Quick answer: California employs about 29,630 architectural and engineering managers (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.
There is no separate license for engineering management. What carries regulatory weight is the underlying engineering credential: an ABET-accredited degree, and a Professional Engineer license from a state board where the role holds responsible charge or seals work. In manufacturing and product organizations many engineering managers never license. The graduate management degree is a hiring signal rather than a regulatory requirement.
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 210 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.
#1
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
📍
San Luis Obispo, CA
•81.5 miles away•BOC Score
89.2
What Architectural and Engineering Managers Earn in California
Architectural and Engineering Managers in California earn a median $210,280 per year, above the national median of $171,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Engineering Management Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$210,280
$171,270
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$137,900
$120,810
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$169,140
$139,360
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$251,890
$212,500
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$296,130
$262,760
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
29,630
220,260
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.15
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
3.8%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $210,280 sits above the national median of $171,270 (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 1.15 puts California well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (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. Engineering management demand follows the concentration of engineering employers in a region - design firms, manufacturers and infrastructure programs - rather than population.
Architectural and Engineering Managers Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), architectural and engineering managers 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
9,570
$190,900
$197,390
$132,870
$269,320
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
5,130
$234,590
$252,690
$174,850
$318,400
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
5,000
$221,580
$236,870
$165,160
$320,120
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
3,270
$202,810
$202,110
$134,660
$283,130
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
1,570
$193,970
$195,990
$134,080
$257,340
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
1,160
$172,600
$177,610
$121,510
$250,670
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
540
$179,760
$193,510
$130,510
$267,240
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
340
$207,900
$201,470
$131,330
$266,750
Bakersfield-Delano
220
$179,980
$183,000
$117,030
$250,980
Fresno
190
$175,530
$174,250
$118,850
$216,060
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
190
$207,140
$201,640
$138,560
$271,770
Stockton-Lodi
190
$169,090
$176,990
$120,000
$231,190
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
180
$213,070
$201,490
$132,520
$268,340
Vallejo
110
$189,360
$190,930
$124,260
$259,370
Modesto
90
$163,680
$168,080
$104,360
$225,300
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
80
$206,880
$199,890
$127,890
$283,380
Salinas
70
$187,730
$186,210
$126,930
$244,690
Visalia
60
$154,630
$167,870
$120,000
$242,510
Redding
50
$184,720
$179,750
$121,770
$228,830
El Centro
40
$172,460
$177,470
$127,260
$228,260
Yuba City
30
$184,720
$186,650
$148,860
$213,670
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 architectural and engineering managers make in California?
The median annual wage for architectural and engineering managers in California is $210,280, above the national median of $171,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $169,140 at the 25th percentile to $251,890 at the 75th.
How many architectural and engineering managers work in California?
California holds about 29,630 engineering manager jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 220,260, and BLS projects about 14,500 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a engineering manager in California?
There is no separate license for engineering management. What carries regulatory weight is the underlying engineering credential: an ABET-accredited degree, and a Professional Engineer license from a state board where the role holds responsible charge or seals work. In manufacturing and product organizations many engineering managers never license. The graduate management degree is a hiring signal rather than a regulatory requirement. 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 a master's in engineering management or an MBA 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 architectural and engineering managers?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $234,590 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for architectural and engineering managers?
On pay, the state median of $210,280 sits above the national $171,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.15 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 - Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041), 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/.
