Mechanical Engineers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $173,340 or more. The middle half of mechanical engineers in Los Angeles earn between $96,010 and $146,850.
- $77K10th
- $96K25th
- $124KMedian
- $147K75th
- $173K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $123,940 | $10,328 | $59.59 |
| Median | $123,900 | $10,325 | $59.57 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $96,010 | $8,001 | $46.16 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $146,850 | $12,238 | $70.60 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Mechanical Engineers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $123,940, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $88,545 a year, or $7,379 a month and $3,406 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for mechanical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $123,940 buys what about $109,135 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 7.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Engineers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 7th of 23 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($165,920).
- San Jose$165,920
- San Francisco$158,690
- Santa Cruz$139,810
- Santa Maria$130,120
- Salinas$128,240
- San Diego$124,420
- Los Angeles$123,940
- Sacramento$123,710
- Chico$122,870
- Bakersfield$121,730
Highest-paying cities for mechanical engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($165,920).
- San Jose, CA$165,920
- San Francisco, CA$158,690
- Santa Cruz, CA$139,810
- Augusta, GA$137,040
- Baton Rouge, LA$136,970
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Mechanical Engineers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do mechanical engineers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$59.59 an hour on average, and $59.57 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical engineers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $96,010, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical engineers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $88,545 a year ($7,379 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $123,940. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do mechanical engineers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($114,695).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2141; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.2%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.73, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.73).
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