Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
SOC 17-3027 · 2024-2034
Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.
What California expects of this job
- Typical pay in California
- $89,836per year
- Projected openings
- 3,330
- Projected change
- +5.4%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
Skills this work uses most
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, rates how important each of these is to this work, and they are listed in that order, most important first. The ratings themselves are not shown, because the data carries the number without the scale it was measured on. The names are as published, in English.
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
Pay by region
| Region | Typical pay in California | Projected openings |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano MSA (Kern County) | $109,846 | 130 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) | $101,715 | 130 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $100,454 | 470 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA (San Benito and Santa Clara Counties) | $95,682 | 380 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles MSA (San Luis Obispo County) | $81,815 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $79,791 | 380 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | $78,446 | 280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | $77,546 | 560 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA (Ventura County) | $74,470 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) | $60,357 | 180 |
What the pay actually ranges across
- The lowest-paid tenth earn under
- $59,572
- A quarter earn under
- $71,435
- Half earn under
- $89,836
- Three quarters earn under
- $107,137
- The highest-paid tenth earn over
- $128,232
A median is one point. These are the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for California, and they say how far apart the people doing this job actually are. Read them as the spread across everyone already in the work — not as a starting wage and not as a promise about where anyone lands.
Similar work
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.
| Occupation | Typical pay in California | Projected openings | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calibration Technologists and Technicians | $81,222 | 1,070 | 0% |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $88,500 | 11,520 | -2.9% |
| Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $101,771 | 1,580 | +12.5% |
| Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians | $83,833 | 1,700 | +5.3% |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $81,283 | 5,290 | +7% |
| Mechanical Drafters | $84,820 | 3,040 | -5.1% |
Programs that train for this job — 6
Manufacturing Technician
Sacramento City USD-Charles A. Jones · Sacramento · $4,950
Automotive Electrical & Fuel Injection System (400 hrs)
Rtc College · Jurupa Valley · $5,500
Automotive Hybrid and EV Technology Certificate of Achievement
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $676
Manufacturing and Fabrication Certificate of Accomplishment
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $660
Machining Technology Level I Certificate of Accomplishment
City College of San Francisco · San Francisco · $270
Mechanical Analysis Design
UCSD Division of Extended Studies · La Jolla · $4,360