San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an auto mechanic make in San Diego-Chula Vista, CA?

In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metropolitan area, auto mechanics earned a median of $64,320 a year ($30.92 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,910 of these jobs there. That is 10% above the $58,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $38,830 and $86,660; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $51,941 in take-home pay.

Auto mechanic pay in San Diego-Chula Vista, CA at a glance

Median salary

$64,320$30.92 per hour · $5,360 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$38,830$18.67/hr
25th percentile$46,250$22.24/hr
75th percentile$76,290$36.68/hr
90th percentile$86,660$41.66/hr
Jobs in this metro4,910Location quotient 0.70 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here10% aboveAll-jobs median $58,690
Against California1% belowStatewide median $64,980
Against the U.S.27% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista, CA after taxes

$64,320
$25,000$130,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$64,320
Net 81%
Fed 9%
CA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$51,941After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,328Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,998Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,538 / yr
California state income tax$1,920 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,920 / yr

Auto mechanics pay range in San Diego-Chula Vista, CA, hourly and yearly

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

What auto mechanics earned in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$18.67/hr$3,236$38,830$32,844
25th percentile$22.24/hr$3,854$46,250$38,509
MedianMedian$30.92/hr$5,360$64,320$51,941
75th percentile$36.68/hr$6,358$76,290$59,622
90th percentile$41.66/hr$7,222$86,660$65,981

Is $64,320 a good salary in San Diego-Chula Vista, 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$106,268Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)111.911.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household60.5%of area median income

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

Auto mechanic pay in San Diego-Chula Vista, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for auto mechanics in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for auto mechanics in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area was $64,320 in May 2025, about $5,360 a month or $30.92 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $64,980, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for auto mechanics in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

The median hourly wage for auto mechanics in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA was $30.92 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $18.67 an hour and one in ten earned more than $41.66.

How many auto mechanics work in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

BLS estimated 4,910 jobs for auto mechanics in the metro in May 2025, or 3.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.70 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for auto mechanics in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

BLS wage estimates for auto mechanics in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA run from $38,830 at the 10th percentile to $46,250 at the 25th, $76,290 at the 75th, and $86,660 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do auto mechanics take home after taxes in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

On a median gross salary of $64,320, an estimated $51,941 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,998 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $12,379 (an effective rate of 19.2%).

How much do auto mechanics make per month in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

On the median annual salary of $64,320, gross monthly income is $5,360. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,328 per month (or $1,998 every two weeks).

Is $64,320 a good salary in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?

At $64,320, the median salary for auto mechanics is 60.5% of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA median household income ($106,268). It is 10% above the $58,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 111.9, so prices here run 11.9% above the U.S. average.