Machinist Salary in San Francisco, CA
Machinists in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $67,750 a year — 15% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $53,404 take-home, or $4,450 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median machinist salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$6,075
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,201
- Medicare (1.45%)$982
- California income tax$2,208
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$881
- Take-home pay$53,404
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.00% state
Machinist pay by experience in San Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $45,850 | $22.04 | $37,601 | $3,133 |
| 25th percentile | $56,990 | $27.40 | $45,762 | $3,813 |
| Median (50th) | $67,750 | $32.57 | $53,404 | $4,450 |
| 75th percentile | $91,080 | $43.79 | $67,480 | $5,623 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $125,980 | $60.57 | $88,249 | $7,354 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $67,750 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 machinist's $53,404 take-home pay has the buying power of $46,192 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Machinist jobs are less concentrated in San Francisco, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.37), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for machinists, adjusted for cost of living
San Francisco, CA ranks #81 of 115 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baton Rouge, LA | $67,700 | $54,812 | $60,379 |
| 2 | New Orleans, LA | $66,990 | $54,334 | $58,678 |
| 3 | St. Cloud, MN | $62,230 | $49,474 | $56,456 |
| 4 | Kingsport, TN | $57,890 | $48,695 | $56,329 |
| 5 | Davenport, IA | $61,710 | $50,071 | $56,209 |
| 6 | Lafayette, LA | $59,830 | $48,845 | $56,009 |
| 7 | Toledo, OH | $62,190 | $51,222 | $56,008 |
| 8 | Beaumont, TX | $59,800 | $50,229 | $55,782 |
| 81 | San Francisco, CA | $67,750 | $53,404 | $46,192 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 115 metros →
Machinist salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $63,540
- San Diego, CA — $61,420
- Sacramento, CA — $57,900
- Oxnard, CA — $56,530
- Los Angeles, CA — $55,660
- Riverside, CA — $49,440
Frequently asked questions
How much does a machinist make in San Francisco, CA?
The median machinist salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $67,750 a year, or about $32.57 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $56,990 and $91,080.
What is a machinist’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $67,750 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $53,404 a year ($4,450 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,089 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a machinist?
Pay here is 15% above the national median of $58,750. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $46,192 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #81 of 115 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a machinist 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) — 59% of a median machinist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Francisco, CA
- Stationary Engineer and Boiler Operator — $129,930
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator — $125,160
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers — $117,660
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $91,500
- Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender — $71,210
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers — $64,320
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $62,340
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $62,320
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — $60,720
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $60,250
- Cabinetmaker and Bench Carpenter — $59,870
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator — $59,600