Embedded System Engineer

Embedded System Engineer Salary in California

$61.7K

$135.2K

$189K

$135,476

/year

$65.13

/hour

Embedded System Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$137,274

California

California

$135,476

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    How much does an Embedded System Engineer make in California?

    As of Aug 21, 2026, the average annual pay for an Embedded System Engineer in California is $135,476 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $65.13 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,605/week or $11,289/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $188,992 and as low as $61,682, the majority of Embedded System Engineer salaries currently range between $110,000 (25th percentile) to $161,400 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $179,123 annually in California. The average pay range for an Embedded System Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 51400), 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 Embedded System Engineer salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Embedded 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 Embedded System Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

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

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Embedded System Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Cupertino, , with Mountain View, and Palo Alto, close behind in the second and third positions. Palo Alto, beats the average in California by $26,299 (19.4%), and Cupertino, furthers that trend with another $33,884 (25.0%) above the $135,476 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Embedded 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 7% between Cupertino, and Oakland, , 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 Embedded System Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Cupertino

    $169,360

    $81.42

    Mountain View

    $163,357

    $78.54

    Palo Alto

    $161,775

    $77.78

    San Francisco

    $161,732

    $77.76

    Sunnyvale

    $161,604

    $77.69

    Livermore

    $161,020

    $77.41

    San Jose

    $160,883

    $77.35

    Benicia

    $159,959

    $76.90

    Daly City

    $159,058

    $76.47

    Oakland

    $157,655

    $75.80

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

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Embedded System Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $135476 state average for Embedded System Engineer jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Embedded Software Architect

    $169,346

    $81.42

    Wireless Communications Engineer

    $168,484

    $81.00

    Senior Systems Programmer

    $118,097

    $56.78

    Embedded Linux Developer

    $108,993

    $52.40

    Motorola Engineer

    $92,928

    $44.68

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Embedded System Engineer salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $110,000 to $179,123 annually, with the California average at $135,476 per year or $65.13 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Embedded System Engineer jobs, with Cupertino leading at $169,360 annually.