Auto mechanic salary in San Francisco, CA
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in the San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA area earn a median of $76,030 a year, or $36.55 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $108,070. Across all of California, the median is $64,980, so San Francisco pays 17% more than the state as a whole.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $21.74/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 7,270
- After cost of living
- $65,760
- Median hourly pay
- $36.55/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +50%
- vs California median
- +17%
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $45,210–$54,950$21.74–$26.42/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $76,030$36.55/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $91,340–$108,070$43.91–$51.96/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How San Francisco, CA compares
- San Francisco ranks 3rd of 25 California metro areas for auto mechanic pay.
- Auto mechanics are less concentrated in the San Francisco area than nationally: 3.1 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.68 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $108,070, is 2.4 times the 10th-percentile wage, $45,210: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other California metro areas
Other trades in San Francisco, CA
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in San Francisco, CA?
- Auto mechanics in the San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA area earn a median of $76,030 a year, or $36.55 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $108,070.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in San Francisco, CA?
- The median hourly wage is $36.55. The middle half earn between $26.42 and $43.91 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in San Francisco, CA?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $21.74 an hour ($45,210 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $26.42.
- Do auto mechanics make more in San Francisco or San Jose?
- San Jose pays more: the median is $76,030 in San Francisco and $77,840 in San Jose, a 2% difference.
- How does San Francisco pay compare with the rest of California?
- The San Francisco median of $76,030 is 17% more than the California median of $64,980.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-3023 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics), area code 41860 (San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed auto mechanics and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (115.6, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures