12 Highest Paying Countries for Civil Engineers

The 12 highest paying countries for civil engineers have embraced the relatively new field and its importance in the economy of a country. While the work carried out by civil engineers is one of the most ancient professions, having to do with construction, its recognition as a separate field from other forms of engineers is still relatively new.

Civil engineers do not practice engineering broadly; civil engineering is a specialized form of engineering which generally pertains to geotechnical engineering, construction engineering, environmental engineering and hydraulic engineering as well. However, that is not to say that civil engineers can only work in these fields. Some civil engineers, generally those who work with the government, can work across multiple fields.

Of course, becoming a civil engineer is no mean feat at all. Most countries require a person to qualify from a secondary school while attaining a degree to be recognized as a civil engineer. The courses required for the degree are generally related to higher mathematics and advanced physics. Naturally, the studying doesn’t have to end here. Civil engineers can study further to attain a masters degree or even a doctorate too.

Unfortunately, civil engineers do not manage to command a very high salary. This has to do with the fact that there is high competition amongst civil engineers, which in turn allows employers to reduce the salaries offered to potential candidates.

We sought to determine the 12 highest paying countries for civil engineers. To do this, we tried to confirm the average annual salaries that are paid to civil engineers around the world. For this, we used Payscale, which contained information on the average salaries paid to civil engineers. We used the current exchange rates to obtain a uniform annual salary for each country, which we have calculated in US dollars to achieve consistency.

The results of this exercise confirmed our initial suspicions that civil engineers do not make a handsome salary in most countries, especially when compared to software engineers, as can be seen in the 12 highest paying countries for software engineers. According to our findings, the best continent for civil engineers is Europe, which has 8 entrants in the list. Of course, this may be due to the fact that these countries have a strong currency and hence, perform strongly when converted to US dollars while currencies from Asia and even the Americas might not perform so well. For example, there is no way that Pakistan can feature on this list, because it fares poorly against the US dollar. However, civil engineers in the country are still highly regarded and paid well. Hence, a salary which is considered to be excellent in the respective country still might not make our list since it has to take a hit when converted to US dollars.

12. Qatar

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $39,360

11. Spain

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $40,103

10. Netherlands

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $40,612

9. United Kingdom

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $40,692

8. France

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $42,2117

7. Germany

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $44,803

6. Canada

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $47,262

5. Australia

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $54,155

4. United States of America

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $62,019

3. Norway

Average annual salary in US dollars:  $67,154

2. Denmark

Average annual salary in US dollars: $71,565

1. Switzerland

Average annual salary in US dollars: $77,438

Switzerland is one of the best countries in this world, often topping the list of the happiest countries in the world. Not only does it have a bustling and growing economy, it is also one of the most scenic places in the world, boasting lush green valleys and gorgeous mountains. However, that is not all there is to the country. While generally considered to be a hub for bankers, it also pays handsomely to other professions as well, a fact allowing it to top the list of 12 highest paying countries for civil engineers.