Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA is $62,310/year ($29.96/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.44), so that salary is closer to $58,540 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,201/month, about 54.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $62K actually covers in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario’s Regional Price Parity (106.44). 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 mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,201/month, which is 52.8% 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 106.44), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for mechanical engineering technologists and technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $79K | $70K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $101K | $87K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $97K | $88K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $78K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Entry-level mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $103K | +38% | 270 |
| New Mexico | $98K | +31% | 320 |
| Missouri | $92K | +24% | 800 |
| California | $87K | +17% | 3,660 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +11% | 350 |
| Rhode Island | $82K | +10% | 30 |
| Oregon | $81K | +8% | 260 |
| Nebraska | $80K | +7% | 250 |
| Washington | $79K | +7% | 890 |
| Maryland | $79K | +6% | 640 |
| Ohio | $79K | +5% | 1,800 |
| New York | $78K | +5% | 1,140 |
| Kentucky | $78K | +5% | 520 |
| Delaware | $78K | +4% | 50 |
| Indiana | $77K | +4% | 1,500 |
| Colorado | $77K | +3% | 330 |
| Illinois | $77K | +3% | 1,170 |
| Maine | $77K | +3% | 220 |
| Texas | $77K | +3% | 2,140 |
| North Dakota | $76K | +3% | 90 |
| Virginia | $76K | +2% | 670 |
| Georgia | $74K | -1% | 560 |
| Nevada | $73K | -2% | 420 |
| Arizona | $72K | -3% | 730 |
| Iowa | $72K | -4% | 500 |
| Pennsylvania | $71K | -5% | 1,620 |
| Mississippi | $71K | -5% | 220 |
| South Carolina | $70K | -7% | 1,290 |
| Idaho | $68K | -8% | 30 |
| Michigan | $68K | -9% | 4,930 |
| Wisconsin | $68K | -9% | 900 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | -10% | 570 |
| New Jersey | $65K | -13% | 260 |
| Minnesota | $64K | -14% | 400 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | -16% | 1,310 |
| North Carolina | $62K | -16% | 1,190 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -16% | 580 |
| Utah | $62K | -17% | 900 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -17% | 490 |
| Alabama | $60K | -19% | 400 |
| Florida | $60K | -20% | 540 |
| Kansas | $55K | -26% | 410 |
| South Dakota | $54K | -28% | 110 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -36% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mechanical engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 52.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,201/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,174/month. At HUD’s $2,201/month FMR, rent would take 69% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mechanical engineering technologists and technician a high-paying job in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $62K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario compare to the national average for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians make in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA?
The median is $62,310 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,180, and experienced mechanical engineering technologists and technicians can clear $96,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,169/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,201/month, which eats 52.8% 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 mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary go in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has a Regional Price Parity of 106.44 (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 mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $58,540 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians 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.