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Electrical Engineers Salary in California
Electrical Engineers in California earn a median $144,040 a year, 19% above the U.S. median.
- Median in CA
- $144,040 a year
- U.S. median
- $120,630 a year
- Employment
- 24,230
- Location quotient
- 1.04
- Share of jobs vs. U.S. (1.00 = same)
Pay range in California
- Median (50%)
- $144,040 · $69.25 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $151,180 · $72.68 an hour (estimate error ±1.3%)
- 10th percentile
- $81,840 · $39.35 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $106,100 · $51.01 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $185,520 · $89.19 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $217,760 · $104.69 an hour
- Employment
- 24,230 (estimate error ±4.6%)
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.33
- Location quotient
- 1.04 (1.00 = national share)
Electrical Engineers pay by metro area in California
Includes metro areas that cross into this state and nonmetropolitan areas
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $187,060 | 4,160 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $166,030 | 2,470 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $164,880 | 100 |
| Vallejo, CA | $160,060 | 150 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $154,820 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $139,780 | 8,970 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $136,240 | 100 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $136,190 | 1,420 |
| Fresno, CA | $134,780 | 400 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $134,640 | 230 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $133,560 | 90 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $131,080 | 160 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $129,880 | 460 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $127,270 | 2,400 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $126,960 | 460 |
| Salinas, CA | $126,460 | 50 |
| Redding, CA | $126,170 | 70 |
| Visalia, CA | $124,010 | 90 |
| Yuba City, CA | $123,700 | 50 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $109,990 | 1,150 |
| Modesto, CA | $109,970 | 50 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $97,550 | 40 |
| Chico, CA | Not reported | 70 |
H-1B filings for electrical engineers in California
FY 2026 through Q3, by work location
1,435 certified filings with a median offered wage of $160,553.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much do electrical engineers make in California?
- The median wage for electrical engineers in California is $144,040 a year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). There are about 24,230 jobs in the state.
- Where in California do electrical engineers earn the most?
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest median wage in the state for this occupation at $187,060 a year.