How much does an Engineer make in California?

As of June 01, 2026, the average annual salary for an Engineer in California is around $101,987, with an hourly rate of $49, according to Salary.com Global Salary IQ data . This number represents the median. The average salary ranges from $94,308 (25th percentile) to $110,676 (75th percentile). An Engineer's salary is shaped by several key factors, including experience level, specific skills, industry differences, company size, and cost-of-living adjustments based on location. Below, we’ll dive deeper into each of these factors to help you understand how they impact compensation.

Use our Salary Calculator to estimate your income potential based on location, experience, education and more.

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Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $110,676 $9,223 $2,128 $53
Average $101,987 $8,499 $1,961 $49
25th Percentile $94,308 $7,859 $1,814 $45

Average Salary

25% $94,308 10% $87,316 90% $118,586 75% $110,676 $101,987 50%(Median)
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What is the hourly rate of an Engineer?

$94,308
Average
$101,987/year
$110,676
$7,859
Average
$8,499/month
$9,223
$1,814
Average
$1,961/week
$2,128
$45
Average
$49/hour
$53
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $110,676 $9,223 $2,128 $53
Average $101,987 $8,499 $1,961 $49
25th Percentile $94,308 $7,859 $1,814 $45
Use our Salary Calculator to explore typical earnings for an Engineer, including an hourly rate of $49, weekly pay of $1,961, monthly pay of $8,499, and an annual salary of $101,987. Based on Salary IQ data from real job postings, this tool helps you convert a salary between its hourly, weekly, biweekly, monthly, and annually.

What is the pay difference between an Entry Engineer and an Expert Engineer?

Experience and job level are key drivers of an Engineer's salary. Entry Engineers earn around $99,466, while Intermediate Engineers make $99,695. Senior Engineers see salaries rise to $102,636, and Expert Engineers can earn up to $106,526. These numbers show a clear trend: as experience grows, so does earning potential. This reflects the IT industry's strong value placed on experience level.
Levels Salary
Entry Level Engineer $99,466
Intermediate Level Engineer $99,695
Senior Level Engineer $102,636
Specialist Level Engineer $106,267
Expert Level Engineer $106,526
$99,466 0 yr
$99,695 < 2 yrs
$102,636 2-4 yrs
$106,267 5-8 yrs
$106,526 > 8 yrs
Entry Level 2%
Mid Level 2%
Senior Level 1%
Top Level 4%
Experienced 4%
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What state pays the most for Engineers?

From June 01, 2026, District of Columbia offers the highest Engineer salaries in the United States, ranging from $94,667 to $111,097 followed by California at $94,308 - $110,676. While these states provide top pay for Engineer, high living costs impact earnings. Rhode Island and Hawaii offer competitive salaries with lower expenses, making them attractive options for the role.
Rank State Average Salary
1 District of Columbia $102,376
2 California $101,987
3 Massachusetts $100,628
4 Washington $100,258
5 New Jersey $100,221
6 Alaska $100,092
7 Connecticut $98,816
8 New York $98,298
9 Hawaii $96,643
10 Rhode Island $95,866

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