17 Series · SOC 17-3027
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $74,510
- Median / year
- $106,050
- Top 10% earn
- 36,190
- US workers
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians earn a median of $74,510 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $74,510, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $48,400 (10th percentile) to $106,050 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 36,190 US workers. Louisiana pays the most ($102,800), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians earn a median of $74,510, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 66% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #27 of 36 by median pay.
- $74,510
- Median annual wage
- Top 34%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #27 of 36
- in Architecture and Engineering
- 2.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Louisiana at $102,800. Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians (SOC 17-3027) pays a national median of $74,510 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $48,400 at the 10th percentile to $106,050 at the 90th, with a mean of $76,380 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 36,190 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 174 metro areas.
Ten-year employment projections are not separately published for this occupation in the current BLS release. Typical entry-level preparation is Associate's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Louisiana pays the highest state median at $102,800, which is +38% above the national figure. The top metro is Kennewick-Richland, WA at $126,230 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$74,510
per year
Median Hourly
$35.82/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$76,380
average
Employment
36,190
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$74,510 Top 34% higher than 66% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 17-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 17-series occupations with growth data, Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at n/a growth and $74,510 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Annual Openings
3,200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Associate's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
2/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Document test results, using cameras, spreadsheets, documents, or other tools.
- ▸ Set up mechanical, hydraulic, or electric test equipment in accordance with engineering specifications, standards, or test procedures.
- ▸ Read and interpret blueprints, schematics, work specifications, drawings, or charts.
- ▸ Inspect or test parts to determine nature or cause of defects or malfunctions.
- ▸ Monitor computer-controlled test equipment, according to written or verbal instructions.
- ▸ Analyze test data for automotive systems, subsystems, or component parts.
- ▸ Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems.
- ▸ Install equipment, such as instrumentation, test equipment, engines, or aftermarket products, to ensure proper interfaces.
- ▸ Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings.
- ▸ Perform or execute manual or automated tests of automotive system or component performance, efficiency, or durability.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$48,400
25th Percentile
$59,510
Median
$74,510
75th Percentile
$88,110
90th Percentile
$106,050
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | $102,800 | +38% above national |
| 2 | New Mexico | $97,560 | +31% above national |
| 3 | Missouri | $92,150 | +24% above national |
| 4 | California | $87,390 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Connecticut | $82,660 | +11% above national |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $81,600 | +10% above national |
| 7 | Oregon | $80,840 | +8% above national |
| 8 | Nebraska | $80,050 | +7% above national |
| 9 | Washington | $79,410 | +7% above national |
| 10 | Maryland | $79,180 | +6% above national |
| 11 | Ohio | $78,500 | +5% above national |
| 12 | New York | $78,210 | +5% above national |
| 13 | Kentucky | $77,990 | +5% above national |
| 14 | Delaware | $77,820 | +4% above national |
| 15 | Indiana | $77,220 | +4% above national |
| 16 | Colorado | $77,090 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Illinois | $77,020 | +3% above national |
| 18 | Maine | $76,790 | +3% above national |
| 19 | Texas | $76,610 | +3% above national |
| 20 | North Dakota | $76,440 | +3% above national |
| 21 | Virginia | $75,650 | +2% above national |
| 22 | Georgia | $73,870 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Nevada | $72,950 | 2% below national |
| 24 | Arizona | $72,090 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Iowa | $71,670 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $70,820 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Mississippi | $70,570 | 5% below national |
| 28 | South Carolina | $69,580 | 7% below national |
| 29 | Idaho | $68,310 | 8% below national |
| 30 | Michigan | $68,170 | 9% below national |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $67,850 | 9% below national |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $66,740 | 10% below national |
| 33 | New Jersey | $65,180 | 13% below national |
| 34 | Minnesota | $63,990 | 14% below national |
| 35 | Massachusetts | $62,390 | 16% below national |
| 36 | North Carolina | $62,360 | 16% below national |
| 37 | Tennessee | $62,270 | 16% below national |
| 38 | Utah | $61,870 | 17% below national |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $61,480 | 17% below national |
| 40 | Alabama | $60,350 | 19% below national |
| 41 | Florida | $59,720 | 20% below national |
| 42 | Kansas | $55,390 | 26% below national |
| 43 | South Dakota | $53,670 | 28% below national |
| 44 | Puerto Rico | $51,860 | 30% below national |
| 45 | West Virginia | $47,660 | 36% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 174 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $126,230 | +69% above national |
| 2 | Baton Rouge, LA | $119,630 | +61% above national |
| 3 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $110,030 | +48% above national |
| 4 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $109,470 | +47% above national |
| 5 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $105,160 | +41% above national |
| 6 | Peoria, IL | $102,610 | +38% above national |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $100,620 | +35% above national |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $100,150 | +34% above national |
