Job title · California

Engineering Technician (DOT) in California

California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) lists 3 job classes for this work in the California state pay plan: Junior Engineering Technician, Transportation Engineering Technician, Civil Engineering Technician II.

$38,904 – $84,756
state pay plan range, a year
3
classes in the state plan
$83,490
median pay in CA, all employers
7,250
workers in CA (SOC 17-3022)

Sources: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

California state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 14, 2026. These are the ranges California sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and gradePublished rate
Junior Engineering Technician
Class 3008
Grade 3008 Range A
$3,242.00 – $4,059.00 a month
$38,904 – $48,708 a year
Grade 3008 Range B
$3,914.00 – $4,903.00 a month
$46,968 – $58,836 a year
Transportation Engineering Technician
Class 3175
Grade 3175 Range A
$3,951.00 – $4,949.00 a month
$47,412 – $59,388 a year
Grade 3175 Range B
$4,695.00 – $5,876.00 a month
$56,340 – $70,512 a year
Grade 3175 Range C
$5,644.00 – $7,063.00 a month
$67,728 – $84,756 a year
Civil Engineering Technician II
Class 3129
Grade 3129
$5,379.00 – $6,734.00 a month
$64,548 – $80,808 a year

Schedule: Civil Service Pay Scale (Section 17, by schematic code). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in California, all employers Sourced

Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (SOC 17-3022) in California, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

MeasureCA
Workers7,250
10th percentile$54,690
Median$83,490
90th percentile$111,150
National median, government employers$67,040

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Free practice tests for California

Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Engineering Technician (DOT) page.

Engineering Technician (DOT) in other states