Structural Engineer
Structural Engineer Salary in California
$49.3K - $58.7K
2% of jobs
$58.7K - $68.1K
8% of jobs
$68.1K - $77.5K
12% of jobs
$79.3K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$77.5K - $86.8K
15% of jobs
The median wage is $94.3K / yr.
$86.8K - $96.2K
16% of jobs
$96.2K - $105.6K
16% of jobs
$110.4K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$105.6K - $115K
12% of jobs
$115K - $124.4K
9% of jobs
$124.4K - $133.7K
5% of jobs
$133.7K - $143.1K
3% of jobs
$143.1K - $152.5K
2% of jobs
$49.3K
$94.2K
$150.5K
$98,098
/year
$47.16
/hour
Structural Engineer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$99,400
California
California
$98,098
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How much does a Structural Engineer make in California?
As of Sep 6, 2026, the average annual pay for a Structural Engineer in California is $98,098 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $47.16 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,886/week or $8,174/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $150,503 and as low as $49,345, the majority of Structural Engineer salaries currently range between $79,000 (25th percentile) to $111,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $132,738 annually in California. The average pay range for a Structural Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 32500), 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 Structural Engineer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Structural Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a Structural Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Structural Engineer Jobs in California
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Structural Engineer job is above the average in California in California. Topping the list is Scotts Valley, , with California City, and Berkeley, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, beats the average in California by $23,611 (24.1%), and Scotts Valley, furthers that trend with another $30,535 (31.1%) above the $98,098 average.
With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for California, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Structural Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 9% between Scotts Valley, and San Francisco Bay Area, , 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 Structural Engineer role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Scotts Valley | $128,633 | $61.84 |
California City | $121,909 | $58.61 |
Berkeley | $121,709 | $58.51 |
Redwood City | $121,701 | $58.51 |
Inverness | $119,129 | $57.27 |
Palo Alto | $118,931 | $57.18 |
Napa Valley | $118,595 | $57.02 |
Bolinas | $117,575 | $56.53 |
Mountain View | $117,260 | $56.38 |
San Francisco Bay Area | $117,110 | $56.30 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Structural Engineer Jobs in California
Analyzing similar jobs related to the Structural Engineer job category in California, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $98098 state average for Structural Engineer jobs.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Senior Structural Analysis Engineer | $119,235 | $57.32 |
Building Structural Engineer | $98,098 | $47.16 |
Structural Steel Drafter | $61,661 | $29.64 |
Structural Detailer | $56,453 | $27.14 |
Structural Group | $48,079 | $23.11 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
