Quick answer: California employs about 24,230 electrical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through your state engineering licensing board. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Licensing and Credentials in California
Electrical engineering licensure runs through the state boards on the standard framework: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in electrical and computer engineering. The license matters most in power, utility and consulting work, where drawings are sealed and submitted for review. Engineers in electronics and product development more often work under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state engineering licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 104 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Electrical Engineers in California earn a median $144,040 per year, above the national median of $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Electrical Engineering Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$144,040
$120,630
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$81,840
$76,550
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$106,100
$92,830
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$185,520
$152,950
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$217,760
$184,300
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
24,230
198,750
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.04
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
7.2%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $144,040 sits above the national median of $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.04 puts California slightly above the national average, so the occupation is a little more common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Electrical engineering demand concentrates around utilities, grid and generation projects, and the region’s electronics and manufacturing employers.
Electrical Engineers Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), electrical engineers wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
8,970
$139,780
$145,760
$79,230
$209,460
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
4,160
$187,060
$189,370
$116,900
$258,100
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
2,470
$166,030
$162,170
$97,500
$219,070
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
2,400
$127,270
$131,220
$80,080
$204,610
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
1,420
$136,190
$141,080
$81,140
$196,930
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
1,150
$109,990
$116,800
$76,570
$166,680
Bakersfield-Delano
460
$126,960
$127,550
$86,610
$163,720
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
460
$129,880
$134,190
$86,610
$189,630
Fresno
400
$134,780
$137,150
$83,520
$179,540
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
230
$134,640
$141,670
$82,880
$209,530
Stockton-Lodi
160
$131,080
$131,220
$79,180
$179,540
Vallejo
150
$160,060
$144,580
$102,080
$208,410
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
100
$136,240
$136,060
$80,020
$205,050
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
100
$164,880
$148,660
$95,940
$201,740
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
90
$133,560
$147,650
$103,910
$203,820
Visalia
90
$124,010
$117,340
$76,500
$166,610
Chico
70
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Redding
70
$126,170
$127,650
$79,560
$170,360
Modesto
50
$109,970
$120,520
$76,960
$192,440
Salinas
50
$126,460
$136,120
$86,390
$208,790
Yuba City
50
$123,700
$122,780
$81,930
$170,360
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do electrical engineers make in California?
The median annual wage for electrical engineers in California is $144,040, above the national median of $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $106,100 at the 25th percentile to $185,520 at the 75th.
How many electrical engineers work in California?
California holds about 24,230 electrical engineer jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 198,750, and BLS projects about 11,700 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a electrical engineer in California?
Electrical engineering licensure runs through the state boards on the standard framework: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in electrical and computer engineering. The license matters most in power, utility and consulting work, where drawings are sealed and submitted for review. Engineers in electronics and product development more often work under what is commonly called the industrial exemption. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state engineering licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn an ABET-accredited BSEE online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
What is the highest-paying area of California for electrical engineers?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $187,060 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for electrical engineers?
On pay, the state median of $144,040 sits above the national $120,630 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.04 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
