How much does a Civil Engineers actually take home in California?
Progressive (up to 13.3%) — 28.0% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2024 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-04-02
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Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Civil Engineers earning $105,040 in California (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $105,040 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$14,949 | 14.2% |
| California State Income Tax | -$6,421 | 6.1% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$6,512 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,523 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$29,406 | 28.0% |
| Take-Home Pay | $75,633 | 72.0% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Civil Engineers in California.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $72,360 | -$16,678 | $55,681 | 23.0% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $82,900 | -$20,783 | $62,116 | 25.1% |
| Median (P50) | $105,040 | -$29,406 | $75,633 | 28.0% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $138,240 | -$42,800 | $95,439 | 31.0% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $167,460 | -$54,766 | $112,693 | 32.7% |
After federal income tax ($14,949), state tax ($6,421), and FICA ($8,035), a Civil Engineers in California takes home $75,633 per year — or $6,302 per month. The effective tax rate of 28.0% is moderate compared to the national range.
Where does a Civil Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
California ranks #4 out of 51 states for Civil Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Civil Engineers in California earning a median salary of $105,040 will take home approximately $75,633 per year after federal income tax ($14,949), state income tax ($6,421), and FICA ($8,035). That is $6,302 per month or $2,908 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Civil Engineers in California is 28.0%, broken down as: federal income tax 14.2%, California state tax 6.1%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
California has a progressive (up to 13.3%). On a Civil Engineers's median salary of $105,040, the state income tax amounts to $6,421 per year, which is an effective state rate of 6.1%.
After all taxes, a Civil Engineers in California takes home approximately $6,302 per month, or about $36.36 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2024 BLS median salary of $105,040 for Civil Engineers in California, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), California state income tax (progressive (up to 13.3%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $75,633/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR