Salary distribution
Where California mechanical engineers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $99,290 and $159,520, with a median of $126,370.
Mechanical Engineers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $146,531. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 102 | $96,200 |
| Level II — qualified | 199 | $126,131 |
| Level III — experienced | 196 | $155,043 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 157 | $184,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Mechanical Engineers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | System Product Design Engineer | 108 | $181,397 |
| Tesla, Inc. | Mechanical Design Engineer | 63 | $157,259 |
| Lucid USA, Inc. | Sr. Engineer, Body Structures | 55 | $150,654 |
| HCL AMERICA INC | Senior Design Lead | 37 | $99,693 |
| Rivian Automotive, LLC | Sr. Staff, Vehicle Line Manager | 26 | $165,000 |
| Western Digital Technologies, Inc. | Senior Engineer, Development Engineering | 21 | $128,690 |
| RIVIAN AUTOMOTIVE, LLC | Staff Integration Lead - Cockpit & Trim | 20 | $162,251 |
| FORD MOTOR COMPANY | Senior Vehicle Integration Engineer | 17 | $155,043 |
| Zoox, Inc. | Senior Systems Engineer | 15 | $182,000 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Product Design Engineer | 14 | $214,124 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Mechanical Engineer at Kodiak Robotics, inc.$170,000Mountain ViewDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25357-504418
- Professional Mechanical Engineer at Sugarpine Engineering Inc.$79,810TruckeeDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25357-504478
- Lead Chassis Engineer - Wheels at Rivian Automotive, LLC$163,421IrvineDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502186
- Senior Mechanical Engineer 1 at ASML US, LP$127,026San DiegoDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25355-500353
- MANAGING DIRECTOR at FiunEx Inc$150,000CommerceDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498073
- Associate Mechanical Design Engineer at Tesla, Inc.$127,000FremontDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-492998
- AR/VR Module Development Engineer at Apple Inc.$185,869SunnyvaleDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-492839
- Module Design Engineer at Apple Inc.$185,869CupertinoDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-492973
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Mechanical Engineers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Mechanical Engineers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 423 certified offers. The most common variant is Mechanical Engineer at a median of $135,650.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineer | Lucid USA, Inc. | 148 | $135,650 |
| Engineer | Western Digital Technologies, Inc. | 71 | $128,690 |
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Tesla, Inc. | 64 | $145,000 |
| System Product Design Engineer | Apple Inc. | 27 | $185,869 |
| Senior Design Lead | HCL AMERICA INC | 21 | $99,385 |
| Systems Engineer | Applied Intuition, Inc. | 16 | $188,141 |
| Manufacturing Engineer | Vibrant America LLC | 14 | $117,620 |
| Mechanical Engineers | Apple Inc. | 14 | $160,822 |
| Technical Program Manager | Google LLC | 13 | $175,157 |
| Senior Software Engineer | Nuro, Inc | 12 | $182,935 |
| Reliability Engineering | Apple Inc. | 12 | $183,633 |
| Design Engineer | Lucid USA, Inc. | 11 | $110,800 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Mechanical Engineers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 985 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $155,896.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 590 | $155,896 |
| Professional services | L&T Technology Services Limited | 178 | $126,646 |
| Technology and software | HCL AMERICA INC | 163 | $140,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | WNC USA Corporation | 23 | $102,336 |
| Education | PAC Project Advisors International, Ltd. | 10 | $101,879 |
| Healthcare | Vibrant America LLC | 8 | $103,803 |
| Energy and utilities | BHE Renewables, LLC | 7 | $94,182 |
| Transportation and logistics | Metro Supply Chain (USA) Inc. | 4 | $134,014 |
| Real estate | Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. | 2 | $118,232 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.7 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.6 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Mechanical
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Physics
Knowledge
- 4.2 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
- 02
Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
- 03
Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
- 04
Develop, coordinate, or monitor all aspects of production, including selection of manufacturing methods, fabrication, or operation of product designs.
- 05
Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and recommend remedial actions.
- 06
Develop or test models of alternate designs or processing methods to assess feasibility, sustainability, operating condition effects, potential new applications, or necessity of modification.
- 07
Recommend the use of utility or energy services that minimize carbon footprints.
- 08
Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+9.0%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for mechanical engineers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$147,730
- San Francisco$145,640
- San Diego$128,660
- Sacramento$116,370
- Los Angeles$114,290
- Riverside$101,800
Compare Mechanical Engineers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Mechanical Engineers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in California is $126,370.
- How does California compare to the national median for Mechanical Engineers?
- The California median is +20.8% versus the BLS national figure of $104,651.
- What is the salary range for Mechanical Engineers in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $77,360 and the 90th-percentile at $188,660, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Mechanical Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 9.0% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Mechanical Engineers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.