SOC 17-2071 · Modesto, CA metro

Electrical Engineers Salary in Modesto, CA

The average salary for electrical engineers in Modesto, California is $120,520 a year ($57.94 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $109,970: half of the 50 people in this job in the Modesto, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 4% less than the U.S. average for this job ($125,100).

$120,520average per year

$57.94 / hourMedian $109,970Take-home ≈ $86,499

  • $77K10th
  • $80K25th
  • $110KMedian
  • $150K75th
  • $192K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

50people in this job
-4%vs U.S. average
#18 of 20California metros
104cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Electrical Engineers pay range in Modesto

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,960 a year or less, while the top 10% make $192,440 or more. The middle half of electrical engineers in Modesto earn between $80,250 and $150,250.

  • $77K10th
  • $80K25th
  • $110KMedian
  • $150K75th
  • $192K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$120,520$10,043$57.94
Median$109,970$9,164$52.87
Entry level (25th percentile)$80,250$6,688$38.58
Experienced (75th percentile)$150,250$12,521$72.24

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Electrical Engineers pay in Modesto vs. California and the U.S.

Electrical engineers in Modesto earn 20% less than the California average ($151,180) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($125,100). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $120,630.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Modesto$120,520$109,970$76,960$192,44050
California$151,180$144,040$81,840$217,76024,230
United States$125,100$120,630$76,550$184,300198,750

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Electrical Engineers salary after taxes in Modesto

On the average salary of $120,520, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $86,499 a year, or $7,208 a month and $3,327 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

California paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Modesto a good place for electrical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $120,520 buys what about $115,764 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $120,520 is worth in another city

Electrical Engineers salary in other California cities

Modesto ranks 18th of 20 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($189,370).

All Electrical Engineers salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for electrical engineers

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($189,370).

Electrical Engineers salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Electrical Engineers in Modesto, CA.

Electrical Engineers salary in Modesto: questions

How much do electrical engineers make an hour in Modesto?

$57.94 an hour on average, and $52.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level electrical engineers salary in Modesto?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,960 a year and the 25th percentile is $80,250, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the electrical engineers take-home pay in Modesto?

About $86,499 a year ($7,208 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $120,520. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do electrical engineers earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?

The average here is 4% less than the U.S. average for this job ($125,100).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2071; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.1%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.19, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.19).

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