What are the top 10 cities with the highest pay for Operating Engineer?

We've identified 10 cities in California where Operating Engineer jobs typically pay above the area average. Topping the list is Palmdale (50.9% above average), followed by Cupertino and Berkeley. City Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Palmdale $126,654 $10,554 $2,435 $60.89 Cupertino $104,903 $8,741 $2,017 $50.43 Berkeley $104,112 $8,676 $2,002 $50.05 San Carlos $102,671 $8,555 $1,974 $49.36 Mountain View $100,307 $8,358 $1,928 $48.22 Menlo Park $100,203 $8,350 $1,926 $48.17 San Francisco $100,178 $8,348 $1,926 $48.16 Santa Clara $99,861 $8,321 $1,920 $48.01 Sunnyvale $99,794 $8,316 $1,919 $47.98 Livermore $99,737 $8,311 $1,918 $47.95

Operating Engineer

Operating Engineer Salary in California

Q: How much does an Operating Engineer make in California?

The average annual pay for an operating engineer in California is $83,915 a year — that works out to approximately $40.34 an hour. That is 1.3% below the national average of $85,029. The middle 80% of Operating Engineers earn between $58,720 (10th percentile) and $116,454 (90th percentile) per year, depending on experience and employer.

Q: What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Operating Engineer Jobs in California?

We found several jobs related to Operating Engineer in California that pay more on average. Topping the list is Port Engineer at $36,345 (43.3%) above Operating Engineer. Job Title Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Port Engineer $120,260 $10,021 $2,312 $57.82 Trade Developer $103,776 $8,648 $1,995 $49.89 Certification Engineer $95,700 $7,975 $1,840 $46.01 International Sales Engineer $94,934 $7,911 $1,825 $45.64 Stationary Engineer $76,237 $6,353 $1,466 $36.65

$35.5K

$80.4K

$133.2K

$83,915

/year

$40.34

/hour

Operating Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$85,029

California

$83,915

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How much does an Operating Engineer make in California?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average annual pay for an Operating Engineer in California is $83,915 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $40.34 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,613/week or $6,992/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $133,232 and as low as $35,529, the majority of Operating Engineer salaries currently range between $68,600 (25th percentile) to $92,800 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $116,454 annually in California. The average pay range for an Operating Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 24200), 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 Operating Engineer salaries.

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

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

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

We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Operating Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Palmdale, , with Cupertino, and Berkeley, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, beats the average in California by $20,197 (24.1%), and Palmdale, furthers that trend with another $42,739 (50.9%) above the $83,915 average.

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

However, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies modestly at 23% between Palmdale, and Livermore, , suggesting it may be difficult to see much positive wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may help determine the balance between location and salary for an Operating Engineer role.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Palmdale	$126,654	$10,554	$2,435	$60.89
Cupertino	$104,903	$8,741	$2,017	$50.43
Berkeley	$104,112	$8,676	$2,002	$50.05
San Carlos	$102,671	$8,555	$1,974	$49.36
Mountain View	$100,307	$8,358	$1,928	$48.22
Menlo Park	$100,203	$8,350	$1,926	$48.17
San Francisco	$100,178	$8,348	$1,926	$48.16
Santa Clara	$99,861	$8,321	$1,920	$48.01
Sunnyvale	$99,794	$8,316	$1,919	$47.98
Livermore	$99,737	$8,311	$1,918	$47.95

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Operating Engineer Jobs in California

Analyzing similar jobs related to the Operating Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $83915 state average for Operating Engineer jobs.

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Port Engineer	$120,260	$10,021	$2,312	$57.82
Trade Developer	$103,776	$8,648	$1,995	$49.89
Certification Engineer	$95,700	$7,975	$1,840	$46.01
International Sales Engineer	$94,934	$7,911	$1,825	$45.64
Stationary Engineer	$76,237	$6,353	$1,466	$36.65

About Our Data

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

Infographic detailing Operating Engineer salary in California as of August 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $68,600 to $116,454 annually, with the California average at $83,915 per year or $40.34 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in California for Operating Engineer jobs, with Palmdale leading at $126,654 annually.

All Salaries Operating Engineer Salary Operating Engineer Salary in California