Engineers in California
Get the information you need to know about working as an Engineer.
You’re in luck! Jobs for Engineers in California are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.
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Projected employment for Engineers in California is growing faster than average.
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Engineers in California earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.
What Major Will Prepare You For an Engineer Career?
- Engineering
- General Engineering
- General Engineering
- Architectural Engineering
- Architectural Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Geoenvironmental Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Optical Enginering
- Telecommunications Engineering
- Engineering Mechanics
- General Engineering Mechanics
- Engineering Physics
- Engineering & Applied Physics
- Engineering Science
- General Engineering Science
- Ocean Engineering
- General Ocean Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- General Systems Engineering
- Construction Engineering
- Construction Engineering
- Forest Engineering
- Forest Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- General Manufacturing Engineering
- Surveying Engineering
- Surveying Engineering
- Geoscience Engineering
- Geological & Geophysical Engineering
- Paper Science & Engineering
- Paper Science & Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
- Mechatronics, Robotics, & Automation Engineering
- Biochemical Engineering
- Biochemical Engineering
- Engineering Chemistry
- Engineering Chemistry
- Biological Engineering
- Biological/Biosystems Engineering
- Other Engineering
- Other Engineering
- Engineering Technologies
- Engineering-Related Fields
- Engineering Design
- Nanotechnology
- Nanotechnology
- Health Professions
- Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions
- Assistive/Augmentative Technology and Rehabilitation Engineering
How Many Engineers Work in California?
In 2018, there were 20,600 Engineers working in the state.
There were 17,820 Engineers employed in this state in 2017.
That’s growth of 2,780 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The typical state has 1,540 Engineers working in it, which means California has more Engineers than average.
Job Projections for California
Jobs for Engineers in this state are growing at a rate of 9.2% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 6.4%.
California Annual Job Openings
The BLS estimates 1,320 annual job openings, and a total of 19,000 jobs for California Engineers in 2026.
Nationwide, the prediction is 9,500 annual jobs and 141,000 total jobs in 2026.
What do Engineers Make in California?
In 2018 wages for Engineers ranged from $57,180 to $161,670 with $107,300 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $27.49 to $77.73. The median hourly rate was $51.59.
In 2017 the median pay for this field was $51.52 an hour.
The hourly rate grew by $0.07.
The median salary in California is higher than the nationwide median salary.
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Top California Metros for Engineers
The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Engineers.
Metro | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,800 | $98,480 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 4,020 | $109,820 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3,830 | $124,740 |
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 2,390 | $113,610 |
Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA | 730 | $95,120 |
Bakersfield, CA | 610 | $115,680 |
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 500 | $91,770 |
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 280 | $114,230 |
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 230 | $107,960 |
Santa Rosa, CA | 150 | $114,780 |
Stockton-Lodi, CA | 150 | $93,900 |
Fresno, CA | 100 | $77,280 |
Redding, CA | 100 | $94,330 |
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 90 | $120,190 |
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 70 | $95,240 |
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 70 | $113,900 |
Salinas, CA | 50 | $105,000 |
Visalia-Porterville, CA | 40 | $91,370 |
Top States for Engineers Employment
The table below shows the states where most Engineers work.
State | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
California | 20,600 | $107,300 |
Texas | 10,710 | $109,110 |
Florida | 8,570 | $77,020 |
Ohio | 7,100 | $89,390 |
Louisiana | 5,400 | $81,990 |
New York | 4,910 | $92,560 |
Pennsylvania | 4,850 | $93,400 |
Maryland | 4,530 | $128,230 |
Georgia | 4,380 | $92,030 |
Tennessee | 4,250 | $74,890 |
Virginia | 4,190 | $122,940 |
Illinois | 4,000 | $84,550 |
Alabama | 3,730 | $116,490 |
New Jersey | 3,470 | $116,570 |
Washington | 3,160 | $107,230 |
Massachusetts | 3,090 | $106,680 |
Oregon | 2,760 | $87,070 |
District of Columbia | 2,640 | $141,320 |
Colorado | 2,500 | $111,020 |
Minnesota | 2,450 | $101,270 |
Below are the states where Engineers get paid the most:
State | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|
District of Columbia | $141,320 |
Maryland | $128,230 |
Virginia | $122,940 |
Alaska | $117,520 |
New Jersey | $116,570 |
Alabama | $116,490 |
New Mexico | $114,000 |
Idaho | $111,050 |
Colorado | $111,020 |
Texas | $109,110 |
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Image Credit: By Rémi Kaupp under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.