17 Series · SOC 17-2141
Mechanical Engineers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $104,110
- Median / year
- $164,340
- Top 10% earn
- +9.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 296,810
- US workers
Mechanical Engineers earn a median of $104,110 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $104,110, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $73,990 (10th percentile) to $164,340 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 296,810 US workers. New Mexico pays the most ($157,710), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Mechanical Engineers earn a median of $104,110, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 86% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #15 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 9.1% by 2033.
- $104,110
- Median annual wage
- Top 14%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #15 of 36
- in Architecture and Engineering
- 2.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Mexico at $157,710. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141) pays a national median of $104,110 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $73,990 at the 10th percentile to $164,340 at the 90th, with a mean of $113,610 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 296,810 Americans work in this occupation across 53 reporting states and 466 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +9.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 18,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor'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. New Mexico pays the highest state median at $157,710, which is +51% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $168,030 - 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.
BLS OEWS May 2025 296,810 jobs Median $104,110/yr
Median Salary
$104,110
per year
Median Hourly
$50.05/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$113,610
average
Employment
296,810
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Mechanical Engineers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$104,110 Top 14% higher than 86% 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 Engineers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 17-series occupations with growth data, Mechanical Engineers sits on the faster-growing side at +9.1% growth and $104,110 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+9.1%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
18,100
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings → A
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 Engineers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Critical Thinking 4.1
Complex Problem Solving 4.1
Reading Comprehension 4.0
Writing 3.9
Speaking 3.9
Mathematics 3.9
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Active Listening 3.8
Operations Analysis 3.8
Systems Analysis 3.8
Knowledge Areas
Engineering and Technology 4.7
Physics 4.3
Mathematics 4.3
Mechanical 4.1
Design 3.9
Computers and Electronics 3.9
Transportation 3.8
English Language 3.7
Production and Processing 3.3
Administration and Management 3.2
Key Tasks
- ▸ Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
- ▸ Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
- ▸ Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
- ▸ Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.
- ▸ Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
- ▸ Plan or conduct experiments to validate new materials, optimize startup protocols, reduce conditioning time, or examine contaminant tolerance.
- ▸ Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems.
- ▸ Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
- ▸ Provide technical consultation or direction related to the development or production of fuel cell systems.
- ▸ Characterize component or fuel cell performances by generating operating maps, defining operating conditions, identifying design refinements, or executing durability assessments.
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
$73,990
25th Percentile
$84,130
Median
$104,110
75th Percentile
$132,590
90th Percentile
$164,340
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 53 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $157,710 | +51% above national |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $133,300 | +28% above national |
| 3 | California | $130,900 | +26% above national |
| 4 | Delaware | $125,130 | +20% above national |
| 5 | Colorado | $124,430 | +20% above national |
| 6 | Alaska | $124,340 | +19% above national |
| 7 | Maryland | $122,870 | +18% above national |
| 8 | Louisiana | $119,540 | +15% above national |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $119,300 | +15% above national |
| 10 | Wyoming | $117,750 | +13% above national |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $116,230 | +12% above national |
| 12 | Texas | $112,410 | +8% above national |
| 13 | New Jersey | $112,300 | +8% above national |
| 14 | Washington | $110,430 | +6% above national |
| 15 | Vermont | $107,330 | +3% above national |
| 16 | Connecticut | $105,090 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Michigan | $104,890 | +1% above national |
| 18 | South Carolina | $104,580 | same as national |
| 19 | Virginia | $104,180 | same as national |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $103,660 | same as national |
| 21 | Oregon | $103,470 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Illinois | $102,680 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Nevada | $102,680 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Utah | $102,500 | 2% below national |
| 25 | New York | $102,440 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Maine | $102,430 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $101,850 | 2% below national |
| 28 | Kentucky | $101,050 | 3% below national |
| 29 | North Carolina | $100,720 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Georgia | $100,620 | 3% below national |
| 31 | Arizona | $100,270 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Alabama | $100,230 | 4% below national |
| 33 | Florida | $99,980 | 4% below national |
| 34 | Indiana | $99,590 | 4% below national |
| 35 | Tennessee | $99,550 | 4% below national |