| 9 | Albuquerque, NM | $98,440 | +32% above national |
| 10 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $97,300 | +31% above national |
| 11 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $96,680 | +30% above national |
| 12 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $96,610 | +30% above national |
| 13 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $94,960 | +27% above national |
| 14 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $91,450 | +23% above national |
| 15 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $85,830 | +15% above national |
| 16 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $84,930 | +14% above national |
| 17 | Boulder, CO | $84,870 | +14% above national |
| 18 | Ann Arbor, MI | $84,150 | +13% above national |
| 19 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $84,020 | +13% above national |
| 20 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $83,710 | +12% above national |
| 21 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $82,570 | +11% above national |
| 22 | Columbus, IN | $82,460 | +11% above national |
| 23 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $82,220 | +10% above national |
| 24 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $82,010 | +10% above national |
| 25 | York-Hanover, PA | $81,330 | +9% above national |
| 26 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,280 | +9% above national |
| 27 | Dubuque, IA | $81,110 | +9% above national |
| 28 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,860 | +9% above national |
| 29 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $80,810 | +8% above national |
| 30 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $80,430 | +8% above national |
| 31 | Columbus, OH | $80,330 | +8% above national |
| 32 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $80,120 | +8% above national |
| 33 | Cleveland, OH | $80,070 | +7% above national |
| 34 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $80,060 | +7% above national |
| 35 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $80,050 | +7% above national |
| 36 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $79,590 | +7% above national |
| 37 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $79,570 | +7% above national |
| 38 | Madison, WI | $79,560 | +7% above national |
| 39 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $79,400 | +7% above national |
| 40 | Lexington Park, MD | $79,120 | +6% above national |
| 41 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $79,080 | +6% above national |
| 42 | Appleton, WI | $79,040 | +6% above national |
| 43 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $79,010 | +6% above national |
| 44 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $78,910 | +6% above national |
| 45 | Florence, SC | $78,840 | +6% above national |
| 46 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $78,550 | +5% above national |
| 47 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $78,480 | +5% above national |
| 48 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $78,210 | +5% above national |
| 49 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $78,190 | +5% above national |
| 50 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $78,150 | +5% above national |
| 51 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $78,040 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $78,000 | +5% above national |
| 53 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,800 | +4% above national |
| 54 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $77,750 | +4% above national |
| 55 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $77,580 | +4% above national |
| 56 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $77,480 | +4% above national |
| 57 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $77,320 | +4% above national |
| 58 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $77,290 | +4% above national |
| 59 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $76,700 | +3% above national |
| 60 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $76,310 | +2% above national |
| 61 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $76,290 | +2% above national |
| 62 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $76,240 | +2% above national |
| 63 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $76,230 | +2% above national |
| 64 | Toledo, OH | $75,830 | +2% above national |
| 65 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $75,060 | +1% above national |
| 66 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $75,030 | +1% above national |
| 67 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $74,730 | same as national |
| 68 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $74,590 | same as national |
| 69 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $74,450 | same as national |
| 70 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $74,280 | same as national |
| 71 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $74,120 | 1% below national |
| 72 | Akron, OH | $74,000 | 1% below national |
| 73 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $73,940 | 1% below national |
| 74 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $73,810 | 1% below national |
| 75 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $73,400 | 1% below national |
| 76 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $73,310 | 2% below national |
| 77 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $73,170 | 2% below national |
| 78 | Columbia, SC | $72,830 | 2% below national |
| 79 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $72,690 | 2% below national |
| 80 | Worcester, MA | $72,650 | 2% below national |
| 81 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $72,330 | 3% below national |
| 82 | Pittsburgh, PA | $72,180 | 3% below national |
| 83 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $71,910 | 3% below national |
| 84 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $70,990 | 5% below national |
| 85 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $70,880 | 5% below national |
| 86 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $70,680 | 5% below national |
| 87 | Dalton, GA | $70,640 | 5% below national |
| 88 | Richmond, VA | $70,550 | 5% below national |
| 89 | Terre Haute, IN | $70,340 | 6% below national |
| 90 | Tucson, AZ | $69,730 | 6% below national |
| 91 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $69,580 | 7% below national |
