Mechanical Engineers Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in California is $130,900/year ($62.94/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $204K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $123,328 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 32% 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 $131K get you in California?
About mechanical engineers
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for mechanical engineers, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $104K. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. 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 mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $131K. Top earners bring in $204K or more, a $122K spread from bottom to top.
Mechanical Engineers salary by metro in California
23 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $168K | +28% | 5,540 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $161K | +23% | 5,150 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $133K | +2% | 190 |
| Salinas | $133K | +1% | 70 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $124K | -5% | 8,780 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $122K | -7% | 3,370 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $121K | -7% | 390 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $121K | -8% | 1,480 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $121K | -8% | 150 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $120K | -8% | 560 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $117K | -10% | 220 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $117K | -10% | 950 |
| Napa | $113K | -14% | 30 |
| Chico | $109K | -17% | 40 |
| Vallejo | $107K | -18% | 130 |
| Redding | $106K | -19% | 60 |
| Modesto | $105K | -20% | 120 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $105K | -20% | 1,420 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $102K | -22% | 140 |
| Yuba City | $101K | -23% | 40 |
| Fresno | $99K | -25% | 260 |
| Visalia | $93K | -29% | 90 |
| Merced | $80K | -39% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 23 metros
Compare to other states
Track mechanical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $131K, rent takes 32.3% 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 $2,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,924/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mechanical engineer a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $131K here vs. $104K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
California pays $131K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in California?
The median is $130,900 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,070, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $203,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $131K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,659/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 32.3% 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 engineers 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 mechanical engineers salary is worth about $123,328 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mechanical engineers 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.