Computer Systems Engineer
Computer Systems Engineer Salary in California
$52.3K - $63.7K
10% of jobs
$69.5K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$63.7K - $75K
28% of jobs
The median wage is $84.5K / yr.
$75K - $86.4K
13% of jobs
$86.4K - $97.7K
6% of jobs
$97.7K - $109.1K
7% of jobs
$109.1K - $120.4K
5% of jobs
$126.8K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$120.4K - $131.7K
7% of jobs
$131.7K - $143.1K
14% of jobs
$143.1K - $154.4K
5% of jobs
$154.4K - $165.8K
1% of jobs
$165.8K - $177.1K
2% of jobs
$52.3K
$85.9K
$175.7K
$99,960
/year
$48.06
/hour
Computer Systems Engineer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$101,286
California
California
$99,960
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How much does a Computer Systems Engineer make in California?
As of Aug 2, 2026, the average annual pay for a Computer Systems Engineer in California is $99,960 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $48.06 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,922/week or $8,330/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $175,669 and as low as $52,306, the majority of Computer Systems Engineer salaries currently range between $69,100 (25th percentile) to $130,800 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $145,568 annually in California. The average pay range for a Computer Systems Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 61700), 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 Computer Systems Engineer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Computer Systems Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a Computer Systems Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Computer Systems Engineer Jobs in California
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Computer Systems Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Palo Alto, , with San Francisco, and Livermore, close behind in the second and third positions. Livermore, beats the average in California by $18,847 (18.9%), and Palo Alto, furthers that trend with another $19,404 (19.4%) above the $99,960 average.
With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Computer Systems Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 2% between Palo Alto, 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 a Computer Systems Engineer role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Palo Alto | $119,364 | $57.39 |
San Francisco | $119,333 | $57.37 |
Livermore | $118,807 | $57.12 |
San Jose | $118,679 | $57.06 |
Mountain View | $118,598 | $57.02 |
Albany | $118,479 | $56.96 |
Milpitas | $118,036 | $56.75 |
Santa Clara | $118,031 | $56.75 |
Daly City | $117,360 | $56.42 |
Santa Cruz | $116,951 | $56.23 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Computer Systems Engineer Jobs in California
Analyzing similar jobs related to the Computer Systems Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $99960 state average for Computer Systems Engineer jobs.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Hardware Systems Engineer | $144,315 | $69.38 |
Hourly Aerospace Engineer | $107,216 | $51.55 |
Mechanical Project Engineer | $91,148 | $43.82 |
Remote Mechatronics Engineer | $89,326 | $42.95 |
Ground Support Equipment Mechanic | $56,094 | $26.97 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
