Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics Salary
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics in California make a median of $50,790 a year, or about $24.42 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $47,852 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 74.5% 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 $51K get you in California?
About outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics
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What this looks like in California
Outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $51K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 71.4% 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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics salary by metro in California
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | $58K | +15% | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $57K | +11% | 80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $56K | +11% | 240 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $53K | +4% | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $52K | +2% | 660 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $51K | +1% | 370 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $50K | -2% | 150 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $49K | -4% | 50 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $47K | -7% | 30 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $47K | -8% | 50 |
| Fresno | $46K | -10% | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $46K | -10% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
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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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 71.4% 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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,217/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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanic a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $51K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics?
California pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics make in California?
The median is $50,790 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,950, and experienced outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics can clear $76,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,459/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 71.4% 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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics 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 outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics salary is worth about $47,852 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanics 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.