Is Caltrans a good company to work for?

Caltrans has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 974 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 2% over the last 12 months. 80% of employees would recommend working at Caltrans to a friend and 78% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Caltrans have been left by employees working as Associate Right of Way Agent , Civil Engineer and Transportation Engineer, Civil .

Does Caltrans pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Caltrans employees rate their compensation and benefits as 4.0 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?

80% 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, 3.7 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) , Senior Transportation Engineer (11) , Associate Environmental Planner (10) , Transportation Planner (10)

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

"Great benefits and Hours." ((in 95 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 63 reviews)); "Great people to work with and to learn the legal profession" ((in 49 reviews)); "Good job security" ((in 24 reviews)); "Great work environment and flexible" ((in 21 reviews))

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

"High turnover because of low pay" ((in 48 reviews)); "San Diego is expensive and the salaries are low" ((in 20 reviews)); "The supervisors are abusive." ((in 12 reviews)); "Lots of red tape, nepotism." ((in 9 reviews)); "Upper management is incompetent." ((in 9 reviews))

What are employees saying about Caltrans layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Caltrans locations?

Sacramento , Oakland , Los Angeles , San Diego , San Bernardino , Fresno , Marysville , Santa Ana , San Luis Obispo , Eureka , Redding , Stockton , Irvine , Orange , San Francisco , Bakersfield , Fontana , San Jose , Yreka , Bishop , Brea , Long Beach , Riverside , West Sacramento , Alameda , Santa Cruz , Fairfield , Central Valley , Sacramento Valley , Austin

Skip to content Skip to footer

Notifications

Caltrans

Caltrans reviews

4.0

80% would recommend to a friend

(854 total reviews)

Malcolm Dougherty

67% approve of CEO

78% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.3

Diversity & inclusion

4.3

Work/Life balance

4.0

Compensation and benefits

4.0

Career opportunities

3.7

Culture & values

3.6

Senior management

Caltrans has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 854 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Caltrans employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Government & Public Administration industry (3.6 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

854 reviews

2.0

Sep 4, 2010

Work and life balance

Auditor

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Caltrans provides a gread environment for work and life balance. There is no overtime. The pay is reasonable, and the benefits are outstanding. A career at Caltrans offer superior stability.

Cons

The downsides of working at any State agency including Caltrans are redundant work, possible furloughs and budget cuts. Also, promotions are primarily based on seniority and not necessarily performance. The job responsibilities of an associate and a specialist are nearly identical.

3.0

May 13, 2010

Process and approve applications for State and Federal Transportation Funding for Local Agencies

Local assistance engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Very independent work, must have a pro-active frame of mind.

Cons

Working for the State can sometimes be very unrewarding.

3.0

May 5, 2010

Don't expect to be challenged in any way shape for form.

Student software engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

This is a great student position, if you want the freedom to be creative at your own pace.

Cons

You won't get quality work experience, in that the quality and expectations will be low. This job will do nothing for your career, unless you plan to continue to work for the state.

Viewing 844 - 846 of 854 Reviews

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

New York City Department of Education

3.5★Compensation & Benefits

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

3.9★Compensation & Benefits

State of Michigan

4.0★Compensation & Benefits

Army National Guard

4.1★Compensation & Benefits

Jobs at Caltrans