Talent Maps / Tampa / Structural Engineers

Tampa Structural Engineer Talent Map (2026)

What structural engineers earn in metro Tampa, which design and forensic firms employ them, where in the metro they work, and the towers, terminals, stadiums and condo inspections competing for them.

Hiring structural engineers in Tampa?

A talent map shows where a group of professionals works, what they are paid and who else is trying to hire them. This one covers structural engineers in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area, which spans Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties. Pay figures come from the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (May 2025), and the demand picture uses project and law changes published from 2024 to 2026. Our civil and structural engineering recruiters update it as new data comes out. See also our Tampa civil, mechanical and electrical engineer talent maps.

$100,570Median civil and structural engineer pay in metro TampaBLS, May 2025

$170,110+What the top 10% of Tampa civil and structural engineers earnBLS, May 2025

42Stories planned for One Tampa, a condo tower above 500 feetFox 13, 2024

$2.3BProposed Rays ballpark seating 28,000 on the Dale Mabry campusBusiness Observer, 2026

600,000 sq ftAirside D terminal at Tampa International Airport, opening in 2029TPA

24 panelsNew fiberglass roof panels, about 5,000 pounds each, on Tropicana FieldFacilities Dive, 2026

Structural engineer salaries in Tampa

BLS does not publish a separate code for structural engineers. It groups them with civil engineers, so the figures below are for civil engineers (SOC 17-2051) and describe the nearest official benchmark. The median in metro Tampa is $100,570 a year, $2,000 above the Florida median of $98,570 and $270 below the national median of $100,840. Tampa’s 90th percentile is $170,110, against $166,680 statewide and $163,220 nationally. The hourly median is $48.35.

Annual pay percentile	Tampa metro	Florida	United States
10th percentile	$71,630	$58,640	$68,240
25th percentile	$75,440	$76,740	$79,930
Median	$100,570	$98,570	$100,840
75th percentile	$130,910	$128,450	$129,680
90th percentile	$170,110	$166,680	$163,220

Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051), the BLS group that includes structural engineers. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025, via O*NET OnLine. Wage surveys run about a year behind current offers.

Civil engineering technicians, the drafters and field techs who support structural teams, earn a median of $75,070 in Tampa, against $63,410 for Florida and $64,950 nationally. Pay ranges from $45,600 at the 10th percentile to $101,390 at the 90th.

Orlando’s civil median is $100,740, only $170 above Tampa’s, and its 90th percentile of $165,320 is $4,790 below Tampa’s. Because the BLS code blends bridge, site and building engineers, structural engineers who specialize in towers or forensic work often earn more than the median. Treat the 75th percentile of $130,910 as a floor for licensed senior hires.

Where Tampa’s structural work is

Structural design firms

Walter P Moore’s Tampa office at 201 East Kennedy Boulevard lists the Tampa International Airport rental car center and people mover, the Tampa FBI Field Office, Raymond James Stadium renovations, the Tampa Museum of Art and the Florida Aquarium among its work. It was advertising structural engineer roles in 2026.

Kimley-Horn’s Tampa office offers structural engineering alongside roadway and bridge design.

Forensic and inspection teams

Thornton Tomasetti’s Tampa office at 400 North Ashley Drive does inspections required by Florida Senate Bill 4-D. Its Tampa projects include the St. Pete Pier, Marina Pointe in Tampa and the Jabil corporate headquarters.

Geiger Engineers was structural engineer on the new Tropicana Field roof.

Contractors and developers

Hensel Phelps leads the Airside D design-build team. Moss is general contractor on the planned Water Street Tampa residential tower, developed by Strategic Property Partners.

Kolter Group is developing One Tampa, a 42-story condo tower at North Tampa and East Twigg streets.

Public owners

FDOT District 7 covers Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties and owns the Howard Frankland and I-275 bridge work. Tampa International Airport and Port Tampa Bay are large owners of terminal and marine structures.

Where the talent sits: Tampa submarkets

Downtown Tampa and Water Street

High-riseResidential

One Tampa began construction on July 11, 2024. A separate 452-unit, 400-foot tower at Water Street Tampa is planned to start in spring 2027 and finish in late 2029.

Westshore and the airport

TerminalsParking structures

Airside D began construction in December 2024 with 16 gates and a 2029 opening. Walter P Moore also worked on the airport’s rental car center and people mover.

Dale Mabry and Raymond James

StadiumCampus

The proposed Rays ballpark would sit on the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus across from Raymond James Stadium, with a $215 million college redevelopment alongside.

St. Petersburg

Long-span roofsWaterfront

Tropicana Field’s roof was replaced after Hurricane Milton in October 2024, in time for the 2026 season. The St. Pete Pier also drew structural work.

Pinellas and the bay bridges

Bridges

The I-275 express lanes project modifies 14 bridges and rebuilds four interchanges, and the new Howard Frankland spans cross Old Tampa Bay.

What’s driving demand for structural engineers in Tampa

Florida’s condo safety law. Senate Bill 4-D requires milestone inspections of condominiums and co-ops of three or more stories by a Florida licensed architect or engineer. A deeper Phase Two review follows if a building shows substantial deterioration, and associations must also complete structural integrity reserve studies and update them every 10 years.
Airside D. The $1.52 billion, 600,000 square foot terminal began construction in December 2024 and is due to open in 2029.
The Rays ballpark. The $2.3 billion, 28,000-seat park is set to open in 2029. Hillsborough commissioners approved $796 million of county funding on August 28, 2026, and the city council approved $80 million the day before.
Residential towers. One Tampa is a 42-story tower above 500 feet, originally planned above 600 feet before aviation concerns cut it. Strategic Property Partners is planning a 452-unit tower at Water Street Tampa.
Storm recovery. Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field in October 2024. The replacement roof uses 24 fiberglass panels and has a 20-year expected life.
Bridges. The $973.4 million Howard Frankland project is due to finish in late 2026, and the $340 million I-275 project in Pinellas runs to late 2030.

Structural specialties tied to these projects

High-rise concrete and steel design for downtown and Water Street towers.
Long-span and stadium engineers for the ballpark, Tropicana Field and airport terminals.
Forensic and condo inspection engineers for milestone inspections and reserve studies.
Bridge engineers for FDOT District 7 and the bay crossings.
Marine and port structures for berths such as the planned 800-foot extension at Port Redwing.

The talent pipeline

University of South Florida. USF’s College of Engineering has more than 3,500 students and seven ABET-accredited bachelor’s programs, including civil engineering.
Licensing. Structural engineers in responsible charge usually need a Florida PE license from the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. The path is the FE exam, four years of experience with an engineering degree, then the PE exam.
Related talent. Civil engineers on the same projects are covered in our Tampa civil engineer talent map.

What this means if you’re hiring

Expect inspection work to pull engineers from design. Forensic and SB 4-D work competes with new building design for the same licensed people.
Price senior roles at the 75th percentile. For licensed PEs, plan on $130,910 or higher.
Match offers to long schedules. Airside D and the ballpark both target 2029, and the I-275 bridges run to 2030.
Watch Orlando. Its median is within $170 of Tampa’s, and several firms work in both metros.

Need structural engineers in Tampa?

Apollo Technical has recruited engineers since 2010. Our recruiting teams place structural, bridge, forensic and building engineers on a contract, contract-to-hire and direct hire basis.

Call 813.701.2797 or see our Tampa engineering recruiters page.

Hire structural engineers

Frequently asked questions

How much do structural engineers make in Tampa?

BLS groups structural engineers with civil engineers. The median civil engineer salary in metro Tampa is $100,570 a year, according to May 2025 data. The middle half earn between $75,440 and $130,910, and the top 10% earn $170,110 or more.

Do structural engineers earn more in Tampa or Orlando?

About the same. Orlando’s median is $100,740, $170 above Tampa’s $100,570, but Tampa’s 90th percentile is higher at $170,110 against $165,320. See our Orlando structural engineer talent map.

Who hires structural engineers in Tampa?

Design and forensic firms such as Walter P Moore, Thornton Tomasetti, Kimley-Horn and Geiger Engineers, contractors such as Hensel Phelps and Moss, developers such as Kolter Group and Strategic Property Partners, and owners such as FDOT District 7 and Tampa International Airport.

Sources (20)