California public employers · 2026 pay · 975 people
How much does an associate engineer make in California public employers?
$145,254typical pay for a associate engineer in 2026
$115,275 – $173,070what most people earned
Includes everyone paid during 2026, including part-year workers. Each employer counts with its latest published year (2025 or 2026). Typical pay rose 4.3% from the same employers' year before.
✓ Official data from 6 agencies · Matches each agency's latest release · Show sourcesHide sources
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- SF Controller's Office · sf.gov ↗
- City of San Jose · sanjoseca.gov ↗
- California State Controller's Office · sco.ca.gov ↗
- San Mateo County · smcgov.org ↗
Where associate engineers work
Typical pay at each employer, 2026 (everyone paid).
- San Francisco175 people$189,715
- San Jose144 people$162,352
- Metropolitan Water District of Southern California37 people$162,433
- City of Chula Vista21 people$137,916
- City of Anaheim20 people$135,208
- Riverside County19 people$111,375
- Eastern Municipal Water District18 people$168,759
- Orange County Sanitation District15 people$141,940
- City of Corona13 people$111,093
- City of Santa Ana13 people$123,933
- Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Contra Costa)13 people$194,878
- San Mateo County12 people$133,859
- City of Oxnard11 people$123,580
- City of Oceanside11 people$114,717
- City of Pasadena10 people$122,205
- City of Irvine10 people$118,642
- City of San Buenaventura10 people$131,147
- City of Carlsbad9 people$118,655
- City of Garden Grove9 people$103,717
- Alameda County Water District9 people$181,515
- City of Costa Mesa8 people$144,600
- Inland Empire Utilities Agency8 people$141,972
- City of Thousand Oaks7 people$142,487
- Shasta County7 people$114,254
- San Diego Unified Port District7 people$103,845
- City of Torrance7 people$119,371
- City of Ontario7 people$150,407
- City of Chino7 people$146,600
- City of Temecula6 people$135,821
- City of Elk Grove6 people$71,559
- City of Walnut Creek6 people$164,279
- City of Visalia6 people$110,467
- City of Moreno Valley6 people$125,911
- City of Fontana6 people$121,560
- City of Camarillo6 people$154,192
- City of Simi Valley6 people$107,061
- City of Palo Alto6 people$147,352
- City of Rancho Cucamonga5 people$109,361
- City of Tracy5 people$149,306
- City of San Ramon5 people$153,288
- Contra Costa Water District5 people$132,722
- City of Rancho Palos Verdes5 people$124,993
- Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency5 people$30,039
- Oakdale Irrigation District5 people$129,050
- City of Inglewood5 people$139,812
- City of Menlo Park4 people$143,363
- City of Norwalk4 people$81,623
- City of Pittsburg4 people$67,304
- Dublin San Ramon Services District4 people$179,159
- City of Menifee4 people$70,124
- City of Roseville4 people$125,639
- Stockton-East Water District4 people$94,432
- City of Escondido4 people$115,441
- City of Culver City4 people$139,252
- City of San Leandro4 people$157,170
- San Diego Association of Governments4 people$105,092
- Placer County Water Agency4 people$130,839
- City of Upland4 people$106,192
- City of Modesto3 people$111,313
- City of Yucaipa3 people$121,423
- City of Chico3 people$128,380
- City of Fullerton3 people$125,709
- City of Riverside3 people$140,527
- City of Lincoln3 people$102,271
- Napa County3 people$115,124
- City of Palmdale3 people$65,242
- United Water Conservation District3 people$32,907
- El Dorado Irrigation District3 people$55,773
- City of Poway3 people$111,206
- Yuba County Water Agency3 people$149,726
- Merced Irrigation District3 people$98,174
- City of San Carlos3 people$160,764
- Napa Sanitation District3 people$170,562
- City of Eastvale2 people$107,369
- City of Burlingame2 people$123,842
- Monterey One Water2 people$207,040
- Castro Valley Sanitary District (Alameda)2 people$94,362
- City of Malibu2 people$127,925
- City of Pico Rivera2 people$135,113
- Irvine Ranch Water District2 people$114,880
- City of South Gate2 people$66,613
- Delta Diablo2 people$191,884
- City of Buena Park2 people$116,685
- Westlands Water District2 people$104,547
- City of Orange2 people$104,513
- City of Mission Viejo2 people$102,473
- City of Jurupa Valley2 people$141,234
- City of Morgan Hill2 people$189,032
- City of Cypress2 people$112,987
- City of South San Francisco2 people$189,044
- City of Pleasant Hill2 people$76,966
- City of Goleta2 people$87,688
- City of La Mesa2 people$88,792
- Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District2 people$123,283
- Water Replenishment District of Southern California2 people$156,018
- City of Manhattan Beach2 people$86,876
- City of Baldwin Park2 people$30,701
- City of El Cerrito2 people$130,528
- City of Hermosa Beach2 people$136,770
- Yuba County2 people$91,639
- City of Brentwood2 people$179,012
- City of Albany2 people$142,698
- City of Lomita2 people$80,941
- West Bay Sanitary District (San Mateo)2 people$64,630
- City of Diamond Bar2 people$123,625
- Mission Springs Water District1 person$41,427
- Town of Hillsborough1 person$158,218
- Modoc County1 person$63,558
- City of Chino Hills1 person$141,183
- Monterey Regional Waste Management District1 person$132,860
- City of San Dimas1 person$141,184
- City of Lathrop1 person$130,497
