Automotive Engineers in California
Want to work as an Automotive Engineers in California? Here’s what the data says. Perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.
What do Automotive Engineers Make in California?
For a automotive engineers working in California, wages run about $126,370 per year (or roughly $60.76/hour).Annual wages span from $77,360 at the 10th percentile to $188,660 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $77,360 | $37.19 |
| 25th percentile | $99,290 | $47.73 |
| Median (50th) | $126,370 | $60.76 |
| 75th percentile | $159,520 | $76.69 |
| 90th percentile | $188,660 | $90.70 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California nationwide is 0.81, indicating fewer automotive engineers per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, automotive engineers earn a median of $107,733 per year ($51.79/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 251,649 automotive engineers in the U.S.. In California alone, about 27,090 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 3,680 automotive engineers.
Top California Metros for Automotive Engineers
The metro areas below employ the most automotive engineers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 8,280 | $114,290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 4,670 | $145,640 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3,910 | $147,730 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,320 | $128,660 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,450 | $101,800 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,230 | $116,370 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 800 | $110,300 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 560 | $116,460 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 390 | $122,760 |
| Fresno, CA | 340 | $90,410 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 200 | $129,190 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 200 | $103,330 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 170 | $112,310 |
| Modesto, CA | 140 | $99,090 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 130 | $102,200 |
| Vallejo, CA | 130 | $111,540 |
| Visalia, CA | 100 | $96,070 |
| Redding, CA | 60 | $103,790 |
| Salinas, CA | 60 | $141,420 |
| Chico, CA | 50 | $122,370 |
| Merced, CA | 50 | $88,250 |
| Yuba City, CA | 40 | $96,310 |
Top States for Automotive Engineers Employment
View the states that employ the most automotive engineers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 31,830 |
| California | 27,090 |
| Texas | 18,790 |
| Ohio | 16,420 |
| Pennsylvania | 14,300 |
| Illinois | 9,920 |
| Massachusetts | 9,430 |
| North Carolina | 9,390 |
| Washington | 9,350 |
| Florida | 8,860 |
| Indiana | 8,650 |
| New York | 8,420 |
| Wisconsin | 8,060 |
| Virginia | 7,960 |
| Colorado | 6,850 |
| Maryland | 6,330 |
| Minnesota | 5,970 |
| Alabama | 5,480 |
| Arizona | 5,440 |
| Connecticut | 5,310 |
Highest-Paying States for Automotive Engineers
The highest-paying states for automotive engineers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | $141,490 |
| District of Columbia | $130,000 |
| Alaska | $129,990 |
| California | $126,370 |
| Massachusetts | $122,670 |
| Wyoming | $116,910 |
| Rhode Island | $115,270 |
| Louisiana | $114,050 |
| Maryland | $111,740 |
| Washington | $109,370 |
Skills
Key automotive engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for automotive engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
- Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
- Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.
- Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems.
- Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.
- Prepare or present technical or project status reports.
- Conduct research studies to develop new concepts in the field of automotive engineering.
- Establish production or quality control standards.
- Alter or modify designs to obtain specified functional or operational performance.
- Research or implement green automotive technologies involving alternative fuels, electric or hybrid cars, or lighter or more fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools.
- Create design alternatives for vehicle components, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or alternative air-conditioning systems, to increase fuel efficiency.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Processing Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
- Thinking Creatively
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Atlassian Confluence, Atlassian JIRA, Autodesk AutoCAD, C In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD, Dassault Systemes CATIA
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Engineering Mechanics
- Electromechanical Engineering
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to automotive engineers include:
- Aerospace Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Industrial Engineers
- Validation Engineers
- Manufacturing Engineers
Also Known As
Automotive Designer, Automotive Engineer, Automotive Power Electronics Engineer, Automotive Project Engineer, Automotive Quality Engineer, Automotive Systems Engineer, Chassis Engineer, Customer Quality Engineer, Design Release Engineer, Design Support Engineer, Dimensional Integration Engineer, Engineer, Engineering Designer, Fuel-Efficient Automobile Designer, Hybrid Powertrain Development Engineer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-2141.02
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