Architecture and Engineering Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 17-3027

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Median pay sits 38% below the mid peer in Architecture and Engineering Occupations (neighbors include Petroleum Engineers, Industrial Engineers, Aerospace Engineers, Mechanical Engineers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians: Petroleum Engineers ($145K) , Industrial Engineers ($102K) , Aerospace Engineers ($135K) , Mechanical Engineers ($104K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 17-3027 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems
  2. 2. Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings
  3. 3. Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel f…
  4. 4. Set up prototype and test apparatus and operate test controlling equipment to observe and record prototype test results
  5. 5. Review project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications, procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical pro…
  6. 6. Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation
  7. 7. Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress
  8. 8. Draft detail drawing or sketch for drafting room completion or to request parts fabrication by machine, sheet or wood shops
  9. 9. Analyze test results in relation to design or rated specifications and test objectives, and modify or adjust equipment to meet specificat…
  10. 10. Record test procedures and results, numerical and graphical data, and recommendations for changes in product or test methods
  11. 11. Prepare specifications, designs, or sketches for machines, components, or systems related to the generation, transmission, or use of mech…
  12. 12. Evaluate tool drawing designs by measuring drawing dimensions and comparing with original specifications for form and function using engi…

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 17-3027 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.8 ; lead knowledge Engineering and Technology. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.8
  2. 2. Active Listening 3.8
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.8
  4. 4. Speaking 3.6
  5. 5. Complex Problem Solving 3.6
  6. 6. Writing 3.5
  7. 7. Operations Monitoring 3.5
  8. 8. Judgment and Decision Making 3.4

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Engineering and Technology 4.2
  2. 2. Mechanical 4.1
  3. 3. Design 4.0
  4. 4. Mathematics 3.7
  5. 5. English Language 3.5
  6. 6. Computers and Electronics 3.4
Pay vs Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers
-38%
vs mid peer median $120,630
This role $74,510/yr
$75K
National median
3,200
Annual openings
36,190
Estimated US jobs
Petroleum Engineers
Highest-pay peer · $145K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Associate's degree

Top Paying States for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

1. Washington $79,410
2. Rhode Island $81,600
3. New Mexico $97,560
4. Connecticut $82,660
5. California $87,390
6. Oregon $80,840
7. Maryland $79,180
8. Nebraska $80,050
9. Missouri $92,150
10. Louisiana $102,800

Other Architecture and Engineering Occupations titles

  1. 1. Petroleum Engineers $144,910
  2. 2. Aerospace Engineers $134,960
  3. 3. Mechanical Engineers $104,110
  4. 4. Industrial Engineers $102,440
  5. 5. Nuclear Engineers $133,970
  6. 6. Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors $115,160

Among Architecture and Engineering Occupations peers on this card, Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians sits 38% below the mid peer median ($120,630). Its own median is $74,510.

A separate current BLS Employment Projections row is not available for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Washington at $79,410. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Petroleum Engineers at $144,910. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay-rank #27 in Architecture and Engineering Occupations

On the Architecture and Engineering Occupations median table (36 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians lands at #27, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians pays 38% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 17-3027

Washington · top state for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

$79K published median

Rhode Island · #2 state pay

$82K · behind Washington

Petroleum Engineers

Highest-pay peer vs Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians · $145K

Industrial Engineers

Lower-pay peer beside Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians · $102K

Compare Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Against another occupation

Petroleum Engineers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians land on the Architecture and Engineering Occupations median table? ▼
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians is pay-rank #27 of 36 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians ($74K), Surveyors ($75K), Electrical and Electronics Drafters ($77K), Mechanical Drafters ($72K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians. Leading ones include: Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems; Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings; Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel f…; Set up prototype and test apparatus and operate test controlling equipment to observe and record prototype test results. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians? ▼
For SOC 17-3027, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.8), Active Listening (3.8), Critical Thinking (3.8), Speaking (3.6). Knowledge areas emphasize Engineering and Technology, Mechanical, Design. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $74,510 as the national median for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians. The published 10th-90th range is $48,400 to $106,050. Beside Petroleum Engineers ($144,910), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
BLS assigns Associate's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
Washington ($79,410), Rhode Island ($81,600), New Mexico ($97,560) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 17-3027. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics