Salary guide, May 2025
Packaging Engineer pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA was $121,130 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $101,670 and $153,970.
The Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA median is $17,020 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 Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $84,480 | $101,670 | $121,130 | $153,970 | $172,080 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40.62 | $48.88 | $58.23 | $74.02 | $82.73 |
BLS estimated 390 workers employed in this occupation in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA. Location quotient: 1.02.
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 Engineer median is $121,130. The all-occupations median in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA is $51,690. Ratio: 2.34 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 1.02 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 | $99,570 | $122,760 | $157,830 |
| May 2025 | $101,670 | $121,130 | $153,970 |
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 Maria-Santa Barbara, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $117,380 | $99,310 to $138,740 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $102,270 | $80,020 to $128,050 |
All roles in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA · National page · Packaging Engineer ranked across metros