Mechanical Engineers Hourly Wage in California (2024)

The median hourly wage for Mechanical Engineers in California is $58.92/hour, based on 2024 BLS data.

Data: BLS OEWS 2024 • California hourly wage data • Updated 2026-04-06

Entry-Level (P10)
$36.45
/hour
Median (P50)
$58.92
/hour
Senior (P90)
$84.85
/hour

Annual Salary Equivalent

$122,550
Based on 2,080 work hours/year (40 hours/week, 52 weeks/year). View annual salary page.

California vs National Average

Entry-Level (P10)
$36.45
National: $31.07
+17.3%
Median (P50)
$58.92
National: $46.7
+26.2%
Senior (P90)
$84.85
National: $69.4
+22.3%

Hourly Wage Breakdown by Percentile

Percentile Hourly Rate Weekly (×40h) Monthly (×173.3h) Annual (×2,080h)
Entry-Level (P10) $36.45 $1458 $6318 $75,810
Q1 (P25) $45.68 $1827 $7918 $95,020
Median (P50) $58.92 $2357 $10212 $122,550
Q3 (P75) $75.37 $3015 $13064 $156,770
Senior (P90) $84.85 $3394 $14708 $176,490

Note: Weekly = hourly × 40 hours. Monthly = hourly × 173.3 hours (avg). Annual = hourly × 2,080 hours.

Highest-Paying States for Mechanical Engineers

#1
$64.26
$64.26/hr
+37.6%
#2
$59.69
$59.69/hr
+27.8%
#3
$58.92
$58.92/hr
+26.2%
#4
$52.5
$52.5/hr
+12.4%
#5
$52.16
$52.16/hr
+11.7%
#6
$51.1
$51.1/hr
+9.4%
#7
$50.89
$50.89/hr
+9.0%
#8
$50.25
$50.25/hr
+7.6%
#9
$49.61
$49.61/hr
+6.2%
#10
$49.22
$49.22/hr
+5.4%

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average hourly wage for Mechanical Engineers in California?

The median hourly wage for Mechanical Engineers in California is $58.92/hour (2024 BLS data). This equals approximately $122,550.0 per year based on 2,080 work hours.

How does California Mechanical Engineers hourly pay compare to national average?

The median hourly rate for Mechanical Engineers in California is $58.92/hr compared to the national average of $46.7/hr — higher by $12.22/hr.

What is the entry-level hourly rate for Mechanical Engineers in California?

Entry-level Mechanical Engineers professionals in California earn approximately $36.45/hour (10th percentile), which equals $75,810.0/year. Senior-level professionals earn $84.85/hour.

How much does a senior Mechanical Engineers make per hour in California?

Senior-level Mechanical Engineers professionals in California (90th percentile) earn approximately $84.85/hour, or $176,490.0/year.

How is hourly wage calculated from annual salary?

Hourly wages are calculated by dividing annual salary by 2,080 hours (52 weeks × 40 hours/week). This is the standard full-time conversion used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Related Salary Pages

Data Source

Hourly wage data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. This data reflects median and percentile wages for Mechanical Engineers (SOC 172141) in California.

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