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Civil engineer salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$122,500median pay per year in California, or $58.89 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $77,980lowest 10% earn less
  2. $96,59025th percentile
  3. $122,500median
  4. $149,35075th percentile
  5. $175,940top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $100,840[3]

The median pay for civil engineers in California was $122,500 a year[1]. That was the highest median of any state[5].

Jobs in CA
55,180[4]
Rank by median pay
1 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+21.5%[6]

How much do civil engineers make in California?

The median is the middle point. Half of civil engineers in California earned more than $122,500 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $58.89 an hour[1]. The average was a bit higher, at $124,540 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for civil engineers was $100,840[3]. California was $21,660 (21.5%) higher[6]. Compared with all jobs in the state, whose median was $58,240[8], civil engineers earned $64,260 more[9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $77,980[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $175,940[2]. Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median at $130,280[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont was close at $130,160[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers, both part-time and full-time. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners. It also does not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for civil engineers in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$122,500[1]$100,840[3]
Median per hour$58.89[1]$48.48[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$77,980[2]$68,240[13]
Top 10% earn more than$175,940[2]$163,220[13]
Jobs55,180[4]367,840[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for civil engineers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$108,64016,340
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$130,16010,990
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$108,9005,620
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$130,1505,590
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$115,1203,510
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$130,2803,170
Fresno, CA$119,7201,250
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$99,300870

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for civil engineers in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$105,2504,890
Nevada$104,3103,560
Arizona$89,6605,940

Median pay for civil engineers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for civil engineers are projected to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a civil engineer make in California?
The median was $122,500 a year, and the average was $124,540[1][7]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $77,980, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $175,940[2].
How much does a civil engineer make an hour in California?
The median was $58.89 an hour[1]. The hourly 25th percentile was $46.44 and the 75th was $71.80[17].
Which city in California pays civil engineers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median among metro areas with a published figure, at $130,280 a year[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had a median of $130,160 and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had $108,640[11].
Is California a good state for civil engineers?
On pay, California had the 1st highest median annual wage for civil engineers among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was 21.5% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a civil engineer in California?
Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a bachelor's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training listed[16]. This is a US figure, not one for California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Civil Engineers in California was $122,500 per year and $58.89 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Civil Engineers in California: 10th percentile $77,980, 25th percentile $96,590, 75th percentile $149,350, 90th percentile $175,940. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Civil Engineers in the US as a whole was $100,840 per year and $48.48 per hour, with about 367,840 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 55,180 people worked as Civil Engineers in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Civil Engineers out of the 50 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Civil Engineers in California ($122,500) was $21,660 (21.5%) higher than the US median ($100,840). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Civil Engineers in California was $124,540 per year and $59.87 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Civil Engineers in California was $64,260 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Civil Engineers, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $130,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Civil Engineers in the US: 10th percentile $68,240, 25th percentile $79,930, 75th percentile $129,680, 90th percentile $163,220. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Civil Engineers in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $105,250; Nevada $104,310; Arizona $89,660. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Civil Engineers is projected to grow 6.4% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 22,700 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Civil Engineers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Civil Engineers in California: 10th percentile $37.49, 25th percentile $46.44, 75th percentile $71.80, 90th percentile $84.59. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.