Associate System Engineer

Associate System Engineer Salary in California

$41K

$75.5K

$129.8K

$81,554

/year

$39.21

/hour

Associate System Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$82,636

California

California

$81,554

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    How much does an Associate System Engineer make in California?

    As of Sep 1, 2026, the average annual pay for an Associate System Engineer in California is $81,554 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $39.21 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,568/week or $6,796/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $129,778 and as low as $40,957, the majority of Associate System Engineer salaries currently range between $64,600 (25th percentile) to $93,800 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $114,480 annually in California. The average pay range for an Associate System Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 29200), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    California ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Associate System Engineer salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Associate System Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as an Associate System Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Associate System Engineer Jobs in California

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Associate System Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Santa Clara, , with Berkeley, and San Carlos, close behind in the second and third positions. San Carlos, beats the average in California by $18,228 (22.4%), and Santa Clara, furthers that trend with another $31,661 (38.8%) above the $81,554 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Associate System Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 17% between Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Associate System Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Santa Clara

    $113,215

    $54.43

    Berkeley

    $101,183

    $48.65

    San Carlos

    $99,782

    $47.97

    South San Francisco

    $99,302

    $47.74

    San Francisco

    $97,360

    $46.81

    Stanford

    $97,220

    $46.74

    Sunnyvale

    $96,986

    $46.63

    San Jose

    $96,849

    $46.56

    Daly City

    $95,750

    $46.03

    Santa Cruz

    $95,417

    $45.87

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Associate System Engineer Jobs in California

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Associate System Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $81554 state average for Associate System Engineer jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Pki Engineer

    $150,773

    $72.49

    Antenna Design Engineer

    $110,039

    $52.90

    Certification Engineer

    $95,700

    $46.01

    Fabrication Engineer

    $86,153

    $41.42

    Engineering Drafting

    $51,659

    $24.84

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Associate System Engineer salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $64,600 to $114,480 annually, with the California average at $81,554 per year or $39.21 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Associate System Engineer jobs, with Santa Clara leading at $113,215 annually.