Civil Engineer vs Software Engineer Salary (2026)
Side-by-side salary comparison for civil engineers and software engineers. Software Engineers earn $67,421/yr globally — 22% more than civil engineers at $52,611/yr. Below: full breakdown by experience level and country.
Last updated · Annual USD, pre-tax
Salary by experience level
| Level | Civil Engineer | Software Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0–2 yrs) | $36,828 | $47,195 |
| Mid-level (3–5 yrs) | $52,611 | $67,421 |
| Senior (6+ yrs) | $73,655 | $94,389 |
Junior ≈ mid × 0.7, senior ≈ mid × 1.4. "Diff" shows how much more civil engineers earn vs software engineers.
Country-by-country comparison
Top 8 countries with data for both roles, sorted by combined pay (mid-level USD).
| Country | Civil Engineer | Software Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $98,000 | $145,000 |
| Australia | $105,000 | $108,000 |
| Germany | $64,000 | $78,000 |
| United Kingdom | $56,000 | $85,000 |
| United Arab Emirates | $50,000 | $70,000 |
| India | $16,000 | $28,000 |
| Nigeria | $15,000 | $14,000 |
| Nepal | $9,500 | $12,000 |
Why the gap exists
Civil Engineers work in engineering; Software Engineers in tech. Cross-industry gaps mostly reflect different revenue models — tech pays a premium driven by scalable revenue per employee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Software Engineers earn more on average: $67,421/yr vs $52,611/yr for civil engineers — a 22% gap at the global mid-level.
Related pages
Salary medians derived from our global salary database. See our methodology. Canonical URL: https://salarybyrole.com/vs/civil-engineer-vs-software-engineer