Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in California make a median of $122,500 a year, or about $58.89 an hour. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $176K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $115,414 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 34.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $123K get you in California?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for civil engineers, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $101K. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $123K. Top earners bring in $176K or more, a $98K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in California
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $130K | +6% | 3,170 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $130K | +6% | 10,990 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $130K | +6% | 5,590 |
| Redding | $126K | +3% | 380 |
| Napa | $123K | +1% | 180 |
| Vallejo | $123K | +0% | 300 |
| Salinas | $122K | -0% | 250 |
| Yuba City | $120K | -2% | 460 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $120K | -2% | 610 |
| Fresno | $120K | -2% | 1,250 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $118K | -4% | 210 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $117K | -4% | 610 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $115K | -6% | 3,510 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $112K | -9% | 490 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $110K | -10% | 720 |
| El Centro | $109K | -11% | 120 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $109K | -11% | 5,620 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $109K | -11% | 790 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $109K | -11% | 16,340 |
| Chico | $107K | -12% | 160 |
| Visalia | $105K | -14% | 200 |
| Merced | $103K | -16% | 50 |
| Modesto | $101K | -18% | 320 |
| Hanford-Corcoran | $100K | -18% | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $99K | -19% | 870 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $123K, rent takes 34.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,679/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $123K here vs. $101K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for civil engineers?
California pays $123K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $115K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in California?
The median is $122,500 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,980, and experienced civil engineers can clear $175,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $123K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,246/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 34.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a civil engineers salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median civil engineers salary is worth about $115,414 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.