California · SOC 17-2141
Mechanical Engineer Salary in California
VerifiedPublished wages for mechanical engineers in California, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Mechanical Engineers in California earn a median of $126,370 per year ($131,130 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $99,290–$159,520; the top 10% earn $188,660. That is 24% above the national median of $102,320, ranking California #4 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$126,370
+24% vs national
Top 10% earn
$188,660
90th percentile
Employed in state
27,090
Reliability High (3.4% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay distribution — California vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $77,360 | +13% |
| 25th percentile | $99,290 | +21% |
| Median50th percentile | $126,370 | +24% |
| 75th percentile | $159,520 | +22% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $188,660 | +17% |
| Meanaverage | $131,130 | +19% |
Where mechanical engineers earn most in California
Metro areas in California where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2141. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| San JoseSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $147,730 | $224,620 | 3,910 |
| San FranciscoSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $145,640 | $207,610 | 4,670 |
| SalinasSalinas, CA | $141,420 | $177,550 | 60 |
| Santa CruzSanta Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $129,190 | $205,330 | 200 |
| San DiegoSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $128,660 | $170,840 | 3,320 |
| Santa MariaSanta Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $122,760 | $173,230 | 390 |
| ChicoChico, CA | $122,370 | $181,410 | 50 |
| BakersfieldBakersfield-Delano, CA | $116,460 | $169,790 | 560 |
| SacramentoSacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $116,370 | $168,260 | 1,230 |
| Los AngelesLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $114,290 | $175,840 | 8,280 |
| Santa RosaSanta Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $112,310 | $178,020 | 170 |
| VallejoVallejo, CA | $111,540 | $159,570 | 130 |
| OxnardOxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $110,300 | $158,100 | 800 |
| ReddingRedding, CA | $103,790 | $163,840 | 60 |
| StocktonStockton-Lodi, CA | $103,330 | $165,620 | 200 |
| San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $102,200 | $139,030 | 130 |
| RiversideRiverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $101,800 | $158,620 | 1,450 |
| ModestoModesto, CA | $99,090 | $176,460 | 140 |
| Yuba CityYuba City, CA | $96,310 | $143,130 | 40 |
| VisaliaVisalia, CA | $96,070 | $132,740 | 100 |
| FresnoFresno, CA | $90,410 | $162,930 | 340 |
| MercedMerced, CA | $88,250 | $151,030 | 50 |
California engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.81
Jobs per 1,000
1.50
State rank (pay)
#4 of 51
All engineering roles
$154,208
A location quotient of 0.81 means mechanical engineers are less concentrated here than the national average, so openings are thinner even where pay is competitive.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), California (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →