California · 2025–2026 pay · 28,964 people
How much are engineers, architects and drafters paid in California?
$126,204typical pay for engineers, architects and drafters, 2025–2026
$92,364 – $155,246what most people earned
Counts everyone paid during the year, including part-year workers, in the 185 jobs listed below (part-time-schedule titles left out). Each employer counts with its latest published year (2025 or 2026).
✓ Official data from 7 agencies · Matches each agency's latest release · Show sourcesHide sources
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- LA City Controller · controller.lacity.gov ↗
- LA County Auditor-Controller · lacounty.gov ↗
- SF Controller's Office · sf.gov ↗
- City of San Jose · sanjoseca.gov ↗
- San Mateo County · smcgov.org ↗
- City of Richmond · ci.richmond.ca.us ↗
Pay by job
Typical pay counts everyone paid during each job's latest year.
- Transportation Engineer Civil Range C2,787 people$122,586
- Transportation Engineer Civil Range D1,782 people$139,219
- Assistant Engineer1,057 people$112,280
- Engineering Technician1,013 people$83,213
- Associate Engineer975 people$145,254
- Civil Engineering Associate913 people$105,659
- Senior Civil Engineer821 people$179,333
- Electrical Engineering Associate792 people$87,901
- Senior Transportation Engineer Caltrans Range a716 people$160,417
- Senior Transportation Engineer Caltrans Range S703 people$161,705
- Research and Development Engineer Tx653 people$94,254
- Transportation Engineer Civil Range B642 people$85,585
- Associate Civil Engineer635 people$140,144
- Transportation Engineering Technician Range C518 people$84,053
- Senior Engineer499 people$171,470
- Civil Engineer475 people$161,496
- Assistant Engineer - Civil393 people$126,325
- Associate Engineer - Civil366 people$160,166
- Water Resource Control Engineer Range C332 people$121,217
- Supervising Transportation Engineer Caltrans326 people$184,664
- Transportation Engineer Electrical Range C313 people$124,788
- Associate Safety Engineer299 people$127,920
- Senior Engineer Water Resources Range a260 people$154,550
- Senior Engineering Technician250 people$98,303
- Transportation Engineer Civil Range a234 people$35,481
- Mechanical Engineering Associate225 people$87,745
- Principal Engineer221 people$197,143
- Air Resources Engineer Range C220 people$120,785
- Transportation Engineering Associate211 people$140,244
- Senior Civil Engineering Assistant208 people$106,477
- Structural Engineering Associate207 people$165,857
- Transportation Engineer Electrical Range D202 people$140,399
- Air Quality Engineer185 people$120,621
- Junior Engineer185 people$120,015
- Transportation Surveyor Caltrans Range C183 people$124,362
- Engineer Water Resources Range C181 people$112,310
- Water Resource Control Engineer Range D169 people$130,376
- Principal Civil Engineer162 people$182,717
- Transportation Surveyor Caltrans Range D160 people$136,927
- Engineering Associate151 people$129,082
- Electrical Engineer150 people$118,755
- Supervising Engineer Water Resources Range a145 people$175,470
- Environmental Engineering Associate143 people$131,962
- Engineer Water Resources Range D141 people$127,936
- Senior Bridge Engineer Range a141 people$158,861
- Associate Oil and Gas Engineer135 people$147,380
- Supervising Engineer127 people$166,258
- Engineering Aide126 people$53,141
- Senior Structural Engineer125 people$173,009
- Senior Bridge Engineer Range S124 people$164,584
- Eng/Arch/Landscape Arch Senior121 people$249,443
- Stdntdsgntrain Arch/Eng/Plng111 people$13,073
- Architectural Associate110 people$109,561
- Senior Water Resource Control Engineer Range S110 people$155,289
- Assistant Civil Engineer107 people$104,280
- Engineering Designer104 people$124,918
- Survey Party Chief104 people$130,032
