Entry Level Project Engineer

Entry Level Project Engineer Salary in California

$32.6K

$81.4K

$148K

$80,990

/year

$38.94

/hour

Entry Level Project Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$82,065

California

California

$80,990

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    How much does an Entry Level Project Engineer make in California?

    As of Sep 3, 2026, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Project Engineer in California is $80,990 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $38.94 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,557/week or $6,749/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $148,035 and as low as $32,568, the majority of Entry Level Project Engineer salaries currently range between $66,100 (25th percentile) to $87,300 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $114,974 annually in California. The average pay range for an Entry Level Project Engineer varies little (about 21200), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    California ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Entry Level Project Engineer salaries.

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

    Find your next high paying job as an Entry Level Project Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry Level Project Engineer Jobs in California

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Entry Level Project Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Portola Valley, , with Scotts Valley, and Cupertino, close behind in the second and third positions. Cupertino, beats the average in California by $20,257 (25.0%), and Portola Valley, furthers that trend with another $33,392 (41.2%) above the $80,990 average.

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

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 16% between Portola Valley, and San Francisco, , 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 Entry Level Project Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Portola Valley

    $114,382

    $54.99

    Scotts Valley

    $106,200

    $51.06

    Cupertino

    $101,247

    $48.68

    Berkeley

    $100,483

    $48.31

    Redwood City

    $100,476

    $48.31

    San Carlos

    $99,092

    $47.64

    San Bruno

    $98,042

    $47.14

    Mountain View

    $96,810

    $46.54

    Menlo Park

    $96,710

    $46.50

    San Francisco

    $96,686

    $46.48

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Entry Level Project Engineer Jobs in California

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Entry Level Project Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $80990 state average for Entry Level Project Engineer jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Senior Cost Estimator

    $128,004

    $61.54

    Bim Vdc Engineer

    $103,120

    $49.58

    Epc Engineer

    $94,542

    $45.45

    Construction Site Safety Manager

    $87,322

    $41.98

    Jr It Project Manager

    $71,533

    $34.39

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Entry Level Project Engineer salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $66,100 to $114,974 annually, with the California average at $80,990 per year or $38.94 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Entry Level Project Engineer jobs, with Portola Valley leading at $114,382 annually.