California · SOC 17-2071
Electrical Engineer Salary in California
VerifiedPublished wages for electrical engineers in California, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Electrical Engineers in California earn a median of $140,360 per year ($148,390 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $105,150–$178,050; the top 10% earn $219,710. That is 25% above the national median of $111,910, ranking California #2 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$140,360
+25% vs national
Top 10% earn
$219,710
90th percentile
Employed in state
23,650
Reliability High (4.5% RSE)
Electrical Engineer pay distribution — California vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $81,110 | +9% |
| 25th percentile | $105,150 | +20% |
| Median50th percentile | $140,360 | +25% |
| 75th percentile | $178,050 | +26% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $219,710 | +25% |
| Meanaverage | $148,390 | +23% |
Where electrical engineers earn most in California
Metro areas in California where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2071. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| San JoseSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $186,920 | ≥$239,200 | 4,750 |
| San FranciscoSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $163,840 | $215,690 | 2,860 |
| VallejoVallejo, CA | $139,840 | $178,170 | 130 |
| Los AngelesLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $134,900 | $207,490 | 7,870 |
| Santa MariaSanta Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $134,620 | ≥$239,200 | 260 |
| SacramentoSacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,730 | $191,650 | 1,430 |
| San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $129,070 | $179,330 | 110 |
| San DiegoSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $128,750 | $209,470 | 2,200 |
| Santa CruzSanta Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $127,050 | $178,590 | 120 |
| FresnoFresno, CA | $126,950 | $173,120 | 350 |
| Santa RosaSanta Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $126,930 | $171,770 | 120 |
| OxnardOxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $126,820 | $174,610 | 460 |
| ReddingRedding, CA | $125,890 | $167,090 | 80 |
| StocktonStockton-Lodi, CA | $123,090 | $164,650 | 150 |
| BakersfieldBakersfield-Delano, CA | $121,430 | $167,420 | 420 |
| Yuba CityYuba City, CA | $121,220 | $164,280 | 40 |
| VisaliaVisalia, CA | $118,430 | $161,940 | 100 |
| ModestoModesto, CA | $112,320 | $170,100 | 60 |
| SalinasSalinas, CA | $109,770 | $211,260 | 50 |
| RiversideRiverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $109,360 | $162,300 | 910 |
California engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
1.07
Jobs per 1,000
1.31
State rank (pay)
#2 of 51
All engineering roles
$154,208
A location quotient of 1.07 means California employs electrical engineers at roughly the national rate.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2071 (Electrical Engineers), California (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →