BLS May 2025
Mechanic Salary in California
California tops all 50 states on mechanic pay. For automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 median is $64,980 a year, $14,360 above the national median of $50,620, and 65,420 wage and salary jobs sit behind it. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays best at $77,840, 68 percent above Visalia, CA.
By Trevor Rupe, Contributor at Savo Media Group
At a Glance
- 1st of 50 states on median pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023), $64,980 against $50,620 nationally.
- $77,840 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, the best-paying area, versus $46,280 in Visalia, CA.
- $38,180 to $95,280 from the 10th to the 90th percentile, 2nd widest of 50.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Pays 68 Percent More Than Visalia, CA
BLS prices 25 metropolitan areas in California. The three largest are Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $62,820, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA at $64,210 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $76,030, together 37,280 jobs; the biggest of them is $2,160 behind the state's $64,980 median.
Visalia, CA at $46,280 and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $77,840 mark the low and high of the state, 68 percent apart, counting areas with 500 or more jobs.
Away from the metros, 3 nonmetropolitan areas hold 2 percent of the state's jobs and every one pays less than the $64,980 median, from $53,360 to $64,240.
| Area | Median | Against California | 10th to 90th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $62,820 | -$2,160 | $36,520 to $90,890 | 22,330 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $64,210 | -$770 | $36,380 to $93,860 | 7,680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $76,030 | +$11,050 | $45,210 to $108,070 | 7,270 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $64,320 | -$660 | $38,830 to $86,660 | 4,910 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $72,020 | +$7,040 | $41,040 to $96,030 | 4,870 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $77,840 | +$12,860 | $47,090 to $101,760 | 3,040 |
| Fresno, CA | $52,000 | -$12,980 | $37,790 to $77,400 | 1,890 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $65,160 | +$180 | $38,020 to $97,200 | 1,450 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $62,840 | -$2,140 | $35,930 to $81,510 | 1,310 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $62,450 | -$2,530 | $38,760 to $92,810 | 1,250 |
| Modesto, CA | $62,770 | -$2,210 | $38,370 to $95,680 | 1,030 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $75,080 | +$10,100 | $45,540 to $98,940 | 1,000 |
| Vallejo, CA | $69,710 | +$4,730 | $44,490 to $98,530 | 760 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $61,110 | -$3,870 | $36,760 to $90,190 | 700 |
| Visalia, CA | $46,280 | -$18,700 | $35,880 to $75,610 | 700 |
| Salinas, CA | $62,770 | -$2,210 | $39,740 to $96,740 | 620 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $61,620 | -$3,360 | $37,600 to $78,010 | 520 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $58,860 | -$6,120 | $36,580 to $84,760 | 450 |
| Redding, CA | $50,260 | -$14,720 | $38,260 to $78,490 | 380 |
| Merced, CA | $59,390 | -$5,590 | $36,670 to $77,530 | 330 |
| Chico, CA | $63,070 | -$1,910 | $37,550 to $93,070 | 320 |
| El Centro, CA | $54,330 | -$10,650 | $38,800 to $77,370 | 320 |
| Yuba City, CA | $58,580 | -$6,400 | $36,690 to $82,090 | 280 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $64,090 | -$890 | $39,010 to $77,080 | 170 |
$57,100 Separates Low and High Mechanic Salary in California
The bottom tenth earns $38,180 or less, $3,520 ahead of the national figure and the top tenth earns $95,280 or more, $13,490 ahead of the national figure. The $57,100 spread from the 10th percentile to the 90th beats the national spread by $9,970. California ranks 2nd of 50 states at the 90th percentile.
| Measure | California | United States | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,180 | $34,660 | +$3,520 |
| 25th percentile | $46,580 | $38,900 | +$7,680 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $64,980 | $50,620 | +$14,360 |
| 75th percentile | $77,060 | $70,430 | +$6,630 |
| 90th percentile | $95,280 | $81,790 | +$13,490 |
| Mean | $65,470 | $56,420 | +$9,050 |
| Wage and salary jobs | 65,420 | 704,640 |
The 25th and 75th percentiles are $46,580 and $77,060, and each edge beats its national counterpart (+$7,680, +$6,630).
At $65,470, the mean runs $490 above the median, a mild skew.
$38,180, the 10th percentile, describes the distribution, not what a new hire earns.
