Civil Engineer Salary: Charlotte, NC vs San Francisco, CA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Civil Engineers in Charlotte, NC and San Francisco, CA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | San Francisco, CA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $102,370 | $130,160▲ | -$27,790 |
| 25th Percentile | $79,280 | $103,030▲ | -$23,750 |
| 75th Percentile | $129,680 | $163,150▲ | -$33,470 |
| 90th Percentile | $164,990 | $202,730▲ | -$37,740 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 97.3 | 115.6 | -18.3 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $105,159 | $112,582▲ | -$7,423 |
| Total Employment | 3,730 | 10,990 | -7,260 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, San Francisco, CA pays $27,790 more (median: $102,370 vs $130,160). BEA's regional price parity is 97.3 in Charlotte, NC and 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $105,159 and $112,582, so San Francisco, CA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $27,790 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $105,159 for Charlotte and $112,582 for San Francisco, a difference of $7,423.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 3,730 Civil Engineer jobs in the Charlotte area and 10,990 in the San Francisco area. For broader context, see our North Carolina overview and the full Civil Engineer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Civil Engineer salary higher in Charlotte, NC or San Francisco, CA?
San Francisco, CA has the higher median wage for Civil Engineers ($130,160 per year, against $102,370 in Charlotte, NC; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $105,159 in Charlotte, NC and $112,582 in San Francisco, CA.
How do prices compare between Charlotte, NC and San Francisco, CA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 97.3 for the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan area and 115.6 for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 2.7% below the national level for Charlotte, NC and 15.6% above the national level for San Francisco, CA.
Which city pays Civil Engineers more once local prices are counted?
San Francisco, CA: at national-average prices its median Civil Engineer wage is $112,582, against $105,159 for Charlotte, NC. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.