| 36 | Missouri | $99,330 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Minnesota | $99,140 | 5% below national |
| 38 | Ohio | $99,100 | 5% below national |
| 39 | Hawaii | $98,740 | 5% below national |
| 40 | Mississippi | $98,000 | 6% below national |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | $97,920 | 6% below national |
| 42 | Iowa | $97,700 | 6% below national |
| 43 | West Virginia | $97,390 | 6% below national |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $95,870 | 8% below national |
| 45 | Montana | $94,190 | 10% below national |
| 46 | Idaho | $93,190 | 10% below national |
| 47 | South Dakota | $88,380 | 15% below national |
| 48 | Nebraska | $88,060 | 15% below national |
| 49 | North Dakota | $86,330 | 17% below national |
| 50 | Kansas | $86,260 | 17% below national |
| 51 | Arkansas | $80,180 | 23% below national |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $72,240 | 31% below national |
| 53 | Guam | $61,510 | 41% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 466 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $168,030 | +61% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $161,370 | +55% above national |
| 3 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $157,710 | +51% above national |
| 4 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $139,320 | +34% above national |
| 5 | Baton Rouge, LA | $135,530 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $132,920 | +28% above national |
| 7 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $132,790 | +28% above national |
| 8 | Salinas, CA | $132,560 | +27% above national |
| 9 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $129,750 | +25% above national |
| 10 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $128,740 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Peoria, IL | $128,710 | +24% above national |
| 12 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $128,180 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Columbus, IN | $127,700 | +23% above national |
| 14 | Lexington Park, MD | $127,650 | +23% above national |
| 15 | Ann Arbor, MI | $127,310 | +22% above national |
| 16 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $126,990 | +22% above national |
| 17 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $126,590 | +22% above national |
| 18 | Lake Charles, LA | $126,090 | +21% above national |
| 19 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $125,780 | +21% above national |
| 20 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $125,350 | +20% above national |
| 21 | Midland, TX | $125,200 | +20% above national |
| 22 | Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $124,800 | +20% above national |
| 23 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $124,780 | +20% above national |
| 24 | Boulder, CO | $124,360 | +19% above national |
| 25 | Corpus Christi, TX | $124,340 | +19% above national |
| 26 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $123,900 | +19% above national |
| 27 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $123,490 | +19% above national |
| 28 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $122,760 | +18% above national |
| 29 | Cheyenne, WY | $122,500 | +18% above national |
| 30 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $122,280 | +17% above national |
| 31 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $121,750 | +17% above national |
| 32 | Anchorage, AK | $121,610 | +17% above national |
| 33 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $121,220 | +16% above national |
| 34 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $121,130 | +16% above national |
| 35 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $120,970 | +16% above national |
| 36 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $120,650 | +16% above national |
| 37 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $120,560 | +16% above national |
| 38 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $120,070 | +15% above national |
| 39 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $119,790 | +15% above national |
| 40 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $119,300 | +15% above national |
| 41 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $118,920 | +14% above national |
| 42 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $118,300 | +14% above national |
| 43 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $117,990 | +13% above national |
| 44 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $117,420 | +13% above national |
| 45 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $117,380 | +13% above national |
| 46 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $116,700 | +12% above national |
| 47 | Logan, UT-ID | $116,680 | +12% above national |
| 48 | Decatur, AL | $115,750 | +11% above national |
| 49 | Napa, CA | $112,670 | +8% above national |
| 50 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $112,030 | +8% above national |
| 51 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $111,850 | +7% above national |
| 52 | Odessa, TX | $111,700 | +7% above national |
| 53 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $111,360 | +7% above national |
| 54 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $111,030 | +7% above national |
| 55 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $110,820 | +6% above national |
| 56 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $110,520 | +6% above national |
| 57 | Barnstable Town, MA | $110,200 | +6% above national |
| 58 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $110,200 | +6% above national |
| 59 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $109,990 | +6% above national |
| 60 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $109,550 | +5% above national |
| 61 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $109,540 | +5% above national |
| 62 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $109,470 | +5% above national |
| 63 | Colorado Springs, CO | $109,370 | +5% above national |
| 64 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $109,370 | +5% above national |
| 65 | Worcester, MA | $109,250 | +5% above national |
| 66 | Midland, MI | $109,230 | +5% above