- City of Aliso Viejo1 person$164,580
- City of Belvedere1 person$128,356
- City of Mill Valley1 person$137,358
- Marin Municipal Water District1 person$18,532
- Trinity County1 person$126,292
- Tuolumne Utilities District1 person$83,475
- City of Signal Hill1 person$140,997
- City of San Pablo1 person$126,942
- City of Hawthorne1 person$129,039
- City of Loma Linda1 person$160,090
- Plumas County1 person$87,029
- City of Montclair1 person$106,021
- Imperial County1 person$78,928
- City of Beaumont1 person$107,818
- City of Colton1 person$146,382
- City of Gardena1 person$123,831
- Union Sanitary District (Alameda)1 person$179,590
- Henry Miller Reclamation District No. 21311 person$12,303
- City of Westminster1 person$135,322
- City of Hercules1 person$167,782
- Yorba Linda Water District1 person$147,548
- Humboldt County1 person$98,123
- City of La Quinta1 person$150,849
- Water Employee Services Authority1 person$133,784
- City of West Sacramento1 person$128,098
- Orange County Water District1 person$129,125
- Cucamonga Valley Water District1 person$134,372
- City of Hesperia1 person$123,253
- City of Hollister1 person$128,545
- South Tahoe Public Utility District1 person$143,048
- City of Suisun City1 person$114,673
- North Marin Water District1 person$194,703
- City of Auburn1 person$12,027
- Santa Cruz County Transportation Commission1 person$210,361
- City of Coronado1 person$53,384
- Contra Costa Transportation Authority1 person$181,331
- Monte Vista Water District1 person$146,578
- City of Lynwood1 person$14,688
- Carpinteria Valley Water District1 person$137,037
- City of Desert Hot Springs1 person$63,484
- Valley Sanitary District (Riverside)1 person$142,855
- Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District (Marin)1 person$202,390
- City of East Palo Alto1 person$116,304
- City of Lawndale1 person$135,322
- Las Virgenes Municipal Water District1 person$139,017
- Rubidoux Community Services District1 person$107,300
- Sweetwater Authority1 person$48,445
- City of El Segundo1 person$69,856
- City of Redlands1 person$100,845
- City of Seal Beach1 person$170,377
- City of Perris1 person$101,911
- Oro Loma Sanitary District (Alameda)1 person$146,358
- San Diego County Regional Airport Authority1 person$43,207
- Indian Wells Valley Water District1 person$136,677
- City of Tustin1 person$55,902
- Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District1 person$13,080
- San Lorenzo Valley Water District1 person$126,721
- City of Laguna Niguel1 person$143,875
- City of San Marcos1 person$95,310
- Town of Moraga1 person$136,005
- City of Pomona1 person$91,784
- Fallbrook Public Utility District1 person$40,909
- Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency1 person$138,313
- City of Larkspur1 person$154,499
- City of Lafayette1 person$99,175
- City of Half Moon Bay1 person$163,168
- Central Marin Sanitation Agency1 person$212,447
- Town of Los Altos Hills1 person$170,538
- City of Citrus Heights1 person$90,764
- Mammoth Community Water District1 person$126,682
- City of Big Bear Lake1 person$160,684
- Mono County1 person$87,322
- Jurupa Community Services District1 person$123,999
- City of Rosemead1 person$103,780
- City of Irwindale1 person$131,073
- Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District1 person$175,260
No employers match.
Pay by level
Levels with 5 or more people.
- Associate Engineer I18 people$132,476
- Associate Engineer937 people$145,387
- Associate Engineer II18 people$168,759
Related jobs and the next step up
Same line of work at a different rank, by typical pay (full-year employees where we can tell).
- Engineer Intern$11,387 (everyone)
- Engineer Assistant$104,905 (everyone)
- Chief Engineer$110,751 (everyone)
- Assistant Engineer$112,280 (everyone)
- Associate Engineer (this page)$145,254 (everyone)
- Engineer Associate$148,358 (everyone)
- Senior Associate Engineer$161,833 (everyone)
- Engineer Principal$162,241 (everyone)
- Supervising Engineer$166,258 (everyone)
- Senior Engineer$171,470 (everyone)
- Engineer Senior$175,722 (everyone)
- Assistant Chief Engineer$192,111 (everyone)
- Principal Engineer$197,143 (everyone)
Highest-paid associate engineers, 2026
- 1David ChanAssociate Engineer · San Francisco$607,863
- 2Hung QuachAssociate Engineer · San Francisco$535,758
- 3Jacky NgAssociate Engineer · San Francisco$448,134
- 4Anh NguyenAssociate Engineer · San Jose$390,780
- 5Mark WilliamsAssociate Engineer · San Francisco$340,061
Common questions
How much does an associate engineer make in California public employers?
The typical associate engineer was paid $145,254 in 2026; most earned between $115,275 and $173,070. This counts all 975 people paid, including part-year workers.
How much of the pay is overtime?
Overtime made up 0.5% of all pay for associate engineers in 2026.
Which job titles are included?
Everyone whose payroll title is Associate Engineer, at any level (for example "Associate Engineer I"). Part-time-schedule titles (such as "20 hours") are left out. Senior, supervising and trainee titles have their own pages.
Job titles are written out in full from the payroll's abbreviations (for example "SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR" → "Senior Correctional Police Officer"). "Typical pay" is the median; "most earned" is the middle half. How we calculate this