Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators Salary
The median pay for a miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators in California is $47,720/year ($22.94/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $44,959 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 75% 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 $48K get you in California?
About miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
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What this looks like in California
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 75.6% 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 miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators salary by metro in California
24 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $60K | +26% | 17,700 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $52K | +10% | 5,290 |
| Vallejo | $49K | +2% | 1,050 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $48K | +1% | 790 |
| Yuba City | $48K | +1% | 160 |
| Redding | $48K | +0% | 250 |
| Merced | $48K | -0% | 310 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $48K | -0% | 330 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $47K | -1% | 8,340 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $46K | -3% | 2,130 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $46K | -3% | 880 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $46K | -3% | 33,310 |
| Napa | $46K | -4% | 270 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $46K | -4% | 4,580 |
| Modesto | $46K | -5% | 930 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $45K | -5% | 3,120 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $45K | -6% | 360 |
| Salinas | $44K | -8% | 380 |
| El Centro | $44K | -9% | 60 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $43K | -10% | 10,880 |
| Visalia | $43K | -10% | 800 |
| Fresno | $42K | -11% | 1,800 |
| Chico | $42K | -13% | 200 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $39K | -18% | 850 |
Showing 1–10 of 24 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a miscellaneous assemblers and fabricator afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 75.6% 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 $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,221/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 111% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is miscellaneous assemblers and fabricator a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators?
California pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators make in California?
The median is $47,720 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,020, and experienced miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators can clear $72,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,269/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 75.6% 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 miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators 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 miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators salary is worth about $44,959 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators 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.