Mechanical Engineers pay in California
$136,660avg. a year
$65.70 an hour · 30,530 employed
Mechanical Engineers in California earn an average of $136,660 a year. That is $23,050 (20%) more than the U.S. average of $113,610. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $165,920.
$130,900Median pay
$65.70Average hourly
+24%Avg. pay since 2020
#3Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for mechanical engineers by metro area. Swipe to see all 23.
15,540 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$165,920
$79.77 an hour
25,150 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$158,690
$76.30 an hour
3190 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$139,810
$67.22 an hour
4390 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$130,120
$62.56 an hour
570 jobs
Salinas, CA
$128,240
$61.65 an hour
63,370 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$124,420
$59.82 an hour
78,780 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$123,940
$59.59 an hour
81,480 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$123,710
$59.48 an hour
940 jobs
Chico, CA
$122,870
$59.07 an hour
10560 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$121,730
$58.52 an hour
11950 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$121,350
$58.34 an hour
12150 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$120,110
$57.74 an hour
13220 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$115,420
$55.49 an hour
1430 jobs
Napa, CA
$114,530
$55.06 an hour
1540 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$111,770
$53.74 an hour
16130 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$111,730
$53.72 an hour
17120 jobs
Modesto, CA
$109,400
$52.60 an hour
1860 jobs
Redding, CA
$109,170
$52.48 an hour
191,420 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$108,900
$52.36 an hour
20140 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$107,560
$51.71 an hour
21260 jobs
Fresno, CA
$103,180
$49.61 an hour
2290 jobs
Visalia, CA
$95,280
$45.81 an hour
2340 jobs
Merced, CA
$92,180
$44.32 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Mechanical Engineers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California mechanical engineers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $101k$101k–$109k$109k–$117k$117k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $113,610 | $54.62 |
| California | $136,660 | $65.70 |
| Oregon | $115,090 | $55.33 |
| Nevada | $110,180 | $52.97 |
| Arizona | $107,220 | $51.55 |
Related jobs in California
- Civil Engineers$124,540
- Industrial Engineers$125,850
- Electrical Engineers$151,180
- Engineers, All Other$139,670
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$161,520
- Computer Hardware Engineers$190,590
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do mechanical engineers make in California?
The average is $136,660 a year, and the median is $130,900. That is $23,050 (20%) more than the U.S. average of $113,610.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$65.70 an hour on average; the median is $62.94.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($165,920), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($158,690). The lowest average among 23 metro areas with data is Merced, CA ($92,180).
How does California rank?
California ranks #3 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 17-2141. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national mechanical engineers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.