Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA · CBSA 42200
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Santa Maria
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for mechanical engineers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against California and the national benchmark.
Mechanical Engineers in Santa Maria earn a median of $122,760 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $99,570–$157,830; the top 10% earn $173,230. That is 20% above the national median and 3% below the California median. BLS reports 390 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$122,760
+20% vs national
Top 10% earn
$173,230
90th percentile
Employed in metro
390
Reliability Good (7.4% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay — Santa Maria vs California vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $81,540 | +19% |
| 25th percentile | $99,570 | +22% |
| Median50th percentile | $122,760 | +20% |
| 75th percentile | $157,830 | +21% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $173,230 | +7% |
| Meanaverage | $134,190 | +22% |
How concentrated mechanical engineers are in Santa Maria
Location quotient compares local concentration to the national rate. Above 1.00 means this metro employs the occupation more densely than the country overall.
Location quotient
1.04
Jobs per 1,000
1.93
Metro rank (pay)
#14 of 342
All engineering roles
$142,013
Santa Maria employs mechanical engineers at close to the national rate (location quotient 1.04).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make in Santa Maria?
Does Santa Maria pay more than the rest of California?
Where does Santa Maria rank nationally for mechanical engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →