Salinas, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an auto mechanic make in Salinas, CA?

In the Salinas, CA metropolitan area, auto mechanics earned a median of $62,770 a year ($30.18 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 620 of these jobs there. That is 32% above the $47,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $39,740 and $96,740; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $50,810 in take-home pay.

Auto mechanic pay in Salinas, CA at a glance

Median salary

$62,770$30.18 per hour · $5,231 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$39,740$19.11/hr
25th percentile$46,590$22.40/hr
75th percentile$75,870$36.48/hr
90th percentile$96,740$46.51/hr
Jobs in this metro620Location quotient 0.73 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here32% aboveAll-jobs median $47,380
Against California3% belowStatewide median $64,980
Against the U.S.24% aboveNational median $50,620

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Auto mechanic salary in Salinas, CA after taxes

$62,770
$25,000$130,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$62,770
Net 81%
Fed 9%
CA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$50,810After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,234Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,954Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,352 / yr
California state income tax$1,806 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,802 / yr

Auto mechanics pay range in Salinas, CA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Salinas, CA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What auto mechanics earned in the Salinas, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$19.11/hr$3,312$39,740$33,539
25th percentile$22.40/hr$3,883$46,590$38,769
MedianMedian$30.18/hr$5,231$62,770$50,810
75th percentile$36.48/hr$6,323$75,870$59,360
90th percentile$46.51/hr$8,062$96,740$72,135

Is $62,770 a good salary in Salinas, CA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for auto mechanics next to both.

Median household income$97,230Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)109.09% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household64.6%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Auto mechanic pay in Salinas, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for auto mechanics in Salinas, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for auto mechanics in the Salinas, CA metro area was $62,770 in May 2025, about $5,231 a month or $30.18 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $64,980, so the metro pays 3% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for auto mechanics in Salinas, CA?

The median hourly wage for auto mechanics in Salinas, CA was $30.18 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.11 an hour and one in ten earned more than $46.51.

How many auto mechanics work in Salinas, CA?

BLS estimated 620 jobs for auto mechanics in the metro in May 2025, or 3.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.73 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for auto mechanics in Salinas, CA?

BLS wage estimates for auto mechanics in Salinas, CA run from $39,740 at the 10th percentile to $46,590 at the 25th, $75,870 at the 75th, and $96,740 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do auto mechanics take home after taxes in Salinas, CA?

On a median gross salary of $62,770, an estimated $50,810 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,954 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,960 (an effective rate of 19.1%).

How much do auto mechanics make per month in Salinas, CA?

On the median annual salary of $62,770, gross monthly income is $5,231. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,234 per month (or $1,954 every two weeks).

Is $62,770 a good salary in Salinas, CA?

At $62,770, the median salary for auto mechanics is 64.6% of the Salinas, CA median household income ($97,230). It is 32% above the $47,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 109.0, so prices here run 9% above the U.S. average.