Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Salary
In San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, engine and other machine assemblers earn $40,650 at the median, or about $19.54 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.42), so that salary is closer to $36,814 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,483/month, about 124.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara’s Regional Price Parity (110.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About engine and other machine assemblers
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What this looks like in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
Pay for engine and other machine assemblers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $54K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,483/month, which is 123.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.42), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for engine and other machine assemblerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for engine and other machine assemblers in metros near San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $47K | $41K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $51K | $46K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $64K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Entry-level engine and other machine assemblers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Engine and Other Machine Assemblers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $75K | +39% | 3,430 |
| Washington | $73K | +36% | 370 |
| New Hampshire | $70K | +31% | 160 |
| Oregon | $63K | +18% | 110 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +14% | 170 |
| Michigan | $61K | +13% | 5,030 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +10% | 270 |
| Arkansas | $55K | +2% | 70 |
| Idaho | $54K | +1% | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $54K | +1% | 860 |
| Arizona | $54K | +1% | 80 |
| Florida | $53K | -2% | 800 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -3% | 90 |
| New Jersey | $51K | -5% | 140 |
| Illinois | $50K | -8% | 650 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -8% | 110 |
| Utah | $49K | -9% | 150 |
| Texas | $47K | -12% | 490 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -13% | 1,960 |
| Massachusetts | $47K | -13% | 500 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -13% | 430 |
| California | $47K | -13% | 1,170 |
| Missouri | $47K | -13% | 1,020 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -13% | 580 |
| New York | $46K | -13% | 1,330 |
| Colorado | $46K | -14% | N/A |
| Iowa | $46K | -14% | 60 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -14% | 550 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -15% | 2,750 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -16% | 130 |
| Kansas | $43K | -21% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $42K | -23% | 1,180 |
| Maryland | $39K | -27% | 90 |
| Georgia | $39K | -28% | 410 |
| Virginia | $36K | -33% | 570 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track engine and other machine assemblers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a engine and other machine assembler afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 123.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,483/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for engine and other machine assemblers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engine and other machine assemblers typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,439/month. At HUD’s $3,483/month FMR, rent would take 143% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is engine and other machine assembler a high-paying job in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $41K here vs. $54K nationally.
How does San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara compare to the national average for engine and other machine assemblers?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do engine and other machine assemblers make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median is $40,650 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,650, and experienced engine and other machine assemblers can clear $57,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,825/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,483/month, which eats 123.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a engine and other machine assemblers salary go in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara has a Regional Price Parity of 110.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median engine and other machine assemblers salary is worth about $36,814 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engine and other machine assemblers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.