineer Pay Compares
Florence median: $97,119/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Florence Pays |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina Average | $96,828 | +0.30% more |
| National Average | $103,492 | -6.16% less |
Civil Engineers in Florence, SC earn a median of $97,119 per year (2026 est.), which is 6.16% lower than the national median of $103,492 and 0.30% above the South Carolina state average of $96,828.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Florence has a cost of living 13.23% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Florence, SC has a cost-of-living index of 86.774 (below the national average of 100). A civil engineer earning $97,119 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $111,922 in an average-cost city — an effective 15.24% boost.
Compare Purchasing Power
Select a city to see how your salary compares after cost of living
Select a city above to compare purchasing power
2019 BLS Actual
$67,380
2025 BLS Actual
$94,630
2026 Current Est.
$97,119
2019–2027 Growth
+47.9%
Salary Trajectory for Civil Engineers in Florence (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 2.63% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $67,380 | Actual |
| 2020 | $63,790 | Actual |
| 2021 | $90,830 | Actual |
| 2022 | $76,610 | Actual |
| 2023 | $79,600 | Actual |
| 2024 | $92,720 | Actual |
| 2025 | $94,630 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $97,119 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $99,673 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Florence metropolitan area, the median civil engineer salary grew 40.4% from $67,380 (2019) to $94,630 (2025). At a 2.63% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $99,673 by 2027 — a total increase of $32,293 (47.93%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Florence 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.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $66,699 – $76,942 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $76,942 – $97,119 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $97,119 – $129,847 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $129,847 – $134,025 |
CE, PE salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual civil engineer compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Civil Engineer Job Market in Florence
Currently, Florence employs approximately 140 civil engineers, and the relatively low cost of living, with an index of 86.774, enhances the purchasing power of salaries in the area. Employers like AECOM, Jacobs, and WSP drive competitive salaries, especially for those holding a PE license, which unlocks opportunities for higher pay and advancement into senior roles. The disparity in civil engineer pay in Florence, SC, is influenced by factors such as specialization in fields like structural or transportation engineering, the tier of the employer—top consulting firms tend to offer better compensation compared to local government jobs—and the project management track versus the technical individual contributor (IC) path. Engineers looking to maximize their earnings in Florence should consider gaining diverse experiences or endorsements in high-demand specialties, as well as pursuing licensure to enhance career prospects.
More salary data for Florence, SC:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do civil engineers make in Florence, SC in 2026?
Is Florence, SC a good place to work as a civil engineer?
Can civil engineers make $100K in Florence?
What is the cost-of-living adjusted civil engineer salary in Florence?
How much does a civil engineer make per hour in Florence?
Related Pages
Compare Salaries
Career Resources
Nearby Cities in South Carolina
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
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $94,630 for civil engineersin the Florence metropolitan area. A 2.63% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
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