Machinists pay in California
$61,380avg. a year
$29.51 an hour · 18,950 employed
Machinists in California earn an average of $61,380 a year. That is $2,060 (3%) more than the U.S. average of $59,320. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $76,240.
$57,190Median pay
$29.51Average hourly
+23%Avg. pay since 2020
#22Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for machinists by metro area. Swipe to see all 22.
11,610 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$76,240
$36.65 an hour
21,370 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$69,020
$33.18 an hour
3150 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$67,080
$32.25 an hour
430 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$65,470
$31.48 an hour
560 jobs
Redding, CA
$64,700
$31.10 an hour
62,180 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$64,530
$31.02 an hour
7130 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$62,340
$29.97 an hour
890 jobs
Salinas, CA
$62,140
$29.88 an hour
9600 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$62,070
$29.84 an hour
10230 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$60,000
$28.85 an hour
11540 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$59,210
$28.47 an hour
12300 jobs
Fresno, CA
$58,740
$28.24 an hour
13250 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$58,670
$28.21 an hour
1470 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$58,420
$28.09 an hour
1540 jobs
Chico, CA
$57,520
$27.65 an hour
167,850 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$57,130
$27.47 an hour
17140 jobs
Modesto, CA
$56,990
$27.40 an hour
18120 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$56,220
$27.03 an hour
191,810 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$54,960
$26.42 an hour
20220 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$54,190
$26.05 an hour
21130 jobs
Visalia, CA
$52,880
$25.42 an hour
2240 jobs
Merced, CA
$49,800
$23.94 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Machinists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California machinists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $57k$57k–$60k$60k–$63k$63k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $59,320 | $28.52 |
| California | $61,380 | $29.51 |
| Oregon | $65,590 | $31.53 |
| Arizona | $59,750 | $28.73 |
| Nevada | $56,270 | $27.05 |
Related jobs in California
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$61,120
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$51,620
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,020
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,660
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,450
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,310
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do machinists make in California?
The average is $61,380 a year, and the median is $57,190. That is $2,060 (3%) more than the U.S. average of $59,320.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$29.51 an hour on average; the median is $27.49.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($76,240), followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($69,020). The lowest average among 22 metro areas with data is Merced, CA ($49,800).
How does California rank?
California ranks #22 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 51-4041. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national machinists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.