Electrical Engineers in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median annual wage for Electrical Engineers in California was $140,360 in 2024, about 23% above the national median of $114,360. That $26,000 gap is one of the larger state-level premiums we see for this occupation.
The spread between low and high earners is wide. At the 10th percentile, Electrical Engineers in California earned $81,110. At the 90th, they earned $219,710. Top earners made roughly 2.7 times what those at the bottom of the range did. That kind of gap usually reflects real differences in seniority, sub-specialty, and the kinds of employers in the state.
California's cost of living runs about 14.8% above the national baseline. After adjusting for that, the $26,000 nominal premium shrinks to something closer to $3,700 in national-baseline dollars. The headline advantage is real, but what the money actually buys is considerably closer to the national figure than the raw numbers suggest.
BLS projects employment for Electrical Engineers to grow 7.1% between 2024 and 2034, a faster rate than average. The state accounts for 23,650 jobs in this occupation as of 2024, one of the larger concentrations in the country, which is consistent with the depth of defense, semiconductor, and utility-scale energy work based here.
Salary distribution
Where California electrical engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $106,100 and $185,520, with a median of $144,040.
Electrical Engineers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 2,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $158,386. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 264 | $107,182 |
| Level II — qualified | 477 | $156,624 |
| Level III — experienced | 419 | $177,840 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 370 | $213,595 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Electrical Engineers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | Hardware Systems Engineering | 400 | $162,255 |
| Tesla, Inc. | Sr Electronic Design Engineer | 117 | $180,000 |
| Microsoft Corporation | Silicon Engineering | 65 | $222,687 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Electrical Engineer | 55 | $216,885 |
| MIRAFRA INC | Senior Member of Technical Staff | 38 | $160,000 |
| Google LLC | Electrical Engineer | 31 | $176,000 |
| Rivian Automotive, LLC | Staff Electrical Design Engineer | 24 | $183,246 |
| ASML US, LP | Senior Electrical Engineer 1 | 23 | $159,890 |
| Astera Labs INC | Senior System Validation Engineer | 23 | $160,000 |
| California Independent System Operator Corporation | Electrical Engineer | 22 | $145,210 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Principal Electrical Engineer 1 at ASML US, LP$217,630San JoseWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-727562
- Wireless Systems Validation Eng at Apple Inc.$147,400CupertinoDecided —I-200-26084-727692
- Staff Silicon Design Engineer at Tesla, Inc.$380,000Palo AltoWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728729
- Senior Associate Electrical Engineer at Stantec Consulting Services Inc.$165,006San FranciscoWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-728306
- Silicon Validation Engineering at Apple Inc.$147,400SunnyvaleDecided —I-200-26084-727613
- Electrical Engineer at Stantec Consulting Services Inc.$150,654Walnut CreekDecided —I-200-26084-729355
- Project Engineer--Protection at SEL Engineering Services, Inc.$111,614IrvineWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-729648
- SIPI Engineering at Apple Inc.$147,400Santa ClaraDecided —I-200-26084-727602
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Electrical Engineers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Electrical Engineers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 777 certified offers. The most common variant is Electrical Engineer at a median of $141,785.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineer | Apple Inc. | 321 | $141,785 |
| Senior Engineer | Analog Devices, Inc. | 100 | $149,298 |
| Hardware Systems Engineering | Apple Inc. | 62 | $187,152 |
| Silicon Engineering | Microsoft Corporation | 58 | $223,312 |
| Member of Technical Staff | MIRAFRA INC | 54 | $160,000 |
| Sr Electronic Design Engineer | Tesla, Inc. | 31 | $169,179 |
| Senior Systems Engineer | Maxlinear, Inc. | 30 | $157,165 |
| Wireless Systems Validation Engineer | Apple Inc. | 30 | $166,538 |
| FE Engineering | Apple Inc. | 24 | $164,033 |
| Electrical Design Engineer | KLA Corporation | 23 | $154,100 |
| Physical Design Engineer | Apple Inc. | 23 | $157,802 |
| Firmware Engineer | Also, Inc. | 21 | $180,034 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Electrical Engineers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,961 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $160,292.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 1,163 | $160,292 |
| Technology and software | Microsoft Corporation | 368 | $176,235 |
| Professional services | MIRAFRA INC | 318 | $135,200 |
| Energy and utilities | California Independent System Operator Corporation | 46 | $142,973 |
| Retail and wholesale | Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. | 39 | $131,019 |
| Education | University of California at Santa Barbara | 13 | $92,882 |
| Transportation and logistics | Hitachi Rail STS USA, Inc. | 8 | $130,528 |
| Government and public sector | Planet Labs PBC | 4 | $167,300 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Open Avenues Foundation | 2 | $128,149 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.7 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.7 / 5
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Writing
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Written Expression
Ability
- 4.1 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Design, implement, maintain, or improve electrical instruments, equipment, facilities, components, products, or systems for commercial, industrial, or domestic purposes.
- 02
Oversee project production efforts to assure projects are completed on time and within budget.
- 03
Direct or coordinate manufacturing, construction, installation, maintenance, support, documentation, or testing activities to ensure compliance with specifications, codes, or customer requirements.
- 04
Perform detailed calculations to compute and establish manufacturing, construction, or installation standards or specifications.
- 05
Operate computer-assisted engineering or design software or equipment to perform engineering tasks.
- 06
Confer with engineers, customers, or others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects or products.
- 07
Investigate or test vendors' or competitors' products.
- 08
Collect data relating to commercial or residential development, population, or power system interconnection to determine operating efficiency of electrical systems.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+7.1%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for electrical engineers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$187,060
- San Francisco$166,030
- Los Angeles$139,780
- Sacramento$136,190
- San Diego$127,270
- Riverside$109,990
Compare Electrical Engineers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Electrical Engineers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Electrical Engineers in California is $144,040.
- How does California compare to the national median for Electrical Engineers?
- The California median is +25.3% versus the BLS national figure of $114,971.
- What is the salary range for Electrical Engineers in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $81,840 and the 90th-percentile at $217,760, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Electrical Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 7.1% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Electrical Engineers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.