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Facility Mechanical Engineer Salary in Merced, CA

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BLS does not measure Facility Mechanical Engineer as its own occupation, so this page uses Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141, broader occupation). The median annual wage in Merced, CA was $79,600 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $64,060 to $105,880. That is $24,510 below the national median of $104,110.

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Broader occupation

Mechanical Engineers is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.

Merced, CA

Median $79,600P10 $59,990P90 $149,120
Mechanical Engineers, Merced, CA, annual wages
PointAnnual wageMeaning
10th percentile$59,99010% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this.
25th percentile$64,06025% earned less than this.
Median$79,600Half earned less, half earned more.
75th percentile$105,88075% earned less than this.
90th percentile$149,12090% earned less than this.
Mean$92,180Average wage.

United States

Median $104,110P10 $73,990P90 $164,340
Mechanical Engineers, United States, annual wages
PointAnnual wageMeaning
10th percentile$73,99010% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this.
25th percentile$84,13025% earned less than this.
Median$104,110Half earned less, half earned more.
75th percentile$132,59075% earned less than this.
90th percentile$164,34090% earned less than this.
Mean$113,610Average wage.

What BLS wages cover: OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. These are straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Discuss per diem, travel and relocation separately. BLS pay-term definitions.

Employment: 40. Location quotient: 0.29.

Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, Merced, CA. Download metropolitan data (ZIP).

Pay relative to all occupations

Median for this occupation divided by the all-occupations median, same area, same annual basis
MeasureValue
This occupation, median$79,600
All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median$47,220
Relative wage1.69 times

A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.

Change since the prior BLS release

Median annual wage, same SOC and same BLS area code, two releases
Reference periodMedian
May 2024$88,250
May 2025$79,600
Difference-$8,650 (-9.8%)

Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.

What is inside the BLS pay figure

For an operations offer, separate standby availability payments from wages for hours actually worked. BLS excludes on-call waiting pay and shift differentials. Ordinary straight-time wages for work performed are not excluded by the on-call rule.

Pay components for Critical Facilities Operations roles against the BLS wage definition
ComponentIn the BLS figure?Note
Base rate and guaranteed payIncludedBLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay".
Production and incentive payIncludedBLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses".
On-call waiting or availability pay matters hereLeft outBLS excludes payment for time spent awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. BLS on-call pay definition.
Overtime payLeft outBLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only.
Shift differentials matters hereLeft outBLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure.
Project-completion and discretionary bonusesDepends on the termsGuaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined.
Per diem, travel and relocationLeft outBLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure.
Benefits and employer costsLeft outBLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits".

Nearby and other areas

Hiring Market Brief

A one-page brief for Facility Mechanical Engineer in Merced, CA: BLS pay, mapping and caveats.

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