Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other Salary
In California, engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others earn $80,480 at the median, or about $38.69 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $75,824 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 48.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in California?
About engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others
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What this looks like in California
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 48.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $77K spread from bottom to top.
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other salary by metro in California
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano | $102K | +26% | 610 |
| Vallejo | $97K | +21% | 30 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $95K | +18% | 330 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $92K | +15% | 1,450 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $85K | +5% | 590 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $84K | +5% | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $84K | +4% | 1,090 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $82K | +2% | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $81K | +1% | 220 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $81K | +0% | 350 |
| Fresno | $81K | +0% | 70 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $77K | -5% | 110 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $75K | -7% | 80 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $70K | -13% | 1,770 |
| Modesto | $64K | -21% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
Track engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 48.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,124/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 79% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others?
California pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — below the national median.
How much do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others make in California?
The median is $80,480 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,060, and experienced engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others can clear $128,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,115/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 48.3% 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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other salary is worth about $75,824 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all others 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.