Automotive Service Technician and Mechanics Salary Information in California

The average annual salaries for automotive service technicians and mechanics in the state of California are shown in Table 1. The comparison of the salary statistics of automotive service technicians and mechanics among California areas is shown in Table 2. The salary statistics are based on the national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022 and published in April 2023 [1].

Table 1 & 2. Annual Salary of Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California (2022 Survey)

Percentile bracketAverage annual salary
10th Percentile Wage
$34,810
25th Percentile Wage
$42,830
50th Percentile Wage
$59,710
75th Percentile Wage
$70,960
90th Percentile Wage
$79,340

Table 1 shows the average annual salary for automotive service technicians and mechanics in California in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) is $79,340. The median (50th percentile) annual salary is $59,710. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $34,810.

Median salary trend (2012 to 2022)

The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of automotive service technicians and mechanics from 2012 to 2022.

YearMedian SalaryYearly Growth10-Year Growth
2022
$59,710
15.02% 30.90%
2021
$50,740
-0.41% -
2020
$50,950
7.73% -
2019
$47,010
2.49% -
2018
$45,840
4.84% -
2017
$43,620
-0.07% -
2016
$43,650
6.83% -
2015
$40,670
0.47% -
2014
$40,480
1.21% -
2013
$39,990
-3.18% -
2012
$41,260
- -

Table 3. Median Annual Salary of Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in California Cities (2022 Survey)

Table 3 shows the median annual salary of automotive service technicians and mechanics in some California cities and metropolitan areas. We note that the median annual salary of automotive service technicians and mechanics in state of California ranges from $37,180 to $72,530. The highest paying area for automotive service technicians and mechanics in California is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara with a median annual salary of $72,530. The second highest paying city/area in California State is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont (mean annual salary $63,560). The lowest paying area is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana with a median annual salary of $37,180.

Cities/Areas Median Annual Salary
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
$72,530
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
$63,560
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
$62,130
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
$61,200
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville
$60,960
Vallejo-Fairfield
$60,330
Napa
$60,110
Stockton
$59,880
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
$59,770
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos
$59,280
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
$58,950
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
$58,840
El Centro
$58,690
Salinas
$58,680
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
$58,350
Bakersfield-Delano
$52,860
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
$52,800
Chico
$51,220
Yuba City
$51,170
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City
$50,940
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area
$50,540
Fresno
$50,490
Madera-Chowchilla
$50,270
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta
$49,970
Modesto
$49,850
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward
$49,800
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area
$49,370
Redding
$49,300
Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area
$49,260
Hanford-Corcoran
$48,800
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine
$48,460
Visalia-Porterville
$48,420
Merced
$47,970
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area
$46,070
Eastern Sierra Region of California nonmetropolitan area
$43,900
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale
$40,920
Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area
$39,720
North Valley Region of California nonmetropolitan area
$38,560
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana
$37,180