Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
California employs 287,580 Architecture & Engineering professionals across 31 occupations. Explore salary ranges, top paying jobs, and career opportunities within the Architecture & Engineering industry.
The best-compensated occupations within Architecture & Engineering in California, based on median salary data.
Complete breakdown of all occupations in the Architecture & Engineering industry in California, sorted by median salary (highest to lowest). Click any job title for state-specific salary details.
| # | Job Title | Median Salary | Mean Salary | Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Hardware Engineers | $185,180 | $190,590 | 19,820 | $89/hr |
| 2 | Nuclear Engineers | $172,400 | $160,980 | 1,070 | $82/hr |
| 3 | Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $160,520 | $161,520 | 20,830 | $77/hr |
| 4 | Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers | $158,130 | $143,080 | 520 | $76/hr |
| 5 | Aerospace Engineers | $157,620 | $159,960 | 9,170 | $75/hr |
| 6 | Electrical Engineers | $144,040 | $151,180 | 24,230 | $69/hr |
| 7 | Petroleum Engineers | $143,590 | $147,940 | 1,060 | $69/hr |
| 8 | Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $131,540 | $135,120 | 2,470 | $63/hr |
| 9 | Mechanical Engineers | $130,900 | $136,660 | 30,530 | $62/hr |
| 10 | Environmental Engineers | $130,410 | $125,870 | 4,550 | $62/hr |
| 11 | Materials Engineers | $128,470 | $131,090 | 3,020 | $61/hr |
| 12 | Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | $128,310 | $132,400 | 2,750 | $61/hr |
| 13 | Industrial Engineers | $124,600 | $125,850 | 32,680 | $59/hr |
| 14 | Civil Engineers | $122,500 | $124,540 | 55,180 | $58/hr |
| 15 | Marine Engineers and Naval Architects | $110,700 | $118,380 | 250 | $53/hr |
| 16 | Architects, Except Landscape and Naval | $108,540 | $121,910 | 13,270 | $52/hr |
| 17 | Surveyors | $105,330 | $110,220 | 4,520 | $50/hr |
| 18 | Cartographers and Photogrammetrists | $102,780 | $103,690 | 1,450 | $49/hr |
| 19 | Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $99,000 | $106,720 | 1,560 | $47/hr |
| 20 | Landscape Architects | $98,380 | $110,360 | 2,310 | $47/hr |
| 21 | Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $87,390 | $91,570 | 3,660 | $42/hr |
| 22 | Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $86,090 | $93,750 | 13,450 | $41/hr |
| 23 | Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $83,490 | $85,570 | 7,250 | $40/hr |
| 24 | Mechanical Drafters | $82,510 | $86,750 | 3,640 | $39/hr |
| 25 | Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians | $81,550 | $92,350 | 1,850 | $39/hr |
| 26 | Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $79,070 | $80,610 | 5,710 | $38/hr |
| 27 | Calibration Technologists and Technicians | $79,010 | $82,510 | 1,250 | $37/hr |
| 28 | Electrical and Electronics Drafters | $78,310 | $89,900 | 2,730 | $37/hr |
| 29 | Surveying and Mapping Technicians | $78,110 | $81,840 | 3,340 | $37/hr |
| 30 | Architectural and Civil Drafters | $76,520 | $80,360 | 11,400 | $36/hr |
| 31 | Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $60,010 | $70,580 | 2,060 | $28/hr |
Explore salary data and job opportunities in other industries across California:
California has 31 Architecture & Engineering occupations with 287,580 total employed workers (2025 BLS data).
The highest-paying Architecture & Engineering occupation in California is Computer Hardware Engineers with a median salary of $185,180/year.
The average median salary across 31 Architecture & Engineering occupations in California is $113,387/year.
Salaries in Architecture & Engineering in California range from $45,540 (entry-level) to $281,210 (senior) across all occupations.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes organize jobs into groups. Architecture & Engineering occupations use SOC prefix 17. Data comes from BLS OEWS.
Data: BLS OEWS 2025. Salary figures represent May 2025 compensation for occupations classified under SOC code 17* in California. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) reflect the lowest and highest earning 10% of workers. Our Methodology · Data Sources