Salary AI Book a Demo

Assistant Principal Engineer Salary in California

How much does an Assistant Principal Engineer make in California? As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Assistant Principal Engineer in California is $84,934 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $41.

However, an Assistant Principal Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here's a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $98,133
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $79,182 to $91,843
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $73,945
Salary Factors Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Check out Assistant Principal Engineer Job Openings in California

Key Factors That Influence Assistant Principal Engineer Salaries

An Assistant Principal Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Assistant Principal Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Assistant Principal Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $83,494
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $101,652
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $119,149
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $139,563
  • Expert (over 8 years): $166,678
Job RoleYears of ExperienceAverage Salary
Assistant Principal Engineer less than 1 year $83,494
Civil Engineer II 1-2 years $101,652
Civil Engineer III 2-4 years $119,149
Civil Engineer IV 5-8 years $139,563
Civil Engineer V over 8 years $166,678

How Do Assistant Principal Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Assistant Principal Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $85,257.
  • California: $84,934.
  • Massachusetts: $83,802.

Top Paying Cities for Assistant Principal Engineer

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • Los Angeles: $85,080
  • West Hollywood: $85,018
  • Dodgertown: $85,079

Assistant Principal Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Assistant Principal Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Insurance sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Assistant Principal Engineer positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Assistant Principal Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Assistant Principal Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities $110,414 $53.0 30%
Insurance $106,167 $51.0 25%
Biotechnology $101,920 $49.0 20%
Pharmaceuticals $101,920 $49.0 20%
Software & Networking $97,674 $47.0 15%

Assistant Principal Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Assistant Principal Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$79,182
Average $84,934/year
$91,843
$6,598
Average $7,078/month
$7,654
$1,523
Average $1,633/week
$1,766
$38
Average $41/hour
$44
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $91,843 $7,654 $1,766 $44
Average $84,934 $7,078 $1,633 $41
25th Percentile $79,182 $6,598 $1,523 $38

Find Your Next Assistant Principal Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Assistant Principal Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

  • IT Resource Hunter LLC | El Segundo, CA

    Principal Power Systems Engineer

    IT Resource Hunter LLC | El Segundo, CA

    Job Title:Principal Power Systems Engineer Location:El Segundo, CA Duration:Full time Base Salary:$200,500 - $314,475 equity The Opportunity: Client is see... more

    7 Days Ago

  • Microsoft | Mountain View, CA

    Principal Design Engineer

    Microsoft | Mountain View, CA

    Overview Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) is the team behind Microsoft's expanding Cloud Infrastructure and respon... more

    7 Days Ago

  • kpg99.INC | San Diego, CA

    Principal Traffic Engineer

    kpg99.INC | San Diego, CA

    Principal Traffic Engineer Location: San Diego, CA Employment Type: Full-Time About the Organization Our organization is a leading engineering consulting f... more

    7 Days Ago

  • Everpure LLC | Santa Clara, CA

    Principal Hardware Engineer

    Everpure LLC | Santa Clara, CA

    Everpure (NYSE: P) has evolved from storage pioneer to data platform, closing fiscal 2026 with $3.7 billion in revenue, its first billion-dollar quarter, a... more

    8 Days Ago

  • The Walt Disney Studios | San Francisco, CA

    Principal Software Engineer

    The Walt Disney Studios | San Francisco, CA

    Principal Software EngineerThe Application Playback Engineering team mission is to design video streaming playback solutions in collaboration with UI, enco... more

    9 Days Ago

  • Strong Network | Now Part Of Citrix. | San Ramon, CA

    Principal Cyber Security Engineer

    Strong Network | Now Part Of Citrix. | San Ramon, CA

    Principal Cyber Security EngineerArchitectural Leadership:Design, develop, and maintain the comprehensive security architecture for Cloud Software Group's ... more

    9 Days Ago

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst