Mechanical Engineer Salary: Los Angeles, CA vs San Francisco, CA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Mechanical Engineers in Los Angeles, CA and San Francisco, CA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, CA | San Francisco, CA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $123,900 | $161,370▲ | -$37,470 |
| 25th Percentile | $96,010 | $128,330▲ | -$32,320 |
| 75th Percentile | $146,850 | $183,990▲ | -$37,140 |
| 90th Percentile | $173,340 | $212,380▲ | -$39,040 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 113.6 | 115.6 | -2.0 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $109,100 | $139,578▲ | -$30,478 |
| Total Employment | 8,780 | 5,150 | +3,630 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, San Francisco, CA pays $37,470 more (median: $123,900 vs $161,370). BEA's regional price parity is 113.6 in Los Angeles, CA and 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $109,100 and $139,578, so San Francisco, CA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $37,470 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $109,100 for Los Angeles and $139,578 for San Francisco, a difference of $30,478.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 8,780 Mechanical Engineer jobs in the Los Angeles area and 5,150 in the San Francisco area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full Mechanical Engineer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mechanical Engineer salary higher in Los Angeles, CA or San Francisco, CA?
San Francisco, CA has the higher median wage for Mechanical Engineers ($161,370 per year, against $123,900 in Los Angeles, CA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $109,100 in Los Angeles, CA and $139,578 in San Francisco, CA.
How do prices compare between Los Angeles, CA and San Francisco, CA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 113.6 for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan area and 115.6 for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 13.6% above the national level for Los Angeles, CA and 15.6% above the national level for San Francisco, CA.
Which city pays Mechanical Engineers more once local prices are counted?
San Francisco, CA: at national-average prices its median Mechanical Engineer wage is $139,578, against $109,100 for Los Angeles, CA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.