Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Aerospace Engineers actually take home in California?
Progressive (up to 13.3%) — 32.2% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Aerospace Engineers earning $157,620 in California (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $157,620 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$27,367 | 17.4% |
| California State Income Tax | -$11,311 | 7.2% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$9,772 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$2,285 | 1.4% |
| Total Taxes | -$50,736 | 32.2% |
| Take-Home Pay | $106,883 | 67.8% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Aerospace Engineers in California.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $104,370 | -$29,145 | $75,224 | 27.9% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $129,010 | -$39,020 | $89,989 | 30.2% |
| Median (P50) | $157,620 | -$50,736 | $106,883 | 32.2% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $193,060 | -$63,732 | $129,327 | 33.0% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $220,670 | -$74,643 | $146,027 | 33.8% |
A Aerospace Engineers in California faces a combined 32.2% effective tax rate, taking home $106,883 out of $157,620. The progressive (up to 13.3%) adds $11,311 on top of federal and FICA taxes. In a no-income-tax state, this salary would yield approximately $118,194 — a difference of $11,311/year.
At an effective 32.2% combined tax rate, California takes one of the larger bites out of a Aerospace Engineers's paycheck. Take-home settles at $106,883 from $157,620 gross after all withholdings.
California uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Aerospace Engineers salary the state tax works out to $11,312 (7.2% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Aerospace Engineers salary is $27,367 (54%), but combined state ($11,312, 22%) + FICA ($12,058, 24%) make up the other 46% of the bill.
The state-tax gap is substantial: a Aerospace Engineers earning this gross in a no-income-tax state would net about $118,195 — an extra $11,312 (10.6%) annually compared with California.
For Aerospace Engineers after-tax pay, California ranks #5 of 41 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $106,883 net/year works out to $8,907/month or $4,111/bi-weekly for this Aerospace Engineers in California — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Aerospace Engineers keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
California ranks #5 out of 41 states for Aerospace Engineers after-tax take-home pay.
A Aerospace Engineers in California earning a median salary of $157,620 will take home approximately $106,883 per year after federal income tax ($27,367), state income tax ($11,311), and FICA ($12,057). That is $8,906 per month or $4,110 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Aerospace Engineers in California is 32.2%, broken down as: federal income tax 17.4%, California state tax 7.2%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
California has a progressive (up to 13.3%). On a Aerospace Engineers's median salary of $157,620, the state income tax amounts to $11,311 per year, which is an effective state rate of 7.2%.
After all taxes, a Aerospace Engineers in California takes home approximately $8,906 per month, or about $51.39 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $157,620 for Aerospace Engineers in California, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), California state income tax (progressive (up to 13.3%)), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $106,883/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
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This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR