Sources: Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Kentucky state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 16, 2026. These are the ranges Kentucky sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Engineer-In-Training I Class 20001397 · class description Grade 13 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,339.22 a month $40,071 a year |
Grade 13 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,561.84 a month $42,742 a year |
Grade 13 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,272.46 a month $51,270 a year |
Grade 13 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,557.28 a month $54,687 a year |
| Engineer-In-Training II Class 20001398 · class description Grade 14 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $3,672.84 a month $44,074 a year |
Grade 14 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $3,917.68 a month $47,012 a year |
Grade 14 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,699.50 a month $56,394 a year |
Grade 14 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $5,012.80 a month $60,154 a year |
| Engineer I Class 20001403 · class description Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,444.06 a month $53,329 a year |
Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,740.32 a month $56,884 a year |
Grade 16 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $5,686.20 a month $68,234 a year |
Grade 16 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $6,065.28 a month $72,783 a year |
| Transportation Engineer I Class 20001434 · class description Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,444.06 a month $53,329 a year |
Grade 16 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $4,740.32 a month $56,884 a year |
Grade 16 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $5,686.20 a month $68,234 a year |
Grade 16 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $6,065.28 a month $72,783 a year |
| Engineer II Class 20001404 · class description Grade 17 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,888.34 a month $58,660 a year |
Grade 17 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $5,214.22 a month $62,571 a year |
Grade 17 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $6,254.30 a month $75,052 a year |
Grade 17 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $6,671.26 a month $80,055 a year |
| Transportation Engineer II Class 20001435 · class description Grade 17 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $4,888.34 a month $58,660 a year |
Grade 17 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $5,214.22 a month $62,571 a year |
Grade 17 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $6,254.30 a month $75,052 a year |
Grade 17 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $6,671.26 a month $80,055 a year |
| Transportation Engineer Specialist Class 20001428 · class description Grade 18 · Salary Schedule, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $5,377.30 a month $64,528 a year |
Grade 18 · Salary Schedule, 40-Hour Work Week | $5,735.78 a month $68,829 a year |
Grade 18 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 37.5-Hour Work Week | $6,880.26 a month $82,563 a year |
Grade 18 SER · Special Entrance Rate, 40-Hour Work Week | $7,338.94 a month $88,067 a year |
Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Kentucky Classified and Unclassified 37.5 and 40-Hour Salary Schedule (effective September 16, 2026) and Job Class Specifications. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Kentucky, all employers Sourced
Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) in Kentucky, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | KY |
|---|---|
| Workers | 2,690 |
| 10th percentile | $65,660 |
| Median | $100,930 |
| 90th percentile | $143,680 |
| National median, government employers | $108,820 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Kentucky
FE Civil (Fundamentals of Engineering — Civil)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep- NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil Construction ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil Engineering ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil Geotechnical ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil Transportation ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil: Structural ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NCEES PE Civil: Water Resources and Environmental ExamEntrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Civil Engineer (DOT / city / county) page.