Environmental Engineers pay in California
$125,870avg. a year
$60.52 an hour · 4,550 employed
Environmental Engineers in California earn an average of $125,870 a year. That is $12,960 (11%) more than the U.S. average of $112,910. The best-paying metro area is Vallejo, CA at $140,040.
$130,410Median pay
$60.52Average hourly
+15%Avg. pay since 2020
#4Of 50 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for environmental engineers by metro area. Swipe to see all 17.
130 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$140,040
$67.33 an hour
2100 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$138,740
$66.70 an hour
3550 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$135,420
$65.11 an hour
440 jobs
Redding, CA
$134,930
$64.87 an hour
51,200 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$130,750
$62.86 an hour
6180 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$130,260
$62.63 an hour
730 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$126,480
$60.81 an hour
840 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$124,800
$60.00 an hour
9890 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$124,760
$59.98 an hour
1030 jobs
Salinas, CA
$122,350
$58.82 an hour
1160 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$121,700
$58.51 an hour
1270 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$120,570
$57.97 an hour
13260 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$118,700
$57.07 an hour
1490 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$118,210
$56.83 an hour
1550 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$117,700
$56.59 an hour
16170 jobs
Fresno, CA
$117,250
$56.37 an hour
17540 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$116,740
$56.13 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.
Environmental Engineers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California environmental engineers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $101k$101k–$107k$107k–$116k$116k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $112,910 | $54.29 |
| California | $125,870 | $60.52 |
| Oregon | $127,920 | $61.50 |
| Nevada | $120,710 | $58.03 |
| Arizona | $96,410 | $46.35 |
Related jobs in California
- Civil Engineers$124,540
- Industrial Engineers$125,850
- Mechanical Engineers$136,660
- Electrical Engineers$151,180
- Engineers, All Other$139,670
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$161,520
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do environmental engineers make in California?
The average is $125,870 a year, and the median is $130,410. That is $12,960 (11%) more than the U.S. average of $112,910.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$60.52 an hour on average; the median is $62.70.
Where in California do they earn the most?
Vallejo, CA ($140,040), followed by Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA ($138,740). The lowest average among 17 metro areas with data is San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA ($116,740).
How does California rank?
California ranks #4 of 50 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 17-2081. 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 environmental 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.