| 92 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $69,490 | 7% below national |
| 93 | Burlington, NC | $68,740 | 8% below national |
| 94 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $68,700 | 8% below national |
| 95 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $68,540 | 8% below national |
| 96 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $67,870 | 9% below national |
| 97 | Reading, PA | $67,400 | 10% below national |
| 98 | New Haven, CT | $67,270 | 10% below national |
| 99 | Rockford, IL | $66,910 | 10% below national |
| 100 | Colorado Springs, CO | $66,650 | 11% below national |
| 101 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $66,590 | 11% below national |
| 102 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $66,300 | 11% below national |
| 103 | El Paso, TX | $65,980 | 11% below national |
| 104 | Niles, MI | $65,880 | 12% below national |
| 105 | Green Bay, WI | $65,790 | 12% below national |
| 106 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $65,400 | 12% below national |
| 107 | Rochester, NY | $65,400 | 12% below national |
| 108 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $65,020 | 13% below national |
| 109 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $64,840 | 13% below national |
| 110 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $64,780 | 13% below national |
| 111 | Sheboygan, WI | $64,750 | 13% below national |
| 112 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $64,600 | 13% below national |
| 113 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $64,510 | 13% below national |
| 114 | Fort Wayne, IN | $64,490 | 13% below national |
| 115 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $64,220 | 14% below national |
| 116 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $64,200 | 14% below national |
| 117 | Ogden, UT | $64,130 | 14% below national |
| 118 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $64,060 | 14% below national |
| 119 | Midland, TX | $63,950 | 14% below national |
| 120 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $63,770 | 14% below national |
| 121 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $63,590 | 15% below national |
| 122 | Evansville, IN | $63,590 | 15% below national |
| 123 | Fond du Lac, WI | $63,410 | 15% below national |
| 124 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $62,990 | 15% below national |
| 125 | Lancaster, PA | $62,970 | 15% below national |
| 126 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $62,960 | 16% below national |
| 127 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $62,700 | 16% below national |
| 128 | Bloomington, IL | $62,530 | 16% below national |
| 129 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $62,450 | 16% below national |
| 130 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $62,390 | 16% below national |
| 131 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $62,310 | 16% below national |
| 132 | Omaha, NE-IA | $62,130 | 17% below national |
| 133 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $62,020 | 17% below national |
| 134 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $61,990 | 17% below national |
| 135 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $61,990 | 17% below national |
| 136 | Flint, MI | $61,880 | 17% below national |
| 137 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $61,860 | 17% below national |
| 138 | Spartanburg, SC | $61,670 | 17% below national |
| 139 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $61,670 | 17% below national |
| 140 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $61,620 | 17% below national |
| 141 | Tulsa, OK | $61,480 | 17% below national |
| 142 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $61,200 | 18% below national |
| 143 | Oklahoma City, OK | $60,870 | 18% below national |
| 144 | Duluth, MN-WI | $60,570 | 19% below national |
| 145 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $60,480 | 19% below national |
| 146 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $60,310 | 19% below national |
| 147 | Huntsville, AL | $60,280 | 19% below national |
| 148 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $60,050 | 19% below national |
| 149 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $60,010 | 19% below national |
| 150 | Saginaw, MI | $59,670 | 20% below national |
| 151 | Birmingham, AL | $59,540 | 20% below national |
| 152 | Bangor, ME | $59,510 | 20% below national |
| 153 | Jackson, MI | $59,480 | 20% below national |
| 154 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $59,240 | 20% below national |
| 155 | Springfield, MA | $59,210 | 21% below national |
| 156 | Reno, NV | $59,090 | 21% below national |
| 157 | Kenosha, WI | $58,530 | 21% below national |
| 158 | Roanoke, VA | $58,510 | 21% below national |
| 159 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $58,470 | 22% below national |
| 160 | Winston-Salem, NC | $58,330 | 22% below national |
| 161 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $56,850 | 24% below national |
| 162 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $56,580 | 24% below national |
| 163 | Warner Robins, GA | $56,530 | 24% below national |
| 164 | Knoxville, TN | $56,310 | 24% below national |
| 165 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $55,470 | 26% below national |
| 166 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $53,140 | 29% below national |
| 167 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $51,860 | 30% below national |
| 168 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $51,620 | 31% below national |
| 169 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $51,440 | 31% below national |
| 170 | Wichita, KS | $50,130 | 33% below national |
| 171 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $48,560 | 35% below national |
| 172 | Charleston, WV | $47,660 | 36% below national |
| 173 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $47,410 | 36% below national |
| 174 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $45,160 | 39% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 17 (architecture and engineering) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians make? ▼
What state pays Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
How dangerous is being a Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
How does Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $88,110/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Louisiana leads at $102,800/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.