Does Caltrans pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Caltrans employees rate their compensation and benefits as 4.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Caltrans. This rating has improved by 1% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Caltrans?

81% of Caltrans employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Caltrans 4.3 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.8 for culture and values and 4.0 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Caltrans?

Transportation Engineer (89) , Student Assistant (74) , Transportation Engineer, Civil (41) , Associate Governmental Program Analyst (AGPA) (27) , Environmental Planner (23) , Right of Way Agent (15) , Civil Engineer (14) , Engineer (14) , Intern (14) , Associate Transportation Planner (13) , Associate Right of Way Agent (11) , Highway Maintenance Worker (11) , Associate Environmental Planner (10) , Senior Transportation Engineer (10) , Transportation Planner (10)

What are the pros of working at Caltrans according to real employee reviews?

"Great benefits and time off" ((in 96 reviews)); "Great work/life balance and a genuine feeling of positive work for the public (even though the public may not see it that way)." ((in 66 reviews)); "Great people to work with and to learn the legal profession" ((in 52 reviews)); "Good job security" ((in 26 reviews)); "Respectful and friendly coworkers" ((in 20 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Caltrans according to real employee reviews?

"Low Pay for your experience" ((in 46 reviews)); "San Diego is expensive and the salaries are low" ((in 20 reviews)); "The supervisors are abusive." ((in 13 reviews)); "Lots of red tape, nepotism." ((in 9 reviews)); "If you have a bad manager, expect a horrible time working." ((in 9 reviews))

What are employees saying about Caltrans redundancies in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Caltrans redundancy and their outlook for job security at Caltrans in 2026.

Caltrans reviews about "coworker"

Compare reviews

73% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.3

Work/Life balance

4.2

Diversity and inclusion

4.1

Compensation and benefits

4.0

Career opportunities

3.8

Culture and values

3.7

Senior management

Reviews by job title

38 reviews

4.0

1 Dec 2024

decent

Associate governmental program analyst (agpa)

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

nice place to work, good coworkers

Cons

low pay but good pension

4.0

27 Jan 2025

Good training

Transportation engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Helpful coworkers are good teachers

Cons

Takes a long time to do things

5.0

25 Mar 2025

Great place

Staff services analyst

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Great place to work with friendly coworkers and plenty of opportunity for advancement.

Cons

Many layers of approvals to get anything done.

4.0

19 Sept 2025

Cal Trans work

Student assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Flexible, good coworkers, helps you a lot

Cons

Pay is quite very low

5.0

6 Sept 2024

Good Place

Transportation engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

- Great environment - Very relaxed - Good coworkers, - Interesting projects - Good work-life balance - Great management - Rotation program

Cons

- Sometimes deal with ambiguity on certain projects - Work can be slow. This can be a good thing sometimes - Low pay compared to private & other industries. But for a civil engineer, it's great

4.0

22 Oct 2024

Stable/enjoyable career

Transportation engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Coworkers in my group are nice and friendly Projects are rewarding to work on

Cons

Commute to marysville Management in some cases

5.0

13 May 2025

Caltrans

Data clerk ii

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Good agency. Good pay, friendly coworkers. Weekends off.

Cons

Pay needs to be higher.

4.0

28 Sept 2025

Caltrans District 4

Landscape associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Good work life balance. Friendly coworkers. High pay.

Cons

Work can get boring sometimes.

5.0

12 Aug 2024

Good place to work

Transportation engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Nice compony to work. Friendly coworkers

Cons

The location is great for some positions

3.0

1 Jun 2025

Stable Job with Decent Work-Life Balance, But Room for Growth

Associate governmental program analyst (agpa)

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

-Job stability and clear structure -Supportive coworkers and collaborative environment -Opportunity to work on projects that impact public infrastructure -Decent work-life balance with flexible scheduling depending on the unit -Good retirement and health benefits

Cons

Pay is lower than comparable roles in the private sector Bureaucratic processes can slow down progress and innovation -Limited upward mobility unless you pursue further civil service exams -Some departments are understaffed, leading to uneven workload distribution

Viewing 1 - 3 of 38 Reviews

Jobs at Caltrans

TRANSPORTATION SURVEYOR (CALTRANS)

RESEARCH DATA SPECIALIST II

Caltrans

Caltrans reviews about "coworker"

Ratings by category

Reviews by job title

decent

Good training

Great place

Cal Trans work

Good Place

Stable/enjoyable career

Caltrans

Caltrans District 4

Good place to work

Stable Job with Decent Work-Life Balance, But Room for Growth

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