Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic Salary in San Francisco, CA
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $76,030 a year — 50% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $58,458 take-home, or $4,872 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median automotive service technician and mechanic salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,897
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,714
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,102
- California income tax$2,870
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$988
- Take-home pay$58,458
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic pay by experience in San Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,210 | $21.74 | $37,121 | $3,093 |
| 25th percentile | $54,950 | $26.42 | $44,271 | $3,689 |
| Median (50th) | $76,030 | $36.55 | $58,458 | $4,872 |
| 75th percentile | $91,340 | $43.91 | $67,635 | $5,636 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $108,070 | $51.96 | $77,631 | $6,469 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $76,030 buys in San Francisco, CA
Prices in San Francisco, CA are 15.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.95× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median automotive service technician and mechanic's $58,458 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,564 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic jobs are less concentrated in San Francisco, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.68), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for automotive service technicians and mechanics, adjusted for cost of living
San Francisco, CA ranks #5 of 51 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $77,840 | $59,563 | $53,941 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $72,020 | $56,010 | $52,508 |
| 3 | Milwaukee, WI | $62,530 | $50,453 | $52,047 |
| 4 | Nashville, TN | $58,700 | $49,345 | $51,221 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $76,030 | $58,458 | $50,564 |
| 6 | Richmond, VA | $61,510 | $48,881 | $49,950 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO | $58,190 | $47,138 | $49,573 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $56,150 | $46,535 | $48,743 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 51 metros →
About the job: automotive service technicians and mechanics
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +5.0% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $77,840
- Sacramento, CA — $72,020
- Riverside, CA — $64,210
- San Diego, CA — $64,320
- Los Angeles, CA — $62,820
Frequently asked questions
How much does a automotive service technician and mechanic make in San Francisco, CA?
The median automotive service technician and mechanic salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $76,030 a year, or about $36.55 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $54,950 and $91,340.
What is a automotive service technician and mechanic’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $76,030 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $58,458 a year ($4,872 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,859 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a automotive service technician and mechanic?
Pay here is 50% above the national median of $50,620. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,564 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #5 of 51 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a automotive service technician and mechanic afford rent in San Francisco, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco, CA is $2,620 a month ($3,187 for two bedrooms) — 54% of a median automotive service technician and mechanic’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Francisco, CA
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — $102,360
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines — $95,410
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic — $90,580
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers — $78,490
- Automotive Body and Related Repairer — $76,740
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $63,630
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other — $58,140