How much does a mechanical engineer make in San Jose?
$168,000a year
Median yearly pay for mechanical engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area. That is $80.78 an hour or $14,000 a month.
- Hourly
- $80.78
- Vs. national median
- +61%
- Rank among cities
- 1 of 346
- Jobs in the area
- 5,540
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $105,400Median: $168,000Highest 10%: $217,500
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $105,400 | $50.67 | |
| 25th | $134,500 | $64.64 | |
| Median | $168,000 | $80.78 | |
| 75th | $201,600 | $96.94 | |
| 90th | $217,500 | $104.58 |
Other cities in California
Median yearly pay for mechanical engineers.
| San Francisco, CA | $161,400 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $132,900 |
| Salinas, CA | $132,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $123,900 |
| San Diego, CA | $121,800 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $121,100 |
| Sacramento, CA | $121,000 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $120,700 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $119,800 |
| Stockton, CA | $117,400 |
| Oxnard, CA | $117,400 |
| Vallejo, CA | $106,800 |
| Redding, CA | $106,000 |
| Modesto, CA | $105,000 |
| Riverside, CA | $104,900 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $102,300 |
| Fresno, CA | $98,740 |
| Visalia, CA | $92,770 |
Related jobs in San Jose
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $209,900 |
| Electronics Engineer | $194,400 |
| Electrical Engineer | $187,100 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $181,600 |
| Engineer | $169,700 |
| Materials Engineer | $156,700 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $143,100 |
| Industrial Engineer | $137,000 |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $136,500 |
| Civil Engineer | $130,300 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make an hour in San Jose?
The median hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $80.78 ($168,000 a year).
Do mechanical engineers make more in San Jose than the national average?
Yes: $168,000 against $104,100 nationally, 61% more.
How does San Jose compare with the rest of California?
The median in California is $130,900, so San Jose pays 28% more.
Where does San Jose rank for mechanical engineer pay?
1 of 346 metro areas with data.
How much does a mechanical engineer make starting out in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% make $105,400 or less a year; the top 10% make $217,500 or more.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.