Civil Engineer.
Jackson.
$80,000
median salary, 20% below the national average
$63,000 to $102,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
A Civil Engineer in Jackson earns a median of $80,000 in 2026. That is 20% below the national average. The range runs from $63,000 to $102,000, and where you land depends on your experience, your skills, and how well you negotiate. PE licensure is nearly essential for advancement and adds significant salary premium. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Civil Engineer in Jackson, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $100,170 for Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) in the Jackson, MS metropolitan area, based on 430 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$54,950
25th percentile
$75,730
Median
$100,170
75th percentile
$120,630
90th percentile
$168,370
Workers surveyed
430
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051) rather than Civil Engineer specifically. The Jackson range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2051Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $72,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$52,000
to $64,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$68,000
to $84,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$88,000
to $104,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$100,000
to $124,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $22,000 to the total package.
Base
$80,000
Equity
$12,000
Bonus
$8,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $102,000
How Jackson compares.
Jackson, MS
$80,000
Cost of living: 21% below average
National Average
$100,000
Jackson is $20,000 below
Civil Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in Jackson.
What you should know.
The Civil Engineer landscape in Jackson is not what most salary sites will tell you. Jackson is Mississippi's capital and largest city, with an economy driven by government, healthcare, and energy. The University of Mississippi Medical Center is a major employer. Jackson offers some of the lowest living costs in the country, making even moderate salaries deliver substantial purchasing power. PE licensure is nearly essential for advancement and adds significant salary premium. Specialization in transportation, water resources, or geotechnical engineering pays more than general site development. Geographic demand driven by infrastructure spending varies widely, with high-growth Sun Belt metros offering the best compensation packages.
Entry-level civil engineers (EIT) start at $68,000 to $78,000. Licensed PEs earn $86,000 to $112,000 after four to six years. Project managers reach $110,000 to $145,000, with principals at engineering firms earning $150,000 to $200,000 or more. In Jackson, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 21% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Consulting firms offer bonuses of 5 to 10% tied to project billing targets. Government civil engineers receive pension benefits, step increases, and strong job security. Many firms cover PE exam costs and provide annual professional development stipends. And on the tax side: mississippi's top income tax rate is 5%. Jackson has no city income tax. The very low cost of living means take home pay goes further here than almost any other metro. When someone quotes you $80,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Benchmark against regional healthcare and government pay scales. Jackson employers offer competitive benefits packages to compensate for lower base salaries. The range for Civil Engineers in Jackson runs from $63,000 to $102,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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- A Physical Therapist in Jackson earns $79,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
Civil Engineer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Jackson.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Civil Engineer Salary in Jackson, MS." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/civil-engineer/jackson
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