Salary guide, May 2025
Packaging Development Engineer pay in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA was $132,920 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $108,700 and $165,070.
The Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA median is $28,810 above the national median of $104,110, both from BLS May 2025.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
What should you know about santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $94,180 | $108,700 | $132,920 | $165,070 | $211,260 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $45.28 | $52.26 | $63.91 | $79.36 | $101.57 |
BLS estimated 190 workers employed in this occupation in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA. Location quotient: 0.99.
What should you know about united States?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $73,990 | $84,130 | $104,110 | $132,590 | $164,340 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.57 | $40.45 | $50.05 | $63.75 | $79.01 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Packaging Development Engineer median is $132,920. The all-occupations median in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $54,730. Ratio: 2.43 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.99 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $105,650 | $129,190 | $160,440 |
| May 2025 | $108,700 | $132,920 | $165,070 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $168,030 | $134,460 to $201,630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $161,370 | $128,330 to $183,990 |
All roles in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA · National page · Packaging Development Engineer ranked across metros