Civil Engineer salary in California
The median annual wage for civil engineers in California is $122,500, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimates — above the national median of $100,840. California ranks 1 of 50 states and DC with published data for this occupation.
Median
$122,500
25th percentile
$96,590
75th percentile
$149,350
90th percentile
$175,940
Employment and national comparison
| Employment in California | 55,180 |
|---|---|
| Mean annual wage in California | $124,540 |
| National median | $100,840 |
| National employment | 367,840 |
Metro areas in California
- San Francisco, CA: median $130,160
- Los Angeles, CA: median $108,640
- San Diego, CA: median $108,900
States with similar pay for civil engineers
- Alaska: median $114,730
- Washington: median $110,000
- Massachusetts: median $106,730
- Louisiana: median $105,380
- Oregon: median $105,250
- New Jersey: median $104,660
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates; state, metropolitan area and national files from https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. State estimates are for BLS occupation "Civil Engineers" (17-2051), cross-industry, all ownerships. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Where BLS does not publish a numeric estimate (suppressed, or reported only as at or above $239,200) the value is shown as —.