Skilled Wages

Diesel mechanic salary in California

Median $35.55 an hour for 20,940 diesel mechanics, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$35.55/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$73,950/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.68 – $46.5010th to 90th percentilehourly range
20,940Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Diesel mechanic pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrCalifornia: 10th $22.68 · 25th $28.90 · median $35.55 · 75th $40.74 · 90th $46.50California$35.55$22.68$46.50United States: 10th $21.41 · 25th $24.30 · median $29.70 · 75th $36.29 · 90th $42.66United States$29.70
Hourly wage percentiles for diesel mechanics: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 5th of 51 states for median diesel mechanic pay, and 12th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.11). 20,940 diesel mechanics work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.68 – $28.90$47,180 – $60,110roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$28.90 – $40.74$60,110 – $84,740the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$40.74 – $46.50$84,740 – $96,730the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Diesel mechanic pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrSan Jose: $42.78San Jose$42.78San Francisco: $39.47San Francisco$39.47Napa: $37.54Napa$37.54Los Angeles: $37.20Los Angeles$37.20Modesto: $36.85Modesto$36.85Santa Cruz: $36.38Santa Cruz$36.38Vallejo: $36.30Vallejo$36.30San Diego: $36.09San Diego$36.09Oxnard: $35.93Oxnard$35.93San Luis Obispo: $35.88San Luis Obispo$35.88Sacramento: $34.93Sacramento$34.93Riverside: $34.28Riverside$34.28
Median hourly wage for diesel mechanics by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
San Jose$27.19$42.78$38.75$54.5472020% above
San Francisco$23.51$39.47$34.14$50.741,73011% above
Napa$24.60$37.54$33.34$49.98606% above
Los Angeles$23.34$37.20$32.75$46.046,5205% above
Modesto$22.95$36.85$35.40$47.114204% above
Santa Cruz$27.17$36.38$33.10$47.76902% above
Vallejo$23.80$36.30$33.46$48.222002% above
San Diego$24.70$36.09$32.25$45.921,4302% above
Oxnard$24.73$35.93$32.52$46.713501% above
San Luis Obispo$22.64$35.88$33.04$43.901201% above
Sacramento$23.42$34.93$32.74$45.391,1902% below
Riverside$22.54$34.28$32.22$43.063,4004% below
Stockton$22.59$33.85$32.21$43.357605% below
El Centro$17.54$33.83$35.54$46.951405% below
Santa Maria$18.44$33.68$30.96$44.732105% below
Santa Rosa$23.19$32.89$30.51$47.932407% below
Visalia$21.25$32.03$32.09$39.4624010% below
Redding$17.41$31.59$31.37$43.7010011% below
Fresno$21.40$31.35$30.68$46.2572012% below
Salinas$18.62$30.69$28.16$45.0820014% below
Bakersfield$18.81$30.54$30.27$41.2986014% below
Merced$22.08$30.27$30.79$43.2112015% below
Yuba City$22.05$29.85$28.65$39.0910016% below
Hanford$17.13$29.30$28.84$43.7511018% below
Chico$22.02$26.81$26.49$41.9310025% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Diesel mechanic wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$35.55California$29.70United States
Median hourly wage for diesel mechanics, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$17.16$33.16$14.7718,940
2000$18.06$33.76$15.5521,700
2001$18.99$34.52$16.1422,930
2002$19.06$34.11$16.5324,700
2003$19.54$34.19$16.8126,160
2004$20.44$34.84$17.2024,750
2005$20.23$33.35$17.6125,280
2006$20.46$32.67$18.1126,080
2007$21.16$32.86$18.5825,270
2008$21.78$32.57$18.9422,140
2009$22.07$33.12$19.3519,220
2010$22.67$33.47$19.6416,990
2011$22.73$32.53$20.0217,490
2012$23.50$32.95$20.3518,620
2013$23.44$32.39$20.5419,820
2014$24.23$32.95$20.9820,910
2015$24.82$33.71$21.4020,490
2016$25.02$33.56$21.7220,590
2017$25.81$33.90$22.2920,220
2018$26.36$33.80$22.7621,320
2019$27.16$34.20$23.3222,330
2020$28.36$35.28$24.1321,180
2021$29.11$34.59$23.4119,340
2022$30.24$33.27$26.1420,330
2023$33.16$35.04$28.3526,370
2024$33.97$34.86$29.1521,730
2025$35.55$35.55$29.7020,940

In today's dollars, the median diesel mechanic wage in California changed by +5.4% over the last ten years of data and by +3.9% since 2019.

Are there more diesel mechanic jobs in California?

-6.2%Jobs since 201922,330 then, 20,940 in 2025
+2.2%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
1.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.6× the US share, 47th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of diesel mechanics counted in California has changed by +10.6%, against +6.1% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -6.2%.

Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages6080100120140160200020052010201520202025111California106United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, California vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearCalifornia jobsCalifornia indexUS index
199918,940100100
200021,70011595
200122,93012193
200224,70013093
200326,16013891
200424,75013192
200525,28013491
200626,08013893
200725,27013392
200822,14011791
200919,22010285
201016,9909082
201117,4909282
201218,6209884
201319,82010587
201420,91011089
201520,49010892
201620,59010993
201720,22010795
201821,32011397
201922,33011897
202021,18011293
202119,34010296
202220,33010799
202326,370139104
202421,730115105
202520,940111106

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for diesel mechanics in California

+5.1%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
2,040Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
23,500Jobs in 202424,700 projected for 2034
+3.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of diesel mechanics in the state to change by +5.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 23,500 to 24,700, with about 2,040 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +3.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 20,940 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Is construction work growing in California?

895.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025896kSep 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Diesel mechanic pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do diesel mechanics make in California?

The median diesel mechanic in California earned $35.55 an hour ($73,950 a year) in May 2025, 20% above the national median of $29.70. The middle half earn $28.90–$40.74; the top 10% earn more than $46.50.

Where does California rank for diesel mechanic pay?

California ranks 5th of 51 states for diesel mechanic pay, with a median of $35.55 an hour, and 12th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union diesel mechanic rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a diesel mechanic classification for most California counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many diesel mechanics work in California?

BLS counted 20,940 diesel mechanics in California in May 2025, 1.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.62; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is diesel mechanic work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of diesel mechanics in California went from 20,490 in 2015 to 20,940 in 2025, +2.2%, and -6.2% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +5.1% growth for diesel mechanics between 2024 and 2034, from 23,500 to 24,700 jobs.

How many diesel mechanic openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 2,040 openings a year for diesel mechanics over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 24,400 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 49-3031. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.