Skilled Wages

Machinist salary in California

Median $27.49 an hour for 18,950 machinists, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$27.49/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$57,190/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.00 – $42.4410th to 90th percentilehourly range
18,950Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Machinist pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrCalifornia: 10th $18.00 · 25th $22.29 · median $27.49 · 75th $35.68 · 90th $42.44California$27.49$18.00$42.44United States: 10th $18.85 · 25th $22.87 · median $28.24 · 75th $32.55 · 90th $38.47United States$28.24
Hourly wage percentiles for machinists: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 37th of 51 states for median machinist pay, and 51st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $24.83). 18,950 machinists work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$18.00 – $22.29$37,440 – $46,360roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.29 – $35.68$46,360 – $74,210the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$35.68 – $42.44$74,210 – $88,280the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Machinist pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSan Francisco: $32.57San Francisco$32.57San Jose: $30.55San Jose$30.55San Diego: $29.53San Diego$29.53Vallejo: $28.77Vallejo$28.77Santa Maria: $28.21Santa Maria$28.21Sacramento: $27.84Sacramento$27.84Yuba City: $27.32Yuba City$27.32Oxnard: $27.18Oxnard$27.18Salinas: $27.16Salinas$27.16Santa Rosa: $27.02Santa Rosa$27.02Modesto: $26.90Modesto$26.90Los Angeles: $26.76Los Angeles$26.76
Median hourly wage for machinists by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
San Francisco$22.04$32.57$60.571,61018% above
San Jose$21.32$30.55$46.991,37011% above
San Diego$19.38$29.53$41.812,1807% above
Vallejo$22.54$28.77$44.991505% above
Santa Maria$19.54$28.21$43.221303% above
Sacramento$18.45$27.84$44.916001% above
Yuba City$17.55$27.32$51.38301% below
Oxnard$18.90$27.18$37.705401% below
Salinas$18.55$27.16$46.71901% below
Santa Rosa$18.90$27.02$38.652302% below
Modesto$19.23$26.90$36.251402% below
Los Angeles$17.78$26.76$38.617,8503% below
Redding$18.65$26.57$64.78603% below
Fresno$17.83$26.24$38.753005% below
San Luis Obispo$18.03$25.73$36.721206% below
Santa Cruz$18.58$24.72$44.307010% below
Stockton$17.33$24.48$36.8522011% below
Bakersfield$17.09$24.36$44.4025011% below
Visalia$17.14$23.92$34.3813013% below
Riverside$17.30$23.77$37.271,81014% below
Merced$18.51$22.66$33.244018% below
Chico$17.92$22.39$56.004019% below

Machinist wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30200020052010201520202025$28.24United States$27.49California
Median hourly wage for machinists, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.45$27.92$14.3046,590
2000$14.40$26.92$14.7851,340
2001$15.25$27.72$15.4343,400
2002$15.62$27.95$15.6639,610
2003$16.01$28.01$15.9137,650
2004$16.70$28.46$16.3334,790
2005$17.69$29.16$16.5130,970
2006$17.68$28.23$16.7131,460
2007$17.62$27.36$16.9432,450
2008$17.32$25.90$17.4135,020
2009$18.09$27.15$18.1033,020
2010$18.51$27.33$18.5230,080
2011$19.06$27.28$18.8629,900
2012$19.01$26.66$18.9932,040
2013$18.72$25.87$19.0334,000
2014$18.77$25.53$19.2234,490
2015$19.15$26.01$19.4933,810
2016$20.32$27.26$20.0534,860
2017$20.86$27.40$20.4834,890
2018$21.67$27.78$20.9736,530
2019$21.86$27.53$21.3636,120
2020$22.40$27.86$22.0434,730
2021$23.09$27.43$22.9529,810
2022$24.56$27.02$23.3229,710
2023$28.24$29.84$24.4420,500
2024$27.03$27.74$27.0021,580
2025$27.49$27.49$28.2418,950

In today's dollars, the median machinist wage in California changed by +5.7% over the last ten years of data.

Is construction work growing in California?

898.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-08
-1.4%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025899kAug 2026
Construction employment in California (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Keep comparing

Machinist pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

Questions this page answers

How much do machinists make in California?

The median machinist in California earned $27.49 an hour ($57,190 a year) in May 2025, 3% below the national median of $28.24. The middle half earn $22.29–$35.68; the top 10% earn more than $42.44.

Where does California rank for machinist pay?

California ranks 37th of 51 states for machinist pay, with a median of $27.49 an hour, and 51st after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union machinist rate in California?

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

How many machinists work in California?

BLS counted 18,950 machinists in California in May 2025, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.56; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 51-4041.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.