- Engineering Assistant103 people$89,769
- Transportation Engineering Technician Range B103 people$53,640
- Principal Transportation Engineer Caltrans96 people$203,616
- Associate Safety Engineer Elevators95 people$133,034
- Junior Engineering Technician Range B94 people$46,574
- Associate Telecommunications Engineer93 people$140,047
- Civil Engg Drftg Tchn93 people$67,036
- Landscape Associate Caltrans Range D93 people$130,677
- Structural Design Technician93 people$68,840
- Senior Transportation Electrical Engineer Supervisor92 people$165,923
- Transportation Engineer Electrical Range B91 people$88,871
- Senior Transportation Surveyor Caltrans89 people$158,508
- Landscape Associate Caltrans Range C88 people$118,454
- Materials and Research Engineering Associate Specialist88 people$103,324
- Research and Development Engineer88 people$94,496
- Senior Architect Range a88 people$154,172
- Air Resources Engineer Range D85 people$134,726
- Utilities Engineer Range C84 people$111,286
- Land Use Technician83 people$58,226
- Principal Engineering Technician82 people$118,044
- City Engineer80 people$186,836
- Engineering Intern79 people$10,025
- Office Engineering Technician78 people$83,105
- Senior Utilities Engineer Specialist78 people$157,500
- Civil Engineering Assistant77 people$70,773
- Student Engineer77 people$15,908
- Land Surveying Assistant75 people$121,116
- Civil Engineering Technician73 people$96,391
- Senior Electrical Engineer73 people$170,526
- Senior Safety Engineer -Industrial73 people$154,661
- Survey Technician72 people$93,763
- Transportation Surveyor Party Chief Caltrans71 people$156,021
- Hazardous Substances Engineer Range C70 people$111,391
- Engineering Inspector69 people$92,854
- Senior Air Quality Engineer67 people$149,527
- Senior Landscape Architect Caltrans67 people$160,941
- Principal Engineer Water Resources66 people$196,891
- Principal Civil Engineering Assistant65 people$124,306
- Assistant Engineer - Civil Lv63 people$111,314
- Street Lighting Engineering Associate62 people$140,669
- Senior Mechanical Engineer60 people$163,250
- Assistant Engineer - Traffic59 people$123,289
- Principal Engineering Aide57 people$99,914
- Waterworks Engineer57 people$111,103
- District Structural Engineer55 people$181,021
- Plan Check Engineer54 people$136,536
- Transportation Engineer53 people$176,990
- Water Resource Control Engineer Range B53 people$97,409
- Engineer Assistant52 people$104,905
- Stdntdsgn Train 2/Arch/Eng/Plng52 people$24,661
- Junior Engineer - Civil51 people$96,214
- Field Engineering Aide50 people$101,339
- Senior Water Resource Control Engineer Range a50 people$156,894
- Senior Telecommunications Engineer49 people$156,714
- Senr Engineer49 people$190,235
- Engineer Water Resources Range B48 people$80,448
- Environmental Engineer48 people$166,958
- Senior Oil and Gas Engineer Supervisor48 people$173,908
- Senior Civil Engg Drftg Tchn47 people$88,812
- Aerospace Engineer Rp46 people$154,717
- Associate Hydroelectric Power Utility Engineer45 people$132,476
- Senior Land Surveyor45 people$151,547
- Mechanical Engineer44 people$117,138
- Air Resources Engineer Range B43 people$85,173
- Mechanical Engineer Range D43 people$132,314
- Engineer Assistant Office41 people$144,492
- Senior Hydroelectric Power Utility Engineer Specialist41 people$151,496
- Supervising Water Resource Control Engineer Supervisory41 people$175,745
- District Engineer40 people$214,960
- Senior Hazardous Substances Engineer Range B40 people$145,629
- Associate Architect39 people$116,655
- Assistant City Engineer38 people$197,299
- Mechanical Engineer Range C38 people$111,505
- Associate Engineer - Traffic36 people$176,653
- Supervising Hydroelectric Power Utility Engineer36 people$175,970
- Civil Engineer Senior35 people$168,363
