SPOOLMARGIN / ELECTRICITY BY STATE
3D printer electricity cost in California
As of 2024, the average residential electricity price in California is 31.97¢/kWh (U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA-861)), 96% above the 2024 U.S. average of 16.32¢/kWh. A common 120 W desktop FDM printer running for 6 hours costs about $0.23 in electricity at that rate.
- State
- California
- Residential electricity price
- 31.97¢/kWh (2024)
- 6-hour, 120 W print
- $0.23
- 1-hour, 120 W print
- $0.04
- 24-hour print farm run, 6 x 150 W printers
- $6.91
How this is calculated
Electricity cost = average watts ÷ 1,000 × print hours × price per kWh. At 31.97¢/kWh, a 120 W printer draws 0.12 kWh per hour, so a 6-hour print consumes 0.72 kWh. This uses California's residential average; your utility's actual rate, time-of-use pricing, and any demand charges can differ.
Page reviewed 2026-10-05. Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA-861), 2024 annual average residential price (data year 2024).
Open the calculator with California's rate →