Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does an auto mechanic make in Santa Maria, CA?

In the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metropolitan area, auto mechanics earned a median of $61,110 a year ($29.38 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 700 of these jobs there. That is 18% above the $51,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $36,760 and $90,190; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and California tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $49,576 in take-home pay.

Auto mechanic pay in Santa Maria, CA at a glance

Median salary

$61,110$29.38 per hour · $5,093 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$36,760$17.68/hr
25th percentile$45,120$21.69/hr
75th percentile$74,720$35.92/hr
90th percentile$90,190$43.36/hr
Jobs in this metro700Location quotient 0.77 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here18% aboveAll-jobs median $51,690
Against California6% belowStatewide median $64,980
Against the U.S.21% 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 Santa Maria, CA after taxes

$61,110
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$61,110
Net 81%
Fed 8%
CA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,576After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,131Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,907Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,153 / yr
California state income tax$1,706 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,675 / yr

Auto mechanics pay range in Santa Maria, CA, hourly and yearly

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

What auto mechanics earned in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CA)
10th percentile$17.68/hr$3,063$36,760$31,264
25th percentile$21.69/hr$3,760$45,120$37,646
MedianMedian$29.38/hr$5,093$61,110$49,576
75th percentile$35.92/hr$6,227$74,720$58,643
90th percentile$43.36/hr$7,516$90,190$68,136

Is $61,110 a good salary in Santa Maria, 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$98,161Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)108.88.8% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household62.3%of area median income

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

Auto mechanic pay in Santa Maria, CA: common questions

What is the median salary for auto mechanics in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

The BLS median annual wage for auto mechanics in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area was $61,110 in May 2025, about $5,093 a month or $29.38 an hour. Statewide, the California median for this job is $64,980, so the metro pays 6% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for auto mechanics in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

The median hourly wage for auto mechanics in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA was $29.38 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.68 an hour and one in ten earned more than $43.36.

How many auto mechanics work in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

BLS estimated 700 jobs for auto mechanics in the metro in May 2025, or 3.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.77 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for auto mechanics in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

BLS wage estimates for auto mechanics in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA run from $36,760 at the 10th percentile to $45,120 at the 25th, $74,720 at the 75th, and $90,190 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do auto mechanics take home after taxes in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

On a median gross salary of $61,110, an estimated $49,576 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,907 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in California in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $11,534 (an effective rate of 18.9%).

How much do auto mechanics make per month in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

On the median annual salary of $61,110, gross monthly income is $5,093. After federal, FICA, and California state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,131 per month (or $1,907 every two weeks).

Is $61,110 a good salary in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?

At $61,110, the median salary for auto mechanics is 62.3% of the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA median household income ($98,161). It is 18% above the $51,690 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 108.8, so prices here run 8.8% above the U.S. average.