Civil Engineers pay in California
$124,540avg. a year
$59.87 an hour · 55,180 employed
Civil Engineers in California earn an average of $124,540 a year. That is $15,870 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $108,670. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $137,910.
$122,500Median pay
$59.87Average hourly
+10%Avg. pay since 2020
#1Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for civil engineers by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
13,170 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$137,910
$66.30 an hour
210,990 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$136,350
$65.55 an hour
3180 jobs
Napa, CA
$130,620
$62.80 an hour
45,590 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$129,650
$62.33 an hour
5380 jobs
Redding, CA
$124,340
$59.78 an hour
6490 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$122,750
$59.01 an hour
7300 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$122,290
$58.79 an hour
8610 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$121,890
$58.60 an hour
9250 jobs
Salinas, CA
$120,250
$57.81 an hour
1016,340 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$120,120
$57.75 an hour
115,620 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$118,700
$57.07 an hour
12610 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$118,400
$56.92 an hour
13460 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$118,150
$56.80 an hour
143,510 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$117,990
$56.73 an hour
15210 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$117,660
$56.57 an hour
161,250 jobs
Fresno, CA
$117,260
$56.37 an hour
17720 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$117,040
$56.27 an hour
18120 jobs
El Centro, CA
$115,550
$55.55 an hour
19790 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$115,230
$55.40 an hour
20160 jobs
Chico, CA
$114,880
$55.23 an hour
21200 jobs
Visalia, CA
$112,700
$54.18 an hour
2250 jobs
Merced, CA
$111,130
$53.43 an hour
2340 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$110,770
$53.26 an hour
24870 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$110,540
$53.15 an hour
25320 jobs
Modesto, CA
$110,430
$53.09 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Civil Engineers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California civil engineers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $99k$99k–$105k$105k–$111k$111k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $108,670 | $52.24 |
| California | $124,540 | $59.87 |
| Oregon | $116,160 | $55.85 |
| Nevada | $114,970 | $55.27 |
| Arizona | $97,130 | $46.70 |
Related jobs in California
- Industrial Engineers$125,850
- Mechanical Engineers$136,660
- Electrical Engineers$151,180
- Engineers, All Other$139,670
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$161,520
- Computer Hardware Engineers$190,590
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do civil engineers make in California?
The average is $124,540 a year, and the median is $122,500. That is $15,870 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $108,670.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$59.87 an hour on average; the median is $58.89.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($137,910), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($136,350). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Modesto, CA ($110,430).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 17-2051. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national civil engineers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.