Talent Maps / Charlotte / Structural Engineers

Charlotte Structural Engineer Talent Map (2026)

What structural engineers earn in Charlotte, how North Carolina licenses them, which structural firms employ them and the highway, transit, stadium, hospital and plant projects competing for them.

Hiring structural engineers in Charlotte?

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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts structural engineers as civil engineers, so we pair its May 2025 wage data with real pay ranges from Charlotte job postings in 2026. Our civil and structural engineering recruiters update it as new data comes out. See also our Charlotte civil, architect and CAD designer talent maps.

$102,370Median pay for civil engineers, the BLS group that includes structural engineers, in CharlotteBLS, May 2025

$129,680The 75th percentile, where licensed structural engineers usually sitBLS, May 2025

$3.2BI-77 South plan, now built around elevated express lanes and new bridgesENR, 2026

40+Bridges planned on the 26-mile LYNX Silver Line, along with four tunnelsSTV

$1.3BBank of America Stadium renovation, due to finish by 2030K104.7, 2026

1.1M sq ftAtrium Health’s new 12-story tower at Carolinas Medical Center, due in 2027Atrium Health

Structural engineer salaries in Charlotte

BLS does not publish a separate figure for structural engineers. The civil engineer figures below include them. Charlotte’s median of $102,370 is $1,640 above the North Carolina median, and structural engineers with a PE and building, bridge or industrial experience usually earn at or above the 75th percentile ($129,680).

Annual pay percentile	Charlotte metro	North Carolina	United States
10th percentile	$73,790	$70,760	$68,240
25th percentile	$79,280	$79,140	$79,930
Median	$102,370	$100,730	$100,840
75th percentile	$129,680	$125,730	$129,680
90th percentile	$164,990	$160,520	$163,220

Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051), which includes structural engineers. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025, via O*NET OnLine.

What Charlotte structural jobs are posting in 2026

Role	Level	Posted base pay
LJB, Entry-level Structural Engineer	Entry level	$70,000 to $90,000
LJB, Mid-level Structural Engineer (Safety)	Mid level	$106,000 to $140,000
Aecon (United Engineers), Senior Engineer, Structural	Senior	$100,000 to $150,000

Pay ranges provided by the employer on Charlotte postings live in September and October 2026. The Aecon role is for power plant and nuclear work and asks for 8+ years and a PE.

How North Carolina licenses structural engineers

North Carolina has no separate structural engineering (SE) license. The North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors licenses individuals as Professional Engineers, so structural work is sealed under a North Carolina PE license. Applicants pass an NCEES PE exam and, with an ABET-accredited engineering degree, show four years of progressive engineering experience.

Where Charlotte’s structural engineers work

Structural firms with Charlotte offices

Walter P Moore opened its Charlotte office in 2019 and works on healthcare, higher education, sports and parking projects. Bennett & Pless has a Charlotte office on Elizabeth Avenue.

Lynch Mykins, founded in Raleigh in 1974 with an office in Charlotte, joined IMEG in May 2025. Thornton Tomasetti was structural engineer on the Spectrum Center renovation.

Multi-discipline firms

Little, founded in Charlotte in 1964, has more than 440 employees and offers structural engineering alongside architecture. McKim & Creed’s Charlotte office includes structural design in its building services.

WGI’s Charlotte office designs parking structures. Stewart was structural engineer on the airport’s Concourse A expansion.

Who is posting jobs

LJB posted entry-level and mid-level structural roles in Charlotte with pay in 2026.

Aecon, which bought United Engineers and Constructors in December 2024, is hiring a senior structural engineer in Charlotte for power and nuclear plant work.

Bridges and transit

STV is a major subconsultant to WSP on the Silver Line. HDR checked load capacity on existing Norfolk Southern bridges along the Red Line corridor.

NCDOT’s elevated plan for I-77 South puts much of the design effort on foundations, columns and superstructures.

Where the talent sits: Charlotte submarkets

Uptown

VenuesDesign firms

The $1.3 billion Bank of America Stadium renovation and the Spectrum Center, whose $245 million renovation finished in October 2025.

Midtown and Dilworth

Healthcare

Atrium Health’s 12-story, 1.1 million square foot tower at Carolinas Medical Center topped out in December 2024 and is due to be finished in 2027.

I-77 South corridor

BridgesTransportation

The 11-mile stretch carries about 160,000 vehicles a day and has 13 interchanges, most of which would be improved.

Airport and west Charlotte

AviationRetaining walls

The south end-around taxiway includes a 50-foot-tall soil nail wall nearly half a mile long. Concourse B and C extensions, estimated at about $463 million each, are next.

Concord and Cabarrus County

Manufacturing

Eli Lilly opened its Concord campus in June 2024, and a $77 million permit for a new injectable line followed in February 2026.

What’s driving demand for structural engineers in Charlotte

I-77 South Express Lanes. In February 2026, NCDOT chose elevated express lanes for the $3.2 billion project, making it a bridge-heavy job. Local planners restored support on September 23, 2026, and construction is not expected until later in the decade.
LYNX Silver Line. The 26-mile light rail line includes more than 40 bridges, four tunnels, station parking structures and a maintenance facility. Mecklenburg’s 2025 transportation sales tax helps pay for it.
Bank of America Stadium. The renovation grew to $1.3 billion in July 2026 when the Panthers’ owner added $500 million to the original $800 million plan. HOK is the architect, groundbreaking is planned for 2027 and work should finish by 2030.
Hospitals. Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center tower is due in 2027, and its $116 million Union West tower is expected to open in fall 2028.
Airport. Concourse B and C extensions could add up to 22 gates, and a $405 million south ramp expansion goes out to bid first.
Pharmaceutical plants. Eli Lilly’s Concord campus, first announced at about $1 billion, is still adding production lines inside its buildings.

The talent pipeline

UNC Charlotte. UNC Charlotte offers an ABET-accredited BS in civil engineering, the usual route into structural work, and lists structural engineering as a research area.
NC State University. NC State, in Raleigh, says its engineering programs are ABET-accredited.
Licensing. Senior structural engineers in North Carolina hold a PE license, since the state has no separate SE license.

What this means if you’re hiring

Bridges, buildings and plants are different markets. A strong bridge engineer and a strong hospital or plant engineer rarely swap. Be specific about the project type.
Price licensed engineers above the civil median. Plan on the 75th percentile ($129,680) or more. Posted senior roles reach $150,000.
Expect Raleigh to compete. Raleigh’s civil median is $101,440, and firms such as Walter P Moore and Lynch Mykins work in both cities.
Post your pay range. Candidates can compare it directly with the posted ranges above.

Need structural engineers in Charlotte?

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

Call 919.710.8098 or see our Charlotte engineering recruiters page.

Hire structural engineers

Frequently asked questions

How much do structural engineers make in Charlotte?

BLS groups structural engineers with civil engineers, whose Charlotte median is $102,370. Posted Charlotte structural roles in 2026 ranged from $70,000 at entry level to $150,000 for a senior engineer.

Do structural engineers earn more in Charlotte or Raleigh?

Pay is close. The BLS civil engineer median, which includes structural engineers, is $102,370 in Charlotte and $101,440 in Raleigh. See our Raleigh structural engineer talent map.

Which structural engineering firms are in Charlotte?

They include Walter P Moore, Bennett & Pless, Lynch Mykins (now part of IMEG), Stewart, WGI and Little, plus firms posting structural roles such as LJB and Aecon’s United Engineers.

Sources (27)