Industrial Technology Degree Programs in Salinas, CA (2026)

Quick answer: Industrial Production Managers in the Salinas area earn a median $129,360 per year, above the national median of $126,060, and the metro employs about 160 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Industrial Technology Pay in Salinas, CA

MetricSalinas metroCaliforniaNational
Median annual wage$129,360$132,620$126,060
10th percentile$80,100$80,950$78,000
25th percentile$102,150$102,490$98,160
75th percentile$164,190$173,660$161,880
90th percentile$207,230$222,020$205,520
Employment16025,130246,250
Location quotient0.56-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Salinas, CA metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Salinas median of $129,360 is above the national median of $126,060, and below the California statewide median of $132,620 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 0.56 means industrial production managers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

Production management demand follows the region’s manufacturing base directly, so it is concentrated in industrial states rather than spread with population.

Other California Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Los Angeles$128,5409,120
San Francisco$164,4202,990
San Diego$132,1502,230
San Jose$171,1402,210
Riverside$121,0902,120
Sacramento$132,970910
Oxnard$126,250570
Fresno$118,590550

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Production management is not a licensed occupation. What employers screen on is demonstrated plant experience plus, increasingly, Lean and Six Sigma certification from private bodies. Safety regulation through OSHA governs the facility rather than the manager as an individual.

See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 46.8 miles away BOC Score 86.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 66.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 14
  • Annual completions: 719
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $89,614 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

De Anza College

Cupertino, CA 49.1 miles away BOC Score 80.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 67.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 48
  • Annual completions: 1006
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $60,322 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA 48.8 miles away BOC Score 77.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 88.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 12
  • Annual completions: 378
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $108,517 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Foothill College

Los Altos Hills, CA 54.0 miles away BOC Score 61.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 58.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 42
  • Annual completions: 1240
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $68,070 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Hartnell College

Salinas, CA 2.3 miles away BOC Score 59.4
Tuition $1,404 - $11,892
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 34.8%
  • Programs offered: 34
  • Annual completions: 512
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,928 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

CET-San Jose

San Jose, CA 46.1 miles away BOC Score 57.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 79.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 19
  • Annual completions: 331
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $40,676 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Gavilan College

Gilroy, CA 19.9 miles away BOC Score 56.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 43.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 33
  • Annual completions: 551
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $56,285 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Mission College

Santa Clara, CA 52.4 miles away BOC Score 52.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 46.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 28
  • Annual completions: 829
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $55,281 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Cabrillo College

Aptos, CA 26.4 miles away BOC Score 51.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 38.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 58
  • Annual completions: 868
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,586 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

San Jose City College

San Jose, CA 46.3 miles away BOC Score 47.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 33.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 31
  • Annual completions: 754
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,895 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do industrial production managers make in Salinas?

The median annual wage for industrial production managers in the Salinas, CA metro area is $129,360, above the national median of $126,060 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many industrial production managers work in the Salinas area?

The Salinas, CA metro area employs about 160 industrial production managers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do industrial production managers in Salinas need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Production management is not a licensed occupation. What employers screen on is demonstrated plant experience plus, increasingly, Lean and Six Sigma certification from private bodies. Safety regulation through OSHA governs the facility rather than the manager as an individual. Confirm current requirements with the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting.

Can I study industrial technology online from Salinas?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies the employers and certifying bodies you are targeting.

Is Salinas a better market than the rest of California?

The Salinas metro median is $129,360 against a statewide median of $132,620 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Industrial Production Managers (SOC 11-3051), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.