Mechanical Engineer Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Stockton, CA is $117,420/year ($56.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.09), so that salary is closer to $111,733 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,015/month, or 27.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $117K actually covers in Stockton-Lodi, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Stockton-Lodi’s Regional Price Parity (105.09). 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 engineers
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What this looks like in Stockton-Lodi
Stockton-Lodi sits well above the national pay line for mechanical engineers, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $104K. Rent runs $2,015/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.09), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineers in metros near Stockton-Lodi, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $124K | $109K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $168K | $152K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $161K | $140K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $122K | $109K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Stockton-Lodi, CA
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $109K spread from bottom to top.
Mechanical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Mechanical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $158K | +51% | 2,710 |
| District of Columbia | $133K | +28% | 510 |
| California | $131K | +26% | 30,530 |
| Delaware | $125K | +20% | 610 |
| Colorado | $124K | +20% | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $124K | +19% | 380 |
| Maryland | $123K | +18% | 6,550 |
| Louisiana | $120K | +15% | 1,890 |
| Massachusetts | $119K | +15% | 7,680 |
| Wyoming | $118K | +13% | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $116K | +12% | 1,560 |
| Texas | $112K | +8% | 22,080 |
| New Jersey | $112K | +8% | 4,180 |
| Washington | $110K | +6% | 8,240 |
| Vermont | $107K | +3% | 530 |
| Connecticut | $105K | +1% | 4,600 |
| Michigan | $105K | +1% | 34,630 |
| South Carolina | $105K | +0% | 5,780 |
| Virginia | $104K | +0% | 7,470 |
| New Hampshire | $104K | -0% | 2,760 |
| Oregon | $103K | -1% | 2,920 |
| Illinois | $103K | -1% | 11,790 |
| Nevada | $103K | -1% | 1,410 |
| Utah | $103K | -2% | 3,370 |
| New York | $102K | -2% | 8,590 |
| Maine | $102K | -2% | 890 |
| Oklahoma | $102K | -2% | 2,270 |
| Kentucky | $101K | -3% | 4,170 |
| North Carolina | $101K | -3% | 9,560 |
| Georgia | $101K | -3% | 5,290 |
| Arizona | $100K | -4% | 5,050 |
| Alabama | $100K | -4% | N/A |
| Florida | $100K | -4% | 10,740 |
| Indiana | $100K | -4% | 8,690 |
| Tennessee | $100K | -4% | 3,930 |
| Missouri | $99K | -5% | 4,870 |
| Minnesota | $99K | -5% | 5,890 |
| Ohio | $99K | -5% | 14,390 |
| Hawaii | $99K | -5% | 530 |
| Mississippi | $98K | -6% | 1,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | -6% | 13,550 |
| Iowa | $98K | -6% | 3,470 |
| West Virginia | $97K | -6% | 760 |
| Wisconsin | $96K | -8% | 7,470 |
| Montana | $94K | -10% | 500 |
| Idaho | $93K | -10% | 1,070 |
| South Dakota | $88K | -15% | 560 |
| Nebraska | $88K | -15% | 950 |
| North Dakota | $86K | -17% | 790 |
| Kansas | $86K | -17% | 4,630 |
| Arkansas | $80K | -23% | 1,410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track mechanical engineers salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Stockton-Lodi?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 28.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,015/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers in Stockton-Lodi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,099/month. At HUD’s $2,015/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Stockton-Lodi?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $117K here vs. $104K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Stockton-Lodi compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Stockton-Lodi pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $112K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Stockton-Lodi, CA?
The median is $117,420 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,160, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $169,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Stockton-Lodi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,994/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,015/month, which eats 28.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a mechanical engineers salary go in Stockton-Lodi?
Stockton-Lodi has a Regional Price Parity of 105.09 (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 $111,733 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.