Microsystems Engineers in California
Want to work as a Microsystems Engineers in California? Below are the key facts. All engineers not listed separately. Excludes “Sales Engineers” (41-9031), “Locomotive Engineers” (53-4011), and “Ship Engineers” (53-5031).
What do Microsystems Engineers Make in California?
For microsystems engineers working in California, the median annual wage is $128,830 per year (or about $61.94/hour).Annual wages span from $72,840 at the 10th percentile to $212,930 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $72,840 | $35.02 |
| 25th percentile | $99,730 | $47.95 |
| Median (50th) | $128,830 | $61.94 |
| 75th percentile | $167,940 | $80.74 |
| 90th percentile | $212,930 | $102.37 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California compared to the national average — is 1.50, meaning that microsystems engineers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, microsystems engineers earn a median of $104,558 per year ($50.27/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 41,930 microsystems engineers nationwide. In California alone, approximately 26,500 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 1,430 microsystems engineers.
Top California Metros for Microsystems Engineers
The metro areas below employ the most microsystems engineers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 7,910 | $122,000 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,060 | $156,140 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3,490 | $157,770 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,240 | $130,550 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,420 | $99,860 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,150 | $106,220 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 620 | $142,400 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 600 | $123,730 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 390 | $127,770 |
| Fresno, CA | 250 | $114,260 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 170 | $116,260 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 160 | $129,480 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 150 | $114,170 |
| Vallejo, CA | 150 | $122,780 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 130 | $119,810 |
| Salinas, CA | 90 | $122,540 |
| Modesto, CA | 70 | $108,230 |
| Chico, CA | 60 | $113,550 |
| Redding, CA | 50 | $104,190 |
| Visalia, CA | 50 | $100,940 |
| Merced, CA | 40 | $88,020 |
| Napa, CA | 30 | $94,750 |
| Yuba City, CA | 30 | $115,690 |
Top States for Microsystems Engineers Employment
These states have the highest employment of microsystems engineers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 26,500 |
| Texas | 9,900 |
| Florida | 9,120 |
| Louisiana | 7,630 |
| Maryland | 6,670 |
| Michigan | 6,630 |
| Virginia | 5,980 |
| Ohio | 5,970 |
| New York | 5,020 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,710 |
| Tennessee | 4,610 |
| North Carolina | 4,230 |
| Georgia | 3,970 |
| New Jersey | 3,910 |
| Alabama | 3,370 |
| Washington | 3,150 |
| Illinois | 3,010 |
| Massachusetts | 2,930 |
| Arizona | 2,660 |
| District of Columbia | 2,640 |
Highest-Paying States for Microsystems Engineers
The highest-paying states for microsystems engineers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $167,270 |
| Alabama | $146,480 |
| New Mexico | $142,520 |
| Virginia | $142,110 |
| Wyoming | $139,010 |
| Maryland | $135,990 |
| Alaska | $132,410 |
| Massachusetts | $132,020 |
| New Jersey | $131,960 |
| Rhode Island | $131,830 |
Skills
The most important microsystems 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
Top abilities for microsystems engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, microsystems engineers typically:
- Create schematics and physical layouts of integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) components or packaged assemblies consistent with process, functional, or package constraints.
- Investigate characteristics such as cost, performance, or process capability of potential microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device designs, using simulation or modeling software.
- Create or maintain formal engineering documents, such as schematics, bills of materials, components or materials specifications, or packaging requirements.
- Conduct analyses addressing issues such as failure, reliability, or yield improvement.
- Plan or schedule engineering research or development projects involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
- Propose product designs involving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, considering market data or customer requirements.
- Develop formal documentation for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, including quality assurance guidance, quality control protocols, process control checklists, data collection, or reporting.
- Communicate operating characteristics or performance experience to other engineers or designers for training or new product development purposes.
- Evaluate materials, fabrication methods, joining methods, surface treatments, or packaging to ensure acceptable processing, performance, cost, sustainability, or availability.
- Refine final microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) design to optimize design for target dimensions, physical tolerances, or processing constraints.
- Conduct harsh environmental testing, accelerated aging, device characterization, or field trials to validate devices, using inspection tools, testing protocols, peripheral instrumentation, or modeling and simulation software.
- Develop or file intellectual property and patent disclosure or application documents related to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, products, or systems.
Work Activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Working with Computers
- Getting Information
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Thinking Creatively
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
- Processing Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Apple macOS, Autodesk AutoCAD, Bash
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- General Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Other Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
- Construction Engineering
- Engineering Science
- Architectural Engineering
- Engineering Physics
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Biological Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Geoscience Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Ocean Engineering
- Engineering Mechanics
- Energy Systems Engineering
- Biochemical Engineering
- Surveying Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
- Forest Engineering
- Paper Science & Engineering
- Engineering Chemistry
- Engineering-Related Fields
- Nanotechnology
- Rehabilitation Professions
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to microsystems engineers include:
- Computer Hardware Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists
- Manufacturing Engineers
- Mechanical Engineers
Also Known As
Applications Engineer, Arrhythmia Engineer, Control Systems Engineer, Design Engineer, Device Engineer, Engineer, GaN Device Engineer (Gallium Nitride Device Engineer), MEMS Device Scientist (Microelectromechanical Systems Device Scientist), MEMS Engineer (Microelectromechanical Systems Engineer), MEMS Integration Engineer (Microelectrical Mechanical Integration Engineer), MEMS Process Engineer (Microelectromechanical Systems Process Engineer), Medical Device Engineer, Microelectronics Engineer, Microsystems Engineer, Mobile Device 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: 17-2199.06
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