How Much Does an MLT Make in Salinas, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for MLTs in Salinas, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · Salinas metro area
A typical MLT in Salinas, California earns $30.18 per hour, or $62,770 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $5,231 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $47,490, and the top 10% of earners make over $125,280.
That pay is 17% below the California figure of $76,010 and right at the national figure of $62,930. Salinas ranks 15th of 22 metro areas in California for MLT pay. About 110 MLTs work in the Salinas area.
MLT pay in Salinas at a glance
- Typical pay is $30.18 an hour, or $62,770 a year.
- That is 17% below the California figure, ranking 15th of 22 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $47,490; the top 10% make over $125,280.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does an MLT make in Salinas?
Pay in Salinas runs from entry-level positions at around $22.83 an hour to more than $60.23 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
MLT pay by career stage in Salinas
| Career stage | Salinas | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $47,490$22.83 an hour | $47,580$22.88 an hour | $38,910$18.71 an hour |
| First years | $51,400$24.71 an hour | $56,700$27.26 an hour | $47,650$22.91 an hour |
| Typical MLT | $62,770$30.18 an hour | $76,010$36.54 an hour | $62,930$30.26 an hour |
| Experienced | $79,210$38.08 an hour | $89,480$43.02 an hour | $81,450$39.16 an hour |
| Top 10% | $125,280$60.23 an hour | $126,870$60.99 an hour | $100,990$48.55 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Salinas area as BLS defines it
MLT pay growth in Salinas
Typical (median) annual wage for MLTs in the Salinas area · BLS OES May estimates, 2017 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2017, typical MLT pay in Salinas was $61,900 a year. By 2025 it had reached $62,770.
How Salinas compares with other California cities
Vallejo pays MLTs the most in California at $86,250 a year, $23,480 more than Salinas. The lowest-paying area in the state is Visalia at $51,500.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Salinas | MLTs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vallejo | $86,250 | $41.46 | +37% | 220 |
| 2 | Santa Clara | $84,870 | $40.80 | +35% | 1,870 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa metro incl. Petaluma | $84,200 | $40.48 | +34% | 340 |
| 4 | Oakland metro incl. Fremont · San Francisco | $84,130 | $40.45 | +34% | 5,210 |
| 5 | Folsom metro incl. Roseville · Sacramento | $83,150 | $39.98 | +32% | 2,020 |
| 6 | Watsonville metro incl. Santa Cruz | $83,100 | $39.95 | +32% | 80 |
| 7 | Redding | $81,220 | $39.05 | +29% | 80 |
| 8 | Napa | $80,070 | $38.50 | +28% | 50 |
| 9 | Oxnard metro incl. Ventura · Thousand Oaks | $76,920 | $36.98 | +23% | 270 |
| 10 | Modesto | $76,110 | $36.59 | +21% | 360 |
| 11 | Stockton metro incl. Lodi | $74,840 | $35.98 | +19% | 370 |
| 12 | Long Beach metro incl. Anaheim · Los Angeles | $67,430 | $32.42 | +7% | 10,150 |
| 13 | San Diego metro incl. Chula Vista · Carlsbad | $63,770 | $30.66 | +2% | 2,740 |
| 14 | Bakersfield metro incl. Delano | $63,210 | $30.39 | +1% | 360 |
| 15 | Salinas | $62,770 | $30.18 | this city | 110 |
| 16 | Fresno | $62,160 | $29.88 | -1% | 600 |
| 17 | Paso Robles metro incl. San Luis Obispo | $62,040 | $29.83 | -1% | 70 |
| 18 | Riverside metro incl. Ontario · San Bernardino | $61,910 | $29.77 | -1% | 1,530 |
| 19 | Chico | $59,520 | $28.62 | -5% | 170 |
| 20 | El Centro | $58,240 | $28.00 | -7% | 50 |
| 21 | Santa Barbara metro incl. Santa Maria | $53,640 | $25.79 | -15% | 240 |
| 22 | Visalia | $51,500 | $24.76 | -18% | 90 |
Every metro area in California with MLT wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $76,010
Is Salinas a good place to work as an MLT?
MLT pay in Salinas sits close to the national figure: $62,770 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Salinas area, about 0.6 are MLT positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 2.1. That makes MLTs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an MLT make in Salinas, CA?
- A typical MLT in Salinas earns $62,770 a year, or $30.18 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $47,490 and the top 10% earn over $125,280.
- How much does an MLT make an hour in Salinas?
- Typical hourly pay for MLTs in Salinas is $30.18. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $22.83, and the top 10% earn over $60.23 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for an MLT in Salinas?
- Entry-level MLT positions in Salinas typically offer around $22.83 an hour, or $47,490 a year.
- Is MLT pay in Salinas higher than in the rest of California?
- Salinas pay is 17% below the California figure of $76,010 a year, ranking 15th of 22 metro areas in the state. Vallejo pays the most in California at $86,250.