Mechanical Engineers salary in Sacramento, CA
Median pay for mechanical engineers in Sacramento, CA: $118,050/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $71,930 – $164,670 · about 1,020 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($95,605) by +$22,445 (+23%).
What it's really worth in Sacramento
With Sacramento's cost of living at 109 (US=100), that $118,050 has the buying power of about $108,212 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $89,227 · median home $582,707 · median rent $2,283/mo.
How Sacramento ranks for this job
On raw pay, Sacramento, CA is 12th of the 180 metros we hold mechanical engineers wages for. Once Sacramento's cost of living is applied, it ranks 31st.
The headline number flatters Sacramento. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, mechanical engineers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.
What that salary buys in Sacramento
A median home in Sacramento, CA costs $582,707 — about 4.9× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is harder here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $2,283/mo works out at 23% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where mechanical engineers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Sacramento.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Sacramento | Rent vs Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $153,520 | +30% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $136,970 | +16% | 1.4× |
| Albuquerque, NM | $133,660 | +13% | 0.7× |
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +11% | 0.6× |
Same job elsewhere in CA
| Metro | Median pay | vs Sacramento | Rent vs Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $153,520 | +30% | 1.6× |
| San Francisco, CA | $136,970 | +16% | 1.4× |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $126,560 | +7% | 1.6× |
| San Diego, CA | $122,350 | +4% | 1.3× |
Staying in CA keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires mechanical engineers around Sacramento
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Aerojet · Aerospace/Defense
Other jobs in Sacramento
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 180 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.