# What is an SE license worth in California?



## Mark Leyner (Feb 26, 2014)

I wonder what a CA SE annual salary range might be. I assume years of experience are a factor, too. I'll look at some CA job postings myself and update this thread with any information. I'm applying for CA PE by comity this year and I'm trying to decide if applying for CA SE by comity a few years after that would be worthwhile.

Thanks.


----------



## darius (Feb 27, 2014)

To be a CA PE you have to pass additional exams: Seismic and Surveying (check CA Engineering Board website), on top of National PE 8 hours. After getting the CA PE License you need 3 years of practice, then you can apply for SE national exam: taking the test or comity if you passed somewhere else.

Salaries are somewhere 80-120k, depends on your experience, I don't know exactly, I am working on my SE too.

Cheers!


----------



## kevo_55 (Feb 27, 2014)

Having a little insight on this, I thought that I would chime in.

Having a CA SE license is worth more when it is held outside the state of California.


----------



## Mark Leyner (Feb 27, 2014)

darius said:


> To be a CA PE you have to pass additional exams: Seismic and Surveying (check CA Engineering Board website), on top of National PE 8 hours. After getting the CA PE License you need 3 years of practice, then you can apply for SE national exam: taking the test or comity if you passed somewhere else.
> 
> Salaries are somewhere 80-120k, depends on your experience, I don't know exactly, I am working on my SE too.
> 
> Cheers!


I have a Civil PE outside CA, I'm in the process of applying and would sit for seismic and surveying this Fall. I also have an SE, so assuming my application is accepted and I pass the exams this Fall, I understand I would just have to apply for the CA SE three years from now. The CA PE will be useful for my current position. I'm not sure I would need to go for the CA SE in my current position, but I would probably do it anyway. I am curious about what doors, if any, it would open.



kevo_55 said:


> Having a little insight on this, I thought that I would chime in.
> 
> Having a CA SE license is worth more when it is held outside the state of California.


I will most likely be in this situation if all goes well, could you elaborate please? PM me if you like, I would like to hear about your experience. Is an out-of-state licensed CA SE in a good position to be employed by a CA firm and transition? I wonder about that, too.

Generally, I looked through ASCE career website and the various SEAOC websites with job posts, not much salary information there. But what I did see agreed with darius' post above, somewhere between 80k-120k. I'll update with any new information.

Thanks


----------



## Lungshen (Mar 22, 2014)

Mark L, I am in the same boat. Already a SE in most western states like WA UT and AZ but taking CA Survey to get my CA PE. I don't understand why you need to wait 3 years to apply CA SE though. I thought that requirement is for eligibility to sit for the national 16 hr SE in CA which I already passed couple years ago anyway. In my opinion CA has the strangest licensure requirement that don't make any sense...


----------



## palvarez83 (Apr 23, 2014)

Mark Leyner said:


> darius said:
> 
> 
> > To be a CA PE you have to pass additional exams: Seismic and Surveying (check CA Engineering Board website), on top of National PE 8 hours. After getting the CA PE License you need 3 years of practice, then you can apply for SE national exam: taking the test or comity if you passed somewhere else.
> ...


In California, as you probably know, you have to hold a Civil PE license in addition to the SE. In California, the SE license/title grants you the additional abilities:

1. Design buildings/structures under DSA jurisdiction. DSA is division of the state architect. They are responsible for all public schools and public junior colleges.

2 Design buildings/structures under OSHPD jurisdiction. OSHPD is Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. There are responsible or all hospitals.

3. Design buildings greater than 160 feet tall in the city of Los Angeles.

So having an SE makes you pretty valuable, particularly for DSA work. There are always school projects going on, especially it the metropolitan areas. My company hires independent consultants with SE licenses all the time. As an independent SE, you can make quite a bit more. Working for someone, will still be a decent salary. Given the CA requirements, with the typical minimum experience of 5 years (2 years out of school for Civil, plus 3 years for SE), I see people getting over $100K to $120K pretty typical in Orange county or Los Angeles. Your experiences may vary living elsewhere in CA.


----------

