Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA is $94,960/year ($45.65/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers.
So what does $95K get you in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Rosa-Petaluma’s Regional Price Parity (107.8). 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Santa Rosa-Petaluma sits well above the national pay line for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,827/month, which is 48.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 107.8), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Santa Rosa-Petaluma, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $79K | , |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $101K | , |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $97K | , |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $78K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Entry-level mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $42K 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
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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 48.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,827/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,659/month. At HUD’s $2,827/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $95K here vs. $75K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Rosa-Petaluma compare to the national average for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 107.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians make in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA?
The median is $94,960 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,990, and experienced mechanical engineering technologists and technicians can clear $102,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,852/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,827/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 mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary go in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $88,089 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.