Quick answer: The Vallejo metro employs about 130 mechanical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through your state engineering licensing board.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Mechanical engineering follows the same Professional Engineer path the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in mechanical engineering. What differs from civil is how often the license is actually needed. Many mechanical engineers work in manufacturing and product design under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never license, while those who seal building systems drawings or hold responsible charge do. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
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.
This page lists 10 schools within 107 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 10 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Mechanical Engineers in the Vallejo area earn a median $106,800 per year, above the national median of $104,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Vallejo metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $106,800 | $130,900 | $104,110 |
| 10th percentile | $77,860 | $82,070 | $73,990 |
| 25th percentile | $86,090 | $102,360 | $84,130 |
| 75th percentile | $132,930 | $166,580 | $132,590 |
| 90th percentile | $160,680 | $203,620 | $164,340 |
| Employment | 130 | 30,530 | 296,810 |
| Location quotient | 0.48 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Vallejo, CA metropolitan statistical area.
The Vallejo median of $106,800 is above the national median of $104,110, and below the California statewide median of $130,900 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.48 means mechanical engineers 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.
Mechanical engineering demand follows the region’s mix of manufacturing plants, building systems design and energy work, so the local picture can differ sharply from the national one.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $123,900 | 8,780 |
| San Jose | $168,030 | 5,540 |
| San Francisco | $161,370 | 5,150 |
| San Diego | $121,750 | 3,370 |
| Sacramento | $120,970 | 1,480 |
| Riverside | $104,910 | 1,420 |
| Oxnard | $117,380 | 950 |
| Bakersfield | $119,790 | 560 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
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.
The median annual wage for mechanical engineers in the Vallejo, CA metro area is $106,800, above the national median of $104,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Vallejo, CA metro area employs about 130 mechanical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Mechanical engineering follows the same Professional Engineer path the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in mechanical engineering. What differs from civil is how often the license is actually needed. Many mechanical engineers work in manufacturing and product design under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never license, while those who seal building systems drawings or hold responsible charge do. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states. Confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
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 your state engineering licensing board.
The Vallejo metro median is $106,800 against a statewide median of $130,900 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
