The AES 2027 U.S. Engineering Leadership Salary Report

ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP SALARY REPORT 2027

What engineering leaders are paid across the U.S.

The AES 2027 U.S. Engineering Leadership Salary Report brings together the latest official pay data for engineering managers, civil engineers, construction managers and senior executives. It covers Florida, Texas, California, New York, the Northeast and the Southeast, plus 11 major metro areas. We built it for boards and hiring leaders who need a realistic engineering leadership salary benchmark before they plan a senior hire in 2027.

Every figure is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and linked to its source, so you can check it. Where BLS does not cover a title, such as VP of Engineering or COO, we say so and show the closest public benchmark instead. In addition, Alexander Executive Search works with engineering firms of every size, from national and international firms to growing regional businesses, and this report is free to use.

KEY FINDINGS

Engineering leadership salary: the headline numbers

First, here are the figures that matter most for senior hiring. After that, we set out what stood out in the data.

$171,270

U.S. median

for architectural and engineering managers, the closest BLS category to engineering directors and VPs.

$210,280

California median

the highest of the four states in this report, 23% above the national figure.

$205,130

Boston median

the highest of the 11 metro areas we analyzed, for engineering managers.

$450,100

90th percentile

for chief executives in U.S. architectural and engineering firms.

What stood out in the data

  • The national baseline: the median architectural and engineering manager earned $171,270 in May 2025, and the 90th percentile was $262,760. For comparison, the median was $100,840 for civil engineers and $114,990 for construction managers.
  • Florida and Texas track the national median: engineering managers had a median of $170,740 in Florida and $171,370 in Texas, against $171,270 nationally. By contrast, New York was $175,710 and California $210,280.
  • The top of the market is in Boston, New York and Austin: those three metros had the highest 90th percentile pay for engineering managers, at $290,440, $289,560 and $288,330.
  • Orlando leads Florida: its engineering manager median of $177,990 was the highest of the four Florida metros, while Miami, at $167,160, was the lowest of all 11 metros.
  • The Northeast pays about 8% more: by our calculation from BLS state data, the average engineering manager wage was $184,590 in the Northeast and $170,180 in the Southeast.
  • Executive pay sits well above the occupational data: for example, chief executives in architectural and engineering firms had a median of $219,190 and a 90th percentile of $450,100, before bonuses and equity.
  • Heavy civil CEO pay scales with revenue: our 2026 search data shows President/CEO base targets rising from $225K–$300K at contractors with $25M–$75M in revenue to $425K–$550K+ at $500M+.

Methodology: where the numbers come from

All U.S. pay figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 estimates, the latest release. We used the official state, metro area and industry-specific estimates and the downloadable data files on the BLS OEWS tables page.

OEWS reports straight-time gross pay. It includes base pay, incentive pay and production bonuses, but it excludes non-production and year-end bonuses, profit sharing, stock bonuses, relocation allowances and benefits (BLS OEWS FAQ). As a result, the figures understate total pay for senior leaders, whose packages often include a large bonus or equity element.

First, we focus on three occupations: architectural and engineering managers (SOC 11-9041), civil engineers (17-2051) and construction managers (11-9021). In addition, for executive titles we also use chief executives (11-1011) and general and operations managers (11-1021) inside engineering and construction industries. Similarly, regional averages are our own employment-weighted calculation from the published state figures. The AES search data comes from our own searches and is labelled as such. However, it is not BLS data, and none of the figures in this report are offers or recommendations for an individual role.

BY ROLE

Engineering leadership salary by role

Table 1 shows pay across all industries. In contrast, Table 2 shows the same roles inside engineering and design firms and heavy civil contractors, which is closer to the market most of our clients hire in.

Table 1. U.S. pay by occupation, all industries (annual wages)
Occupation (SOC code) Employment 25th percentile Median 75th percentile 90th percentile
Chief executives (11-1011) 204,350 $129,540 $213,990 $356,200 $507,730
General and operations managers (11-1021) 3,503,020 $72,320 $105,770 $167,280 $253,390
Architectural and engineering managers (11-9041) 220,260 $139,360 $171,270 $212,500 $262,760
Construction managers (11-9021) 380,360 $88,550 $114,990 $151,640 $189,440
Civil engineers (17-2051) 367,840 $79,930 $100,840 $129,680 $163,220

