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Where we recruitManufacturing recruiting for California manufacturers.
We recruit CNC, quality, maintenance, engineering and plant leadership talent for California manufacturers from our base in Missoula, Montana, on published fees.
4 searches open right now.
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Operations/
Plant/ Production Control Manager - View opening →
CNC Programmer
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CNC Programmer
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Paper Sales Executive
What manufacturing roles pay in California.
California employs 18,950 machinists, 26,830 industrial machinery mechanics, 26,060 welders, cutters, solderers and brazers and 61,130 quality inspectors and testers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). Median pay for 18 manufacturing wage groups, California against the United States. We present every candidate with an accurate, uninflated pay number, and this is where that number starts.
| Role (federal wage group) | People in the job | California median | U.S. median | California middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant Manager Industrial Production Managers | 25,130 | $133,000 | $126,000 | $103,000 to $174,000 |
| Electrical Engineer Electrical Engineers | 24,230 | $144,000 | $121,000 | $106,000 to $186,000 |
| Manufacturing Engineer Industrial Engineers | 32,680 | $125,000 | $102,000 | $98,000 to $154,000 |
| Mechanical Engineer Mechanical Engineers | 30,530 | $131,000 | $104,000 | $102,000 to $167,000 |
| Process Technician Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 5,710 | $38.02 | $31.79 | $29.95 to $46.38 |
| Manufacturing Sales Representative Sales Representatives, Technical and Scientific Products | 27,590 | $124,000 | $105,000 | $80,000 to $164,000 |
| Industrial Maintenance Technician Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 26,830 | $35.77 | $31.02 | $28.54 to $43.51 |
| General Maintenance Technician Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 143,060 | $27.41 | $23.84 | $22.28 to $34.24 |
| Production Supervisor First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 48,550 | $36.94 | $35.79 | $28.56 to $47.55 |
| Assembler Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 98,390 | $22.94 | $21.47 | $19.31 to $28.88 |
| Extrusion Technician Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders | 3,870 | $22.06 | $22.94 | $19.19 to $24.11 |
| Machinist Machinists | 18,950 | $27.49 | $28.24 | $22.29 to $35.68 |
| Injection Molding Technician Molding, Coremaking and Casting Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders | 9,250 | $22.71 | $21.32 | $19.80 to $24.96 |
| Tool and Die Maker Tool and Die Makers | 1,790 | $37.04 | $30.79 | $26.27 to $44.47 |
| Welder Welders, Cutters, Solderers and Brazers | 26,060 | $27.91 | $25.84 | $23.31 to $33.85 |
| Quality Inspector Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers and Weighers | 61,130 | $26.11 | $23.35 | $21.94 to $32.97 |
| CNC Operator CNC Tool Operators | 21,680 | $27.17 | $24.37 | $22.66 to $30.70 |
| CNC Programmer CNC Tool Programmers | 2,990 | $39.47 | $32.75 | $31.94 to $49.51 |
Hourly for trade and technician roles, yearly for engineers, managers and sales. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Hiring in California
Does Compass recruit in California?
Yes. We recruit for California manufacturers from our base in Missoula, Montana. Right now that includes 4 open searches in San Leandro, Corona, Sylmar and San Francisco.
What does a manufacturing recruiter cost in California?
The same everywhere: we publish our fees. Contingency searches are 25%, 30% or 33% depending on the guarantee you choose (60, 120 or 180 days), with no upfront search fee. See pricing.
What do machinists earn in California?
A median of $27.49 an hour in May 2025, against $28.24 nationally, with the middle half between $22.29 and $35.68. Of the 18 manufacturing wage groups on this page, 16 pay above the national median in California.
How many manufacturing workers are in California?
California employs 18,950 machinists, 26,830 industrial machinery mechanics, 26,060 welders, cutters, solderers and brazers and 61,130 quality inspectors and testers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The table on this page has every role we track.
Hiring in California?
Tell us what you need. We will tell you how we would attack it.