Manufacturing Engineers in California
Considering working as a Manufacturing Engineers in California? Below are the key facts. Design, develop, test, and evaluate integrated systems for managing industrial production processes, including human work factors, quality control, inventory control, logistics and material flow, cost analysis, and production coordination. Excludes “Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors” (17-2111).
What do Manufacturing Engineers Make in California?
For manufacturing engineers working in California, the typical annual salary is $123,070 per year (or about $59.17/hour).Earnings range from $78,540 at the 10th percentile to $177,300 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $78,540 | $37.76 |
| 25th percentile | $97,460 | $46.85 |
| Median (50th) | $123,070 | $59.17 |
| 75th percentile | $151,750 | $72.96 |
| 90th percentile | $177,300 | $85.24 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California compared to the national average — is 0.63, meaning fewer manufacturing engineers per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, manufacturing engineers earn a median of $91,427 per year ($43.96/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 46,633 manufacturing engineers in the U.S.. In California alone, approximately 25,830 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 4,950 manufacturing engineers.
Top California Metros for Manufacturing Engineers
The metro areas below employ the most manufacturing engineers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 8,900 | $108,300 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 4,630 | $133,790 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3,850 | $136,290 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,110 | $114,400 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,300 | $103,330 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 640 | $109,860 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 370 | $100,100 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 300 | $112,600 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 280 | $124,990 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 250 | $101,380 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 230 | $117,690 |
| Vallejo, CA | 230 | $140,500 |
| Fresno, CA | 200 | $97,290 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 150 | $111,970 |
| Modesto, CA | 140 | $104,170 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 80 | $97,530 |
| Visalia, CA | 60 | $99,400 |
| Salinas, CA | 50 | $91,160 |
| Merced, CA | 30 | $85,310 |
| Redding, CA | 30 | $103,800 |
Top States for Manufacturing Engineers Employment
These states have the highest employment of manufacturing engineers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 31,850 |
| Texas | 29,620 |
| California | 25,830 |
| Ohio | 22,310 |
| Minnesota | 18,000 |
| Illinois | 16,590 |
| Florida | 15,310 |
| Wisconsin | 12,660 |
| New York | 12,640 |
| Pennsylvania | 12,550 |
| North Carolina | 11,620 |
| Indiana | 10,990 |
| Massachusetts | 10,650 |
| Alabama | 8,040 |
| Georgia | 7,410 |
| Arizona | 7,320 |
| South Carolina | 7,270 |
| Tennessee | 7,200 |
| Washington | 6,800 |
| New Jersey | 6,280 |
Highest-Paying States for Manufacturing Engineers
These states pay the most for manufacturing engineers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $142,980 |
| Louisiana | $126,960 |
| Oregon | $124,560 |
| California | $123,070 |
| Wyoming | $122,540 |
| Washington | $119,670 |
| New Mexico | $119,390 |
| District of Columbia | $118,960 |
| Delaware | $118,670 |
| Idaho | $112,490 |
Skills
The most important manufacturing engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for manufacturing engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Manufacturing Engineers typically:
- Troubleshoot new or existing product problems involving designs, materials, or processes.
- Investigate or resolve operational problems, such as material use variances or bottlenecks.
- Identify opportunities or implement changes to improve manufacturing processes or products or to reduce costs, using knowledge of fabrication processes, tooling and production equipment, assembly methods, quality control standards, or product design, materials and parts.
- Apply continuous improvement methods, such as lean manufacturing, to enhance manufacturing quality, reliability, or cost-effectiveness.
- Provide technical expertise or support related to manufacturing.
- Incorporate new manufacturing methods or processes to improve existing operations.
- Review product designs for manufacturability or completeness.
- Determine root causes of failures or recommend changes in designs, tolerances, or processing methods, using statistical procedures.
- Prepare reports summarizing information or trends related to manufacturing performance.
- Prepare documentation for new manufacturing processes or engineering procedures.
- Design layout of equipment or workspaces to achieve maximum efficiency.
- Communicate manufacturing capabilities, production schedules, or other information to facilitate production processes.
Work Activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Working with Computers
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Processing Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD, C In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Industrial Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Engineering-Related Fields
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to manufacturing engineers include:
- Industrial Production Managers
- Logistics Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Industrial Engineers
Also Known As
Advance Manufacturing Engineer, Automation Engineer, Design Engineer, Engineer, Facility Engineer, Foundry Process Engineer, Lean Manufacturing Engineer, Manufacturing Applications Engineer, Manufacturing Automation Engineer, Manufacturing Controls Engineer, Manufacturing Electrical Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Manufacturing Process Engineer, Manufacturing Project Engineer, Manufacturing Quality Engineer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-2112.03
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