Engineering leadership salary inside engineering firms and contractors

Table 2. Pay inside engineering firms and heavy civil contractors, United States (annual wages)
Occupation, industry Employment 25th percentile Median 75th percentile 90th percentile
Architectural and engineering managers, architectural, engineering and related services 57,730 $135,120 $168,410 $209,240 $255,730
Chief executives, architectural, engineering and related services 3,180 $149,480 $219,190 $342,870 $450,100
General and operations managers, architectural, engineering and related services 56,390 $107,720 $164,460 $218,180 $293,460
Construction managers, architectural, engineering and related services 11,690 $103,960 $132,020 $167,260 $211,190
Civil engineers, architectural, engineering and related services 201,620 $79,660 $100,640 $130,060 $165,150
Chief executives, heavy and civil engineering construction 1,260 $144,210 $224,170 $306,440 $435,740
General and operations managers, heavy and civil engineering construction 30,320 $96,970 $133,930 $197,580 $276,230
Architectural and engineering managers, heavy and civil engineering construction 1,040 $134,030 $168,160 $207,270 $241,580
Construction managers, heavy and civil engineering construction 49,180 $97,980 $124,430 $156,200 $189,980
Civil engineers, heavy and civil engineering construction 11,850 $77,750 $93,350 $111,750 $137,730

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 national estimates; BLS OEWS, May 2025 national industry-specific estimates. However, industry figures are national only.

BY STATE

Engineering leadership salary in Florida, Texas, California and New York

California pays engineering managers the most of the four states. However, Florida and Texas both sit very close to the national median.

Table 3. Architectural and engineering managers by state (annual wages)
Area Employment 25th percentile Median 75th percentile 90th percentile
United States 220,260 $139,360 $171,270 $212,500 $262,760
Florida 8,710 $138,760 $170,740 $208,370 $251,590
Texas 19,030 $144,340 $171,370 $216,670 $277,790
California 29,630 $169,140 $210,280 $251,890 $296,130
New York 8,250 $149,070 $175,710 $215,140 $274,870
Table 4. Civil engineers and construction managers by state (annual wages)
Area Civil engineers: median Civil engineers: 90th Construction managers: median Construction managers: 90th
United States $100,840 $163,220 $114,990 $189,440
Florida $98,570 $166,680 $113,130 $209,450
Texas $96,860 $164,330 $101,470 $166,800
California $122,500 $175,940 $133,160 $211,970
New York $103,760 $169,050 $155,360 $244,590

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 state estimates. State names link to each BLS state profile.

BY REGION

Northeast and Southeast compared

The Northeast pays more for all three roles, most of all for construction managers. For engineering managers, for example, the average was $184,590 in the Northeast against $170,180 in the Southeast.

Table 5. Northeast and Southeast at a glance (annual wages)
Region Occupation Employment Average wage (AES calculation) Range of state medians
Northeast Architectural and engineering managers 38,790 $184,590 $145,720 (Maine) to $201,430 (Massachusetts)
Southeast Architectural and engineering managers 32,510 $170,180 $142,790 (Mississippi) to $170,740 (Florida)
Northeast Civil engineers 58,990 $110,990 $95,600 (Vermont) to $106,730 (Massachusetts)
Southeast Civil engineers 68,760 $103,900 $84,240 (Georgia) to $101,600 (South Carolina)
Northeast Construction managers 41,020 $145,030 $103,450 (Vermont) to $155,360 (New York)
Southeast Construction managers 85,730 $121,630 $96,960 (Alabama) to $113,130 (Florida)

State-by-state medians in each region

Table 6. Median annual wage by state, Northeast and Southeast
State Region Architectural and engineering managers Civil engineers Construction managers
Connecticut Northeast $175,490 $103,150 $125,190
Maine Northeast $145,720 $97,820 $110,070
Massachusetts Northeast $201,430 $106,730 $145,010
New Hampshire Northeast $172,240 $98,710 $129,260
New Jersey Northeast $180,640 $104,660 $138,230
New York Northeast $175,710 $103,760 $155,360
Pennsylvania Northeast $164,690 $97,850 $108,250
Rhode Island Northeast $175,910 $99,300 $103,990
Vermont Northeast $157,710 $95,600 $103,450
Alabama Southeast $162,350 $99,010 $96,960
Florida Southeast $170,740 $98,570 $113,130
Georgia Southeast $161,470 $84,240 $110,810
Kentucky Southeast $147,680 $100,930 $97,020
Mississippi Southeast $142,790 $100,170 $99,520
North Carolina Southeast $167,840 $100,730 $106,640
South Carolina Southeast $169,040 $101,600 $108,110
Tennessee Southeast $161,430 $95,910 $110,200

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 state estimates. Northeast is the nine states of the U.S. Census Bureau Northeast region. Southeast is the eight states of the BLS Southeast region. The average wage is an AES calculation: the employment-weighted mean of the published state mean wages. Medians cannot be combined across states, so we show the range of state medians instead.

BY METRO

Engineering leadership salary in 11 major metros

These are the metro areas where we run most of our searches. In general, medians tell you what a typical manager earns. However, the 90th percentile is a better guide for senior leaders.

Table 7. Architectural and engineering managers by metro area (annual wages)
Metro area Employment 25th percentile Median 75th percentile 90th percentile
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,610 $132,350 $167,160 $203,900 $239,990
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 1,480 $137,270 $169,310 $205,740 $260,000
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 1,780 $158,600 $177,990 $213,580 $259,070
Jacksonville, FL 660 $134,270 $167,800 $209,490 $249,530
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 5,970 $141,460 $172,160 $219,080 $271,240
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 5,330 $155,420 $172,020 $217,550 $285,950
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 3,130 $158,690 $176,540 $223,490 $288,330
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 7,580 $157,290 $183,890 $222,800 $289,560
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 6,690 $167,540 $205,130 $226,770 $290,440
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 5,060 $141,790 $171,140 $204,630 $249,020
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,500 $161,470 $185,220 $215,010 $259,680
Table 8. Civil engineers and construction managers by metro area (annual wages)
Metro area Civil engineers: median Civil engineers: 90th Construction managers: median Construction managers: 90th
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $83,750 $165,880 $126,110 $214,820
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $100,570 $170,110 $120,800 $212,960
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $100,740 $165,320 $108,010 $205,840
Jacksonville, FL $102,280 $161,180 $107,200 $199,910
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $96,920 $158,170 $103,550 $166,770
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $100,950 $168,240 $103,530 $170,590
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $100,470 $162,770 $102,980 $169,110
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $107,330 $176,400 $158,000 $250,520
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $107,670 $167,360 $156,470 $217,860
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $99,410 $147,960 $124,990 $204,560
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $101,780 $159,990 $129,650 $207,160

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 metropolitan area estimates. Metro names link to each BLS area profile. “n/a” means BLS did not publish that estimate.

More East Coast states and metros

Some searches cover a whole state or a smaller metro market. Of these nine markets, Massachusetts has the highest median for engineering managers ($201,430). Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC has the lowest ($161,340). The national median is $171,270.

Table 9. More East Coast markets: states and smaller metros (annual wages)
Area Engineering managers: median Engineering managers: 90th Civil engineers: median Construction managers: median
United States $171,270 $262,760 $100,840 $114,990
New Jersey (state) $180,640 $275,950 $104,660 $138,230
Massachusetts (state) $201,430 $286,410 $106,730 $145,010
Pennsylvania (state) $164,690 $221,940 $97,850 $108,250
District of Columbia (state) $185,220 $225,080 $103,880 $126,430
Virginia (state) $176,160 $253,060 $97,120 $119,110
Trenton-Princeton, NJ (metro) $196,870 $276,380 $101,090 $127,940
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA (metro) $164,150 $218,490 $93,830 $106,720
Richmond, VA (metro) $167,170 $236,770 $91,300 $110,350
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC (metro) $161,340 $216,030 $94,680 $105,240

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 state estimates and metropolitan area estimates. “Engineering managers” means architectural and engineering managers. Area names link to each BLS area profile.

EXECUTIVE TITLES

VP, director and C-suite engineering pay

BLS does not publish pay for titles such as VP of Engineering, COO or Water Director. So, for each title we show the closest BLS benchmark, alongside the placement ranges from our own searches.

Firm leadership: President, COO and regional roles

Table 10. Firm leadership: closest BLS benchmark and AES search data
Title Closest BLS benchmark (national) Median 75th percentile 90th percentile AES search data or market range
President or CEO, engineering and design firm Chief executives, architectural, engineering and related services $219,190 $342,870 $450,100 AES search data: $300,000 to $396,000+.
President or CEO, heavy civil contractor Chief executives, heavy and civil engineering construction $224,170 $306,440 $435,740 AES search data (2026): base $300K–$450K ($450K–$550K+ at large contractors); total $400K–$750K+. See Table 13.
Chief Operating Officer (COO) General and operations managers, architectural, engineering and related services $164,460 $218,180 $293,460 Published market range (not AES data): total annual package of $280,000 to $550,000, rising to $600,000 to $1.2M+ for complex, multi-site or PE-backed roles (JOH Partners via AssessYou). Glassdoor’s average total pay for a COO was about $319,000 in May 2026 (My Personal Recruiter).
Operations Director, contractor General and operations managers, heavy and civil engineering construction $133,930 $197,580 $276,230 AES search data (2026): base $180K–$240K ($240K–$300K at large contractors); total $220K–$375K. See Table 13.
Regional Vice President General and operations managers, architectural, engineering and related services $164,460 $218,180 $293,460 AES search data: total pay including bonus of $250,000 to $400,000 for top-performing regional executives managing major portfolios (AES benchmark).

Engineering leadership salary for VP and director roles

Table 11. VP and director roles: closest BLS benchmark and market data
Title Closest BLS benchmark (national) Median 75th percentile 90th percentile AES search data or market range
VP of Engineering Architectural and engineering managers, architectural, engineering and related services $168,410 $209,240 $255,730 AES search data: $340,000 to $475,000 total target pay for national scope, and $425,000 to $625,000+ with more than $150M of revenue responsibility (AES benchmark).
VP of Civil Engineering Architectural and engineering managers, architectural, engineering and related services $168,410 $209,240 $255,730 AES search data (2026): base $220K–$300K ($300K–$375K+ at large contractors); total $275K–$475K+. See Table 13.
Director of Engineering Architectural and engineering managers, architectural, engineering and related services $168,410 $209,240 $255,730 Published market range (not AES data): base $185K–$300K ($185K–$235K for first-line directors); total pay about $300K to $1.2M+. Reflects tech-sector employers (KORE1).

Practice, project and public-sector leadership

Table 12. Practice, project and public-sector roles: closest BLS benchmark and AES search data
Title Closest BLS benchmark (national) Median 75th percentile 90th percentile AES placement range
Project Executive, heavy civil Construction managers, highway, street and bridge construction $129,170 $160,990 $195,770 AES search data (2026): base $195K–$250K ($250K–$300K+ at large contractors); total $240K–$375K. See Table 13.
Water/Wastewater Director Architectural and engineering managers, water, sewage and other systems $142,760 $182,690 $227,340 AES search data (2026): base $190K–$240K ($240K–$285K+ at large contractors); total $225K–$350K. See Table 13.
Transportation Director Architectural and engineering managers, highway, street and bridge construction $165,610 $193,370 $248,800 AES search data (2026): base $200K–$250K ($250K–$300K+ at large contractors); total $240K–$375K. See Table 13.
Land Development Director General and operations managers, land subdivision $158,930 $224,310 $345,670 AES search data (2026): base $180K–$225K ($225K–$260K+ at large contractors); total $215K–$325K. See Table 13.
Public-agency engineering director (city or county) Architectural and engineering managers, local government $160,240 $181,470 $217,870 AES search data (2026): base $150K–$190K ($190K–$225K+ at large contractors); total $170K–$250K. See Table 13.

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 national industry-specific estimates. BLS does not publish pay by job title, so each title is matched to the closest occupation and industry. These are proxies, not title data. The last column shows AES search data from our own searches or, where labelled, a published market range.

HEAVY CIVIL CONTRACTORS

Heavy civil contractor pay bands for 2027 planning

These bands come from our 2026 searches with established heavy civil contractors. Unlike BLS data, they show base and total compensation for specific titles, and for President/CEO roles they show how pay scales with contractor revenue.

Table 13. Heavy civil contractor pay bands, 2026 (AES search data)
Role Typical base Strong or large contractor base Typical total compensation
President/CEO, heavy civil contractor $300K–$450K $450K–$550K+ $400K–$750K+
VP Civil Engineering / VP Civil Construction $220K–$300K $300K–$375K+ $275K–$475K+
Operations Director $180K–$240K $240K–$300K $220K–$375K
Project Executive, heavy civil $195K–$250K $250K–$300K+ $240K–$375K
Water/Wastewater Director $190K–$240K $240K–$285K+ $225K–$350K
Transportation Director $200K–$250K $250K–$300K+ $240K–$375K
Land Development Director $180K–$225K $225K–$260K+ $215K–$325K
Public agency engineering director $150K–$190K $190K–$225K+ $170K–$250K

President/CEO pay by contractor revenue

Table 14. President/CEO pay by contractor revenue, 2026 (AES search data)
Contractor annual revenue Base target Likely total package
$25M–$75M $225K–$300K $275K–$400K
$75M–$150M $275K–$350K $350K–$475K
$150M–$300M $325K–$425K $425K–$600K
$300M–$500M $375K–$475K $500K–$700K
$500M+ $425K–$550K+ $600K–$1M+

What else goes into a contractor package

At private or employee-owned firms, the package can go well beyond base. A bonus (often 30% to 50%), profit share, ESOP or other equity, a vehicle and long-term incentives often add 25% to 35% on top of base.

For context, published market data points the same way. The Kimmel & Associates 2025 General Construction Compensation Review shows President/CEO base salary ranges of $300K–$500K in Texas, $300K–$450K in Florida, $425K–$500K in California and $340K–$525K in New York and New Jersey. Note that it covers general construction rather than heavy civil only. Similarly, Salary.com puts the average U.S. civil engineering director salary at $195,961, with a 90th percentile of $222,306 (July 2026).

Source: AES search data (2026), based on our own searches with established contractors in infrastructure, highways and bridges, water and wastewater, utilities, earthwork and site development. Context figures as linked above.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR HIRING

How to use engineering leadership salary data in a senior hire

Public data starts a pay conversation; it does not end it. So, here is how to use it.

Budget from the 75th to 90th percentile

Medians include managers at every level. Therefore, for a VP or director who will lead a business unit, the 75th to 90th percentile is usually the more realistic starting point. Nationally, that is $212,500 to $262,760 for engineering managers, before bonus.

Price the metro, not just the state

State figures hide big local differences. In Florida, for example, the engineering manager median ranges from $167,160 in Miami to $177,990 in Orlando, and Austin’s 90th percentile is $288,330, well above the Texas figure of $277,790.

Plan for the Northeast gap

When you recruit a Northeast leader into a Southeast role, expect to bridge a gap of about 8% on average base pay for engineering managers. In addition, relocation support, a clear incentive plan and the scope of the role often matter as much as base salary.

Look beyond base pay

OEWS leaves out year-end bonuses, profit sharing and equity, which make up much of an executive package. That is why we define the role with RoleDNA™ Mapping first, then test the pay range against the real candidate market before outreach begins.

We work with engineering firms of every size, and a smaller firm can still win a strong leader with the right scope, incentive and story. 96% of the leaders we place are still in their role after 12 months, and 96% are still there after 24 months. In addition, 98% of the searches we take on end with a candidate placed. See how we run a VP of Engineering executive search or our executive search process for engineering firms under $120M.

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Download the full 2027 salary report

Get every table on this page in one branded PDF, including the AES search data and published market ranges for each executive title, the heavy civil contractor bands and our notes on how packages are structured. It is free, and there is no form to fill in.

We can also benchmark a specific role for you, confidentially, before you commit to a search. Speak to a partner.

RELATED PAGES

Engineering executive search where you are hiring

For local market detail, see our state pages for Florida, Texas and New York, and our pages for Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC and Virginia. You can also see our city pages for Miami, Tampa, Dallas, Houston and Austin.

To see how we assess candidates, read about RoleDNA™ Mapping. For more on pay, see our 2026 VP of Engineering compensation benchmark. You can also browse the engineering leadership roles we recruit and our discipline pages for transportation, water and wastewater and land development.

Engineering leadership salary: FAQs

What is the typical engineering leadership salary in the U.S.?

In May 2025, the median annual wage for architectural and engineering managers was $171,270, and the 90th percentile was $262,760 (BLS OEWS). Senior leaders often earn more once bonus and equity are included.

Which metro pays engineering managers the most?

Of the 11 metros in this report, Boston had the highest median for architectural and engineering managers, at $205,130. Boston also had the highest 90th percentile, at $290,440 (BLS OEWS, Boston metro).

Do these figures include bonuses and equity?

Only partly. OEWS includes incentive pay and production bonuses, but it excludes year-end and other non-production bonuses, profit sharing and stock bonuses. So, for executives, total pay is usually higher than the figures shown.

Why is there no BLS figure for a VP of Engineering or a COO?

Because BLS publishes pay by occupation, not by job title, it has no title-level figures. As a result, we match each executive title to the closest occupation and industry, and we add ranges from our own closed searches.

Do you work with smaller engineering firms?

Yes. We work with engineering firms of every size, and growing firms under $120M can also use our dedicated executive search process.

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