Talent Maps / Orlando / Structural Engineers

Orlando Structural Engineer Talent Map (2026)

What structural engineers earn in metro Orlando, which design firms and owners employ them, where in the metro they work, and the stadium, convention, theme park and high-rise projects competing for them.

Hiring structural engineers in Orlando?

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 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro area (Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties). BLS does not publish a separate structural engineer wage figure and groups them with civil engineers, so the pay data below is for civil engineers. Figures come from the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey (May 2025), and the demand picture uses project and policy data published from 2024 to 2026. Our civil engineering recruiters cover structural roles too. See also our Orlando civil, electrical and data center engineer talent maps.

$100,740Median civil and structural engineer pay in metro OrlandoBLS, May 2025

$165,320+What the top 10% of Orlando civil engineers earnBLS, May 2025

$400MCamping World Stadium modernization, due in 2027Spectrum News 13, 2026

$560MOrange County Convention Center expansion, 650,000 square feet, due in 2029Spectrum News 13, 2026

$17BDisney’s development agreement for Walt Disney World over 15 yearsConstruction Dive

37Stories in the proposed Lake Eola tower in downtown OrlandoFlorida YIMBY, 2026

Structural engineer salaries in Orlando

BLS groups structural engineers with civil engineers (SOC 17-2051). The median civil engineer in metro Orlando earns $100,740 a year, $2,170 above the Florida median of $98,570 and $100 below the national median of $100,840. At the top, Orlando’s 90th percentile is $165,320, above the national $163,220. The hourly median is $48.43.

Annual pay percentile	Orlando metro	Florida	United States
10th percentile	$67,170	$58,640	$68,240
25th percentile	$78,810	$76,740	$79,930
Median	$100,740	$98,570	$100,840
75th percentile	$129,160	$128,450	$129,680
90th percentile	$165,320	$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, inspectors and field techs who support structural design teams, earn a median of $62,300 in Orlando, a little below the Florida median of $63,410. Pay ranges from $38,990 at the 10th percentile to $88,740 at the 90th.

What the spread means in practice: Orlando and Tampa are almost level. Tampa’s civil median is $100,570, $170 below Orlando’s, and its 90th percentile is higher at $170,110. Because both metros pay about the same, structural engineers are likely to choose between them on project type. Orlando offers stadium, convention and theme park work.

Where Orlando’s structural work is

Structural design firms

Walter P Moore has an Orlando office at 200 South Orange Avenue. It lists Orlando Regional Medical Center, the Orlando International Airport South Airport APM Complex and Camping World Stadium renovations among its local work, and it was advertising 17 openings in construction engineering, structural engineering and forensics roles.

Entertainment owners

Walt Disney World’s development agreement covers about $17 billion of work over 15 years, including a fifth theme park, 13,000 hotel rooms and two water parks. Universal has filed plans for a two-story, 53,886-square-foot event building at Epic Universe with a reported cost of $20.6 million.

Public owners and venues

Orange County funds the Camping World Stadium and convention center projects from its tourist development tax. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority runs a $5.9 billion capital program at Orlando International Airport.

Developers and condo associations

HB Capital Group filed plans in March 2026 for a 425-foot Lake Eola tower. Florida’s milestone inspection law also puts older condominium buildings in front of licensed engineers.

Where the talent sits: Orlando submarkets

Downtown Orlando and West Lakes

High-riseStadium

The $400 million Camping World Stadium work is adding seats, a rebuilt upper bowl and new suites. A $61 million, 140,000-square-foot event center is planned nearby.

Lake Eola

High-riseParking structures

The proposed 37-story tower at East Washington Street and North Rosalind Avenue would have 252 condominium units, a 221-room hotel and six levels of structured parking.

International Drive and the Convention Center

Long-spanConvention

The $560 million expansion adds 650,000 square feet, including a 100,000-square-foot ballroom, next to the existing North-South building.

Walt Disney World and Lake Buena Vista

Show buildingsThemed structures

Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom is due to open in 2027. It includes the Indiana Jones Ancient Temple, built from the reimagined Dinosaur building.

Airport and Lake Nona

AviationCorporate campus

MCO’s capital program runs through 2035, with Terminal C Phase 2 by then. Siemens Energy is moving its regional headquarters to a 242,000-square-foot building at Lake Nona Town Center by 2027, for about 3,000 employees.

What’s driving demand for structural engineers in Orlando

Camping World Stadium. The $400 million project began in February 2026 and is due to finish in summer 2027. It will raise capacity from about 62,000 to about 65,000 and generate about 1,500 construction jobs.
Convention Center expansion. Orange County approved the final $560 million budget in March 2026. The 650,000-square-foot addition is due in 2029.
Downtown event center. A design and build team started on July 22, 2026 for a $61 million, 140,000-square-foot multipurpose center, due at the end of 2027.
Theme park growth. Disney’s agreement allows $17 billion of work. Tropical Americas opens in 2027, and work continues on new lands at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom.
High-rise proposals. The Lake Eola tower’s vision was approved by the Municipal Planning Board, according to a June 2026 report, and more city approvals follow. A nearby church raised concerns about deep foundation work.
Building safety law. Florida’s SB 4-D requires milestone inspections by a licensed architect or engineer for condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or higher, and structural integrity reserve studies every 10 years.

Structural specialties tied to these projects

Long-span and sports structures for stadium bowls, arenas and convention halls.
High-rise concrete and foundation design for downtown towers, where deep foundations and tight sites matter.
Themed and entertainment structures for ride buildings, show buildings and large roofs.
Forensic and restoration engineers for milestone inspections, Phase Two testing and repair design.
Parking and aviation structures for airport garages, terminals and people-mover facilities.

The talent pipeline

University of Central Florida. UCF’s civil engineering BS is ABET accredited and offers a structures depth area with steel and reinforced concrete courses plus a structural design capstone. It also has a B.S. to M.S. program in structural and geotechnical engineering.
Data centers. Large data center buildings need structural design for heavy slabs and equipment loads. See our US data center map.
Licensing. Senior roles usually require a Florida PE license from the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. Florida does not offer reciprocity, so engineers licensed elsewhere must meet Florida’s requirements.

What this means if you’re hiring

Expect Tampa to compete. Tampa’s civil median of $100,570 is within $170 of Orlando’s, and its 90th percentile is $4,790 higher.
Price licensed PEs at the 75th percentile. For senior structural roles, plan on $129,160 or higher.
Write offers for forensic skills. Milestone inspections and Phase Two testing add a steady source of work beyond new construction.
Allow time for Florida licensure. Out-of-state engineers cannot transfer a license, so a Florida PE adds time to the hire.

Need structural engineers in Orlando?

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

Call 813.701.2797 or see our Orlando engineering recruiters page.

Hire structural engineers

Frequently asked questions

How much do structural engineers make in Orlando?

BLS groups structural engineers with civil engineers. The median civil engineer salary in metro Orlando is $100,740 a year, according to May 2025 data. The middle half earn between $78,810 and $129,160, and the top 10% earn $165,320 or more.

Do structural engineers earn more in Orlando or Tampa?

About the same. Orlando’s civil engineer median is $100,740, against $100,570 in Tampa. See our Tampa structural engineer talent map.

Who hires structural engineers in Orlando?

Structural design firms such as Walter P Moore, owners such as Walt Disney World, Universal, Orange County, the City of Orlando and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, developers such as HB Capital Group, and the inspection and restoration firms that serve condominium buildings.

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