Engineers, All Other Salary
In California, engineers, all others earn $130,850 at the median, or about $62.91 an hour. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $212K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $123,281 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 32% 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 $131K get you in California?
About engineers, all others
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What this looks like in California
Engineers, all other pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $131K locally vs. $123K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% 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. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level engineers, all others (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $131K. Top earners bring in $212K or more, a $137K spread from bottom to top.
Engineers, All Other salary by metro in California
21 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $170K | +30% | 4,970 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $160K | +22% | 4,850 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $141K | +8% | 150 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $140K | +7% | 670 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $137K | +4% | 460 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $133K | +1% | 3,570 |
| Chico | $132K | +1% | 40 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $128K | -3% | 140 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $125K | -4% | 7,530 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $124K | -5% | 1,390 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $123K | -6% | 670 |
| Redding | $123K | -6% | 40 |
| Fresno | $122K | -6% | 250 |
| Modesto | $112K | -15% | 60 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $105K | -20% | 160 |
| Vallejo | $102K | -22% | 140 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $100K | -23% | 1,200 |
| Salinas | $99K | -24% | 90 |
| Visalia | $99K | -25% | 40 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $97K | -26% | 160 |
| Merced | $90K | -31% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 21 metros
Compare to other states
Track engineers, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a engineers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $131K, rent takes 32.3% 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 $2,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for engineers, all others in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engineers, all others typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,497/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is engineers, all other a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $131K locally vs. $123K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for engineers, all others?
California pays $131K median vs. the U.S. average of $123K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do engineers, all others make in California?
The median is $130,850 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,950, and experienced engineers, all others can clear $212,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $131K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,657/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 32.3% 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 engineers, all other 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 engineers, all other salary is worth about $123,281 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engineers, all others 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.