California — Level Index
How do California contractors compare to the national average? Bill rates, collection rates, margins, and utilization data from 187+ California contractors across HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, and more.
Key Finding
California contractors bill $34/hr above the national median
California's regulatory environment and cost of living push bill rates well above national averages. The median contractor charges $113/hr, but top performers reach $167/hr by specializing in Title 24 compliance and commercial retrofit work.
For a 10-tech shop, that $34/hr difference means $680K per year in additional revenue compared to the national median.
California Bill Rates
Median Bill Rate
$113/hr
75th Percentile
$138/hr
Top 10%
$167/hr
National Benchmarks
These metrics are reported nationally. Where your California business falls depends on your specific operations. See the full national breakdown.
Collection Rate
80.8%
Top quartile: 92.7%
n=587 companies
SA Gross Margin
37.9%
Top quartile: 53%
n=259 companies
Billing Speed
1 day
Raw median (incl. progress billers); ~7 days for post-completion invoicers
n=733 companies
Billable Hour Ratio
97.1%
Top quartile: 99.6%
n=963 companies
Quote Conversion
73.9%
Top quartile: 83.2%
n=794 companies
California Bill Rate
$113/hr
Top quartile: $138/hr
187+ California contractors estimated in market
Top Trades in California
Simple pricing
Three tiers, one ladder.
$99/mo
Books
Clean monthly books, tax-ready year-end. Same flat rate for catch-up.
$1,500+/mo
Fractional CFO
Cash forecasting, profitability analysis, monthly strategy calls.
$3,000+/mo
CFO + Operations
Dedicated CFO, AI-native workflows, dashboards, and integrations.
Where does your California business fall?
We'll benchmark you against California and national data. Free audit included.
No commitment. Real numbers, not generic advice.