63 Ranked Mechanic Programs in California
De Anza College in Cupertino, CA tops a field of 63 ranked programs (37 automotive, 5 diesel, 2 collision repair and 19 aviation maintenance) with 80.6 out of 100 in automotive, spread over 51 schools.
Antelope Valley Community College District in Lancaster, CA is the least expensive of 63 priced programs at $1,124 per year, in-state; Universal Technical Institute-Southern California in Long Beach, CA is the most, at $43,595 for the 45-week program.
Evergreen Valley College sits in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, the best-paying area for mechanics at $77,840.
- De Anza College Cupertino, CA, automotive, score 80.6, #1 of 415
- Pasadena City College Pasadena, CA, automotive, score 76.6, #2 of 415
- Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles, CA, automotive, score 74.2, #5 of 415
- Chabot College Hayward, CA, automotive, score 73.9, #6 of 415
- Saddleback College Mission Viejo, CA, automotive, score 73.9, #7 of 415
- Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills, CA, automotive, score 73.0, #8 of 415
- Cypress College Cypress, CA, automotive, score 71.1, #9 of 415
- Orange Coast College Costa Mesa, CA, aviation maintenance, score 70.8, #5 of 148
- Citrus College Glendora, CA, automotive, score 70.3, #10 of 415
- Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster, CA, aviation maintenance, score 69.6, #8 of 148
- Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CA, aviation maintenance, score 69.4, #9 of 148
- American River College Sacramento, CA, automotive, score 69.1, #12 of 415
Best Mechanic Schools in California (63 programs scored)
65,420 Mechanics Work in California, a Thin Market
Technicians hold 3.6 of every 1,000 California jobs, which is 21 percent lower than nationally; the location quotient is 0.79. On concentration it ranks 47th of 50 states.
Heavy equipment mechanics rank first on concentration with a quotient of 0.97, and diesel mechanics the least at 0.62.
Aircraft Mechanics Lead Trade Pay by $21,120 in California
Trade choice changes pay by 33 percent here: aircraft mechanics make $86,100 while automotive technicians make $64,980, with heavy equipment mechanics next at $78,550.
| Trade | California median | U.S. median | Rank of 50 | Jobs | Best metro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanic | $86,100 | $79,870 | 10th | 12,590 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, $98,760 |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | $78,550 | $65,510 | 6th | 20,080 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, $95,980 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $73,950 | $61,770 | 5th | 20,940 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, $88,980 |
| Collision Repair Technician | $66,860 | $54,890 | 2nd | 14,050 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA, $78,060 |
| Auto Mechanic | $64,980 | $50,620 | 1st | 65,420 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, $77,840 |
Above their national medians: aircraft mechanics ($86,100, +$6,230), heavy equipment mechanics ($78,550, +$13,040), diesel mechanics ($73,950, +$12,180) and collision repair technicians ($66,860, +$11,970).
Nationally, collision repair technicians rank 2nd of 50 at $66,860, the best national standing of any trade here.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA is the best metro for aircraft mechanics here, at $98,760.
Mechanic Licensing in California
Bureau of Automotive Repair states that no license is required to work as a general automotive repair mechanic in California; individual licenses exist for Smog Check and vehicle safety systems work.
Repair businesses are licensed or registered through the Bureau of Automotive Repair: automotive repair dealer registration.
Official California source (bar.ca.gov), read October 23, 2026.
California Above Colorado on Mechanic Pay
The state just below California, Colorado, is at $61,280, $3,700 less, and no state pays more than $64,980.
The closest state is $3,700 away.
Questions About Mechanic Salary in California
What is the mechanic salary in California?
Half earn more than $64,980 per year, or $31.24 an hour, $14,360 above the nation. At the bottom tenth it is $38,180, at the top tenth $95,280.
Which part of California pays mechanics the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, at $77,840 per year across 3,040 jobs, compared with $64,980 for the whole state and $46,280 in Visalia, CA.
Which mechanic school in California ranks highest?
The top score belongs to De Anza College in Cupertino, CA, scoring 80.6, from 63 ranked programs.
The figures here are the Bureau of Labor Statistics median for wage and salary workers, so the mechanic salary in California for any one job depends on the employer, the metro area and the trade.
Sources for Mechanic Salary in California
- BLS OEWS, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics May 2025, read October 23, 2026.
- BLS OEWS technical notes Wage and salary workers only.
- Official California source (bar.ca.gov) Read October 23, 2026.