Elevator mechanics in California: licensing, jobs, pay and local data
2,830 people work as elevator mechanics in California, and the median pay is $137,340 a year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
The Census Bureau counts 817 building equipment contractor businesses with employees in California (2023 County Business Patterns).
That is 0.6 businesses per 10,000 homes, against 0.6 nationally.
California ranks 4 of 37 states for median pay in this trade.
It ranks 30 of 51 for businesses per 10,000 homes.
Figures last updated on .
- Jobs
- 2,830
- Median pay, a year
- $137,340
- Businesses with employees
- 817
Elevator mechanics in California: businesses and jobs
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses with employees | 817 | 8,107 |
| Their employees | 12,602 | 150,522 |
| Annual payroll | $1,323,242,000 | $13,641,385,000 |
| Payroll per employee | $105,003 | $90,627 |
| Businesses per 10,000 homes | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Jobs | 2,830 | 23,340 |
| Jobs per 1,000 jobs | 0.16 | — |
| Location quotient (1.00 = the national share) | 1.04 | 1.00 |
A location quotient above 1 means the trade’s share of all jobs is larger here than nationally.
What elevator mechanics earn in California
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay, a year | $137,340 | $106,580 |
| Median pay, an hour | $66.03 | $51.24 |
| 10th percentile | $70,720 | $54,720 |
| 25th percentile | $82,600 | $76,700 |
| 75th percentile | $153,540 | $131,740 |
| 90th percentile | $167,470 | $149,250 |
| Average pay, a year | $124,540 | $104,860 |
Elevator mechanics by county in California
| County | Businesses with employees | Their employees | Businesses per 10,000 homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 205 | 3,278 | 0.6 |
| Orange County | 101 | 1,899 | 0.9 |
| San Diego County | 64 | 715 | 0.5 |
| Riverside County | 61 | 652 | 0.7 |
| San Bernardino County | 52 | 589 | 0.7 |
| Alameda County | 50 | 1,757 | 0.8 |
| Santa Clara County | 30 | 339 | 0.4 |
| Contra Costa County | 27 | 205 | 0.6 |
| Sacramento County | 27 | 601 | 0.5 |
| San Mateo County | 25 | 371 | 0.9 |
| Fresno County | 17 | 144 | 0.5 |
| Ventura County | 15 | 149 | 0.5 |
| Stanislaus County | 12 | 290 | 0.6 |
| San Francisco County | 11 | 446 | 0.3 |
| San Joaquin County | 11 | 59 | 0.4 |
| Solano County | 10 | 195 | 0.6 |
| Yolo County | 9 | 147 | 1.1 |
| Merced County | 8 | 85 | 0.9 |
| Sonoma County | 8 | 42 | 0.4 |
| Santa Barbara County | 8 | 147 | 0.5 |
| Kern County | 7 | 85 | 0.2 |
| Madera County | 6 | 29 | 1.2 |
| Monterey County | 6 | 13 | 0.4 |
| Placer County | 5 | 36 | 0.3 |
| Tulare County | 5 | 86 | 0.3 |
| Shasta County | 4 | 19 | 0.5 |
| Calaveras County | 4 | 7 | 1.4 |
| Marin County | 4 | 37 | 0.4 |
| El Dorado County | 3 | 42 | 0.3 |
| Kings County | 3 | 4 | 0.6 |
| San Luis Obispo County | 3 | 45 | 0.2 |
The homes behind the work in California
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in buildings of 20 or more units | 13.6% (±0.1 points) | 10.3% |
| Homes in buildings of 10 to 19 units | 4.9% (±0.1 points) | 4.3% |
| Households that rent | 44.1% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Housing units | 14,644,735 (±1,665) | 143,775,355 |
Licenses for elevator mechanics in California
California sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license California requires and the agency that issues it.
Before work starts, the local building department says which permits the job needs and which license the person pulling them must hold.
Federal rules and model codes for elevator mechanics
These federal rules apply to this work in every state, and the model codes below are adopted state by state; each is linked to its official text.
- OSHA electrical safety in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart K)
- OSHA fall protection in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M)
- Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators (ASME A17.1)
Business counts are establishments: a company with offices in two counties is counted in each.
Jobs and pay are for the occupation in every industry, so they include people employed by builders, property managers and governments as well as by contractors.
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Questions about California
How much do elevator mechanics make in California?
The median pay for elevator mechanics in California is $137,340 a year, against $106,580 nationally (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024).
How many elevator mechanics work in California?
2,830 people work as elevator mechanics in California, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2024 count of jobs.
How many building equipment contractor businesses are in California?
The Census Bureau counts 817 building equipment contractor businesses with employees in California (2023 County Business Patterns).
Do elevator mechanics need a license in California?
California sets its own licenses for this trade, and many cities and counties add their own; the US Department of Labor’s License Finder lists each license California requires and the agency that issues it.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
- US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023
- License Finder: elevator mechanics in California (US Department of Labor, CareerOneStop)
- OSHA electrical safety in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart K)
- OSHA fall protection in construction (29 CFR part 1926, subpart M)
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them. Rules are summarized from their official text, which governs; this page is not legal advice, and a state or city may add requirements of its own.
Figures last updated on .