Talent Maps / Raleigh / Structural Engineers

Raleigh Structural Engineer Talent Map (2026)

What structural engineers earn in Raleigh, how North Carolina licenses them, which structural firms employ them and the life science, arena, hospital and bridge projects competing for them.

Hiring structural engineers in Raleigh?

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

$101,440Median pay for civil engineers, the BLS group that includes structural engineers, in RaleighBLS, May 2025

$127,280The 75th percentile, where licensed structural engineers usually sitBLS, May 2025

$4.1BNovo Nordisk’s Clayton plant, 1.4 million square feet across 10 buildingsConstruction Dive, 2024

$3.2BFujifilm’s Holly Springs biomanufacturing site, which opened its first phase in 2025FUJIFILM Biotechnologies

$300MLenovo Center renovation, running through summer 2028WRAL, 2026

1974The year Lynch Mykins was founded in RaleighIMEG

Structural engineer salaries in Raleigh

BLS does not publish a separate figure for structural engineers. The civil engineer figures below include them. Raleigh’s median of $101,440 is $710 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 ($127,280).

Annual pay percentile	Raleigh metro	North Carolina	United States
10th percentile	$74,170	$70,760	$68,240
25th percentile	$79,840	$79,140	$79,930
Median	$101,440	$100,730	$100,840
75th percentile	$127,280	$125,730	$129,680
90th percentile	$163,710	$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 Raleigh structural jobs are posting in 2026

Role	Level	Posted base pay
CDM Smith, Structural Engineer 2 (new graduates)	Entry level	$71,781 to $118,477
AECOM, Structural Engineer, Buildings + Places	Mid level	$90,000 to $120,000
Parsons, Senior Bridge Engineer	Senior, 8+ years	$88,400 to $154,700

Pay ranges provided by the employer on Raleigh postings live in 2026. Few Raleigh structural postings list pay.

How North Carolina licenses structural engineers

North Carolina’s engineering law (G.S. Chapter 89C) defines one professional engineer license and no separate structural engineering (SE) license. Structural work is sealed under a North Carolina PE license from the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors. Candidates apply to NCEES to take the PE exam, and graduates of an ABET-accredited engineering program need four years of progressive experience.

Where Raleigh’s structural engineers work

Raleigh structural firms

Lynch Mykins, founded in 1974, is based in Raleigh with offices in Charlotte, Greensboro and Norfolk. It does structural design, forensic engineering and special inspections, and joined IMEG in May 2025.

Lysaght & Associates has done structural engineering from downtown Raleigh for over 40 years, including historic preservation and adaptive reuse.

Multi-discipline firms

Stewart was founded in 1994 by structural engineer Willy E. Stewart and joined Stratus in January 2026. Its services include structural engineering and bridge and roadway structures.

Clark Nexsen, founded in 1920, has nearly 400 staff in nine offices, including Raleigh, and joined JMT in 2025. Raleigh-based Kimley-Horn also offers structural engineering.

Who is posting jobs

CDM Smith, AECOM and Parsons all posted Raleigh structural roles with pay in 2026.

Parsons’ senior bridge role asks for 8 or more years of bridge design experience. Lysaght & Associates listed open Professional Engineer I and II roles.

Life science and industrial

Novo Nordisk, Fujifilm and Amgen plants need structural engineers for large process buildings. See our North Carolina data centers page.

Where the talent sits: Raleigh submarkets

Downtown Raleigh

Design firmsRenovation

Lysaght & Associates is downtown, and Clark Nexsen’s Raleigh office is on North Harrington Street.

NC State and the Lenovo Center

SportsRenovation

The $300 million Lenovo Center renovation runs through summer 2028. Construction on an entertainment district around the arena is due to start after the 2026 NC State football season.

Holly Springs and Apex

Life scienceHealthcare

Fujifilm’s and Amgen’s Holly Springs plants, and the planned 500-bed NC Children’s hospital in Apex.

Clayton and Johnston County

Industrial

Novo Nordisk’s 10-building, 1.4 million square foot plant on a 56-acre site in Clayton.

Southeast Wake

Bridges

Complete 540 Phase 2 adds 24 bridges and 14 culverts between I-40 and Knightdale, including a Neuse River crossing.

RDU

Aviation

The new runway, due in 2029, opens room for more Terminal 2 gates, including international gates.

What’s driving demand for structural engineers in Raleigh

Novo Nordisk Clayton. The $4.1 billion plant covers 1.4 million square feet across 10 buildings. BE&K Building Group is construction manager, and the buildings finish in phases from 2027 to 2029.
Fujifilm Holly Springs. The first phase of the $3.2 billion site opened on September 24, 2025, with eight 20,000-liter bioreactors. A second phase will double that to 16.
Amgen Holly Springs. Amgen announced a $1 billion second drug substance plant in December 2024, bringing its site investment to over $1.5 billion.
NC Children’s. UNC Health and Duke Health plan a 500-bed children’s hospital on 220 acres in Apex. Groundbreaking is planned for 2027, and construction is expected to take about six years.
Lenovo Center. The $300 million renovation is designed by Gensler. The $100 million first phase is under way, and the Centennial Authority is expected to vote on the next $200 million phase before the end of 2026.
Complete 540 Phase 2. The 10-mile extension includes 24 bridges and 14 culverts and is due to finish in 2028.

The talent pipeline

NC State University. NC State’s ABET-accredited civil engineering BS is the usual local route into structural work. U.S. News ranked its undergraduate civil program No. 19 in the nation in its 2027 list.
Duke University. Duke’s ABET-accredited civil engineering BSE includes a structural engineering and mechanics track.
Wake Tech. Wake Tech’s Civil Engineering Technology AAS trains the technicians and CAD staff who support design teams.
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

Buildings, bridges and industrial are different markets. A strong bridge engineer and a strong life science plant engineer rarely swap. Be specific about the project type.
Price licensed engineers above the civil median. Plan on the 75th percentile ($127,280) or more. Posted senior roles reach $154,700.
Expect Charlotte to compete. Charlotte’s civil median is $102,370, and firms such as Lynch Mykins and Stewart work in both cities.
Post your pay range. Few Raleigh structural postings do, so the ones that do stand out.

Need structural engineers in Raleigh?

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 Raleigh engineering recruiters page.

Hire structural engineers

Frequently asked questions

How much do structural engineers make in Raleigh?

BLS groups structural engineers with civil engineers, whose Raleigh median is $101,440. Posted Raleigh structural roles in 2026 ranged from $71,781 at entry level to $154,700 for a senior bridge engineer.

Do structural engineers earn more in Raleigh or Charlotte?

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

Which structural engineering firms are in Raleigh?

They include Lynch Mykins (now part of IMEG), Lysaght & Associates, Stewart (now part of Stratus), Clark Nexsen and Kimley-Horn, plus firms posting structural roles such as CDM Smith, AECOM and Parsons.

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