Sources: North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR), North Carolina Class Specifications and Graded Salary Schedules (DT, HP, LG, MH, NC, SW); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
North Carolina state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective February 1, 2026. These are the ranges North Carolina sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Engineer I Class 32001163 · class description Grade NC16 | $57,983 – $101,470 a year |
| Engineer II Class 32001164 · class description Grade NC18 | $63,927 – $111,871 a year |
| Engineer III Class 32001165 · class description Grade NC20 | $70,478 – $123,336 a year |
Schedule: Salary Schedule NC. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR), North Carolina Class Specifications and Graded Salary Schedules (DT, HP, LG, MH, NC, SW). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in North Carolina, all employers Sourced
Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) in North Carolina, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | NC |
|---|---|
| Workers | 12,810 |
| 10th percentile | $70,760 |
| Median | $100,730 |
| 90th percentile | $160,520 |
| 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 North Carolina
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.