Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Systems Manager in California is $161,543 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $78.
However, a Systems Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
AI-Powered HR
Systems Manager Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $175,196 | $14,600 | $3,369 | $84 |
| Average | $161,543 | $13,462 | $3,107 | $78 |
| 25th Percentile | $149,543 | $12,462 | $2,876 | $72 |
APPLIED MATERIALS - Santa Clara, CA
Actalent - Newbury Park, CA
Trillium Staffing - Chatsworth, CA
Solomon Page - Montrose, CA
A Systems Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Systems Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Software ... Level Systems Manager | $177,870 |
| Software ... Level Systems Manager | $149,878 |
| Systems M... Level Systems Manager | $162,377 |
| Software ... Level Systems Manager | $182,714 |
| Software ... Level Systems Manager | $208,512 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Systems Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
For Systems Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Systems Manager positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Systems Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology | $210,006 | $101.0 | 30% |
| Energy & Utilities | $193,852 | $93.0 | 20% |
| Financial Services | $193,852 | $93.0 | 20% |
| Software & Networking | $193,852 | $93.0 | 20% |
| Internet | $177,697 | $85.0 | 10% |
Understanding how a Systems Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $175,196 | $14,600 | $3,369 | $84 |
| Average | $161,543 | $13,462 | $3,107 | $78 |
| 25th Percentile | $149,543 | $12,462 | $2,876 | $72 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Systems Manager job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
J&J Family of Companies
Santa Clara, CA
J&J Family of Companies | Santa Clara, CA
At Johnson & Johnson. we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a. world where complex diseases are preve... more
4 Days Ago
Northrop Grumman
El Segundo, CA
Northrop Grumman | El Segundo, CA
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE:Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START:YesCLEARANCE TYPE:SecretTRAVEL:Yes, 10% of the TimeDescriptionAt N... more
4 Days Ago
Northrop Grumman
Redondo Beach, CA
Northrop Grumman | Redondo Beach, CA
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE:Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE TYPE:SecretTRAVEL:Yes, 10% of the TimeDescriptionAt Northrop Grumman, our employees h... more
4 Days Ago
KLA
Milpitas, CA
KLA | Milpitas, CA
Company OverviewKLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Virtually every electronic device in the w... more
4 Days Ago
Aitech Defense Systems
Los Angeles, CA
Aitech Defense Systems | Los Angeles, CA
About The PositionAitech Defense Systems is renowned for its innovation in rugged embedded systems, designed to operate reliably in the challenging environ... more
4 Days Ago
Sirius XM Radio Inc
Los Angeles, CA
Sirius XM Radio Inc | Los Angeles, CA
Who We Are:SiriusXM and its brands (Pandora, SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz, Simplecast, and SiriusXM Connect) are leading a new era of audio entertainment and se... more
4 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
