Quick answer: The Providence metro employs about 1,550 civil engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state board of professional engineers.
Compare engineering programs enrolling now:
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Engineering licensure is a state process and a long one: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examination, a period of experience under a licensed engineer, and then the Principles and Practice examination for the PE. Not every engineering job requires the licence - it matters most where work is stamped for public safety - but the ABET accreditation that makes you eligible has to be in place from the start.
See the Rhode Island licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state board of professional engineers.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 6 schools
within 24 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
6 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Civil Engineers in the Providence area earn a median $99,310 per year, below the national median of $100,840 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Engineering Pay in Providence, RI
Metric
Providence metro
Rhode Island
National
Median annual wage
$99,310
$99,300
$100,840
10th percentile
$75,990
$77,800
$68,240
25th percentile
$79,090
$79,040
$79,930
75th percentile
$134,810
$150,160
$129,680
90th percentile
$150,800
$151,020
$163,220
Employment
1,550
1,270
367,840
Location quotient
0.92
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Providence median of $99,310 is below the national median of $100,840, and above the Rhode Island statewide median of $99,300 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.92 means civil engineers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Engineering employment follows the region’s infrastructure and industrial base, and civil work in particular tracks the public and commercial construction pipeline.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do civil engineers make in Providence?
The median annual wage for civil engineers in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area is $99,310, below the national median of $100,840 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many civil engineers work in the Providence area?
The Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area employs about 1,550 civil engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do civil engineers in Providence need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Engineering licensure is a state process and a long one: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examination, a period of experience under a licensed engineer, and then the Principles and Practice examination for the PE. Not every engineering job requires the licence - it matters most where work is stamped for public safety - but the ABET accreditation that makes you eligible has to be in place from the start. Confirm current requirements with your state board of professional engineers.
Can I study engineering online from Providence?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state board of professional engineers.
Is Providence a better market than the rest of Rhode Island?
The Providence metro median is $99,310 against a statewide median of $99,300 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
