Electrical Engineers pay in California
$151,180avg. a year
$72.68 an hour · 24,230 employed
Electrical Engineers in California earn an average of $151,180 a year. That is $26,080 (21%) more than the U.S. average of $125,100. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $189,370.
$144,040Median pay
$72.68Average hourly
+22%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 48 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for electrical engineers by metro area. Swipe to see all 20.
14,160 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$189,370
$91.04 an hour
22,470 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$162,170
$77.97 an hour
3100 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$148,660
$71.47 an hour
490 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$147,650
$70.99 an hour
58,970 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$145,760
$70.08 an hour
6150 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$144,580
$69.51 an hour
7230 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$141,670
$68.11 an hour
81,420 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$141,080
$67.83 an hour
9400 jobs
Fresno, CA
$137,150
$65.94 an hour
1050 jobs
Salinas, CA
$136,120
$65.44 an hour
11100 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$136,060
$65.41 an hour
12460 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$134,190
$64.52 an hour
132,400 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$131,220
$63.09 an hour
14160 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$131,220
$63.09 an hour
1570 jobs
Redding, CA
$127,650
$61.37 an hour
16460 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$127,550
$61.32 an hour
1750 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$122,780
$59.03 an hour
1850 jobs
Modesto, CA
$120,520
$57.94 an hour
1990 jobs
Visalia, CA
$117,340
$56.42 an hour
201,150 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$116,800
$56.15 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.
Electrical Engineers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California electrical engineers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $111k$111k–$118k$118k–$124k$124k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $125,100 | $60.15 |
| California | $151,180 | $72.68 |
| Oregon | $124,140 | $59.68 |
| Nevada | $115,770 | $55.66 |
| Arizona | $113,710 | $54.67 |
Related jobs in California
- Civil Engineers$124,540
- Industrial Engineers$125,850
- Mechanical Engineers$136,660
- 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 electrical engineers make in California?
The average is $151,180 a year, and the median is $144,040. That is $26,080 (21%) more than the U.S. average of $125,100.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$72.68 an hour on average; the median is $69.25.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($189,370), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($162,170). The lowest average among 20 metro areas with data is Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($116,800).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 49 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 17-2071. 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 electrical 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.