Auto mechanic pay in San Jose, CA
Auto mechanics in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a typical $77,840 a year. The middle half earn $55,550 to $91,630, and the top 10% earn more than $101,760. About 3,040 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, SOC 49-3023).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $47,090 |
| 25th percentile | $55,550 |
| Median (typical) | $77,840 |
| 75th percentile | $91,630 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $101,760 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 1 of 50 large metros for auto mechanics before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $77,840, a single filer keeps about $60,600 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and California state income tax. Prices in San Jose are 10% above the US average, so that take-home buys what $54,900 would in a typical US city. That ranks San Jose No. 1 of 50 large metros for auto mechanics after cost of living.
Where auto mechanics’ pay goes furthest
- Sacramento, CA$72,020 typical · worth $53.4k
- Milwaukee, WI$62,530 typical · worth $52.1k
- San Francisco, CA$76,030 typical · worth $51.4k
- Nashville, TN$58,700 typical · worth $51.2k
All 50 metros for auto mechanics →
Where does your salary land?
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Common questions
How much does a auto mechanic make in San Jose, CA?
The typical (median) auto mechanic in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earns $77,840 a year. The middle half earn between $55,550 and $91,630, and the top 10% earn more than $101,760. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a auto mechanic in San Jose?
Anything above $77,840 pays more than half of auto mechanics in San Jose. $91,630 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $101,760 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a auto mechanic in San Jose take home after taxes?
At the typical $77,840, a single filer keeps about $60,600 a year ($5,050 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, California state income tax. With local prices 10% above the US average, that buys what $54,900 would in a typical US city.
Where do auto mechanics get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical auto mechanic pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in Sacramento, CA, Milwaukee, WI, San Francisco, CA. San Jose, CA ranks No. 1.
More: Auto mechanic pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in San Jose, CA
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.