- Senior Engineering Aide35 people$80,281
- Mngg Wtr Utlty Engineer34 people$141,456
- Senior Traffic Engineer34 people$198,749
- Engineer/Architect Principal33 people$289,593
- Senior Transportation Engineer33 people$195,034
- Supervising Hazardous Substances Engineer Range B33 people$167,991
- Associate Electrical Engineer32 people$159,025
- Eltl Engg Drftg Tchn32 people$77,278
- Fire Prevention Engineering Assistant32 people$115,399
- Supervising Architect32 people$172,780
- Transportation Surveyor Caltrans Range B32 people$90,854
- Landscape Architect31 people$160,367
- Senior Plan Check Engineer31 people$169,716
- Electrical Engineer Range B30 people$95,143
- Materials Testing Engineering Associate30 people$127,916
- Principal Electrical Engineer30 people$211,593
- Student Assistant -Engineering and Architectural Sciences- Range D30 people$9,600
- Student Engineer-4 Yr. Engineering Education30 people$25,477
- Supervising Bridge Engineer30 people$186,837
- Electrical Engineering Technician29 people$83,393
- Landscape Architectural Associate29 people$125,902
- Associate Sanitary Engineer28 people$140,473
- Engineering Aid28 people$62,774
- Project Engineer28 people$163,883
- Senior Delineator28 people$72,649
- Senior Hydroelectric Power Utility Engineer Supervisor28 people$156,171
- Student Engineer-3 Yr. Engineering Education28 people$14,206
- Clin Engineer27 people$125,279
- Engineerg Technician27 people$70,011
- Water Resources Engineering Associate Specialist27 people$103,974
- Civil Engineering Student26 people$10,178
- Engineer Technician26 people$89,207
- Engineering Supervisor25 people$203,256
- Pipeline Safety Engineer Range C25 people$160,352
- Transportation Engineer Electrical Range a25 people$53,275
- Licensed Professional Engineer24 people$154,816
- Senior Environmental Engineer22 people$194,331
- Land Surveyor21 people$129,837
- Materials Technician21 people$73,074
- Assistant Electrical Engineer20 people$78,917
- Engineering Technician-Senior20 people$121,166
- Administrative Engineer17 people$231,783
- Engineering Specialist16 people$97,730
- Professional Engineer12 people$152,228
- Traffic Engineer12 people$175,067
- Staff Engineer11 people$115,008
- Assistant Transportation Engineer8 people$128,046
- Construction Engineer8 people$115,232
- Engineer Intern8 people$11,387
- Assistant Technician7 people$18,572
- Chief Engineering Technician7 people$119,595
- Engineer Senior5 people$175,722
No jobs match.
Other job groups in California
- Police, fire and security176,179 people$130,399
- Office and administrative support170,152 people$58,553
- Teachers and librarians139,376 people$26,771
- Doctors, nurses and health professionals124,234 people$123,749
- Social work and counseling92,074 people$78,333
- Business and finance jobs81,158 people$89,636
- Managers52,322 people$139,893
- Recreation and personal care43,179 people$6,848
- Computer and IT jobs42,342 people$109,549
- Science jobs32,761 people$89,063
- Cleaning and grounds31,436 people$48,245
- Drivers and transportation29,426 people$73,263
- Healthcare support25,409 people$58,315
- Maintenance and repair25,059 people$86,439
- Construction and trades23,475 people$81,905
- Legal jobs21,161 people$172,369
- Arts, media and sports10,671 people$71,787
- Food service8,247 people$51,841
- Plant operators and production7,480 people$109,684
- Farming, fishing and forestry2,308 people$37,267
- Sales and cashiers561 people$53,920
Jobs are grouped by the federal Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2018) major groups. This page: Architecture and Engineering Occupations (SOC 17-0000). Job titles we could not place with confidence are left out. "Typical pay" is the median; "most earned" is the middle half. How we calculate this