Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics actually take home in California?
Progressive (up to 13.3%) — 21.3% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics earning $64,980 in California (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $64,980 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$6,136 | 9.4% |
| California State Income Tax | -$2,739 | 4.2% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$4,028 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$942 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$13,847 | 21.3% |
| Take-Home Pay | $51,132 | 78.7% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $38,180 | -$6,447 | $31,732 | 16.9% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $46,580 | -$8,586 | $37,993 | 18.4% |
| Median (P50) | $64,980 | -$13,847 | $51,132 | 21.3% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $77,060 | -$18,508 | $58,551 | 24.0% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $95,280 | -$25,605 | $69,674 | 26.9% |
After federal income tax ($6,136), state tax ($2,739), and FICA ($4,970), a Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California takes home $51,132 per year — or $4,261 per month. The effective tax rate of 21.3% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 21.3%, a Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California keeps $51,133 of $64,980 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
California uses a progressive state income tax, so brackets escalate as wages rise. For this Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary the state tax works out to $2,740 (4.2% effective) — on top of federal and FICA.
Federal tax on this Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary is $6,137 (44%), but combined state ($2,740, 20%) + FICA ($4,971, 36%) make up the other 56% of the bill.
Moving this same Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $53,872 net — a gain of $2,740 (5.4%) per year versus California.
For Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics after-tax pay, California ranks #2 of 51 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $51,133 net/year works out to $4,261/month or $1,967/bi-weekly for this Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
California ranks #2 out of 51 states for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics after-tax take-home pay.
A Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California earning a median salary of $64,980 will take home approximately $51,132 per year after federal income tax ($6,136), state income tax ($2,739), and FICA ($4,970). That is $4,261 per month or $1,966 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California is 21.3%, broken down as: federal income tax 9.4%, California state tax 4.2%, 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 Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics's median salary of $64,980, the state income tax amounts to $2,739 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.2%.
After all taxes, a Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California takes home approximately $4,261 per month, or about $24.58 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 $64,980 for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 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 — $51,132/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