Civil Engineer Salary: Phoenix, AZ vs Austin, TX
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Civil Engineers in Phoenix, AZ and Austin, TX, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Phoenix, AZ | Austin, TX | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $90,330 | $100,470▲ | -$10,140 |
| 25th Percentile | $77,750 | $80,070▲ | -$2,320 |
| 75th Percentile | $108,510 | $128,890▲ | -$20,380 |
| 90th Percentile | $139,240 | $162,770▲ | -$23,530 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 103.3 | 98.1 | +5.2 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $87,431 | $102,451▲ | -$15,020 |
| Total Employment | 4,690 | 4,940 | -250 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Austin, TX pays $10,140 more (median: $90,330 vs $100,470). BEA's regional price parity is 103.3 in Phoenix, AZ and 98.1 in Austin, TX (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $87,431 and $102,451, so Austin, TX comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $10,140 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: $87,431 for Phoenix and $102,451 for Austin, a difference of $15,020.
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 (Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 4,690 Civil Engineer jobs in the Phoenix area and 4,940 in the Austin area. For broader context, see our Arizona overview and the full Civil Engineer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Civil Engineer salary higher in Phoenix, AZ or Austin, TX?
Austin, TX has the higher median wage for Civil Engineers ($100,470 per year, against $90,330 in Phoenix, AZ; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $87,431 in Phoenix, AZ and $102,451 in Austin, TX.
How do prices compare between Phoenix, AZ and Austin, TX?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 103.3 for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metropolitan area and 98.1 for the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 3.3% above the national level for Phoenix, AZ and 1.9% below the national level for Austin, TX.
Which city pays Civil Engineers more once local prices are counted?
Austin, TX: at national-average prices its median Civil Engineer wage is $102,451, against $87,431 for Phoenix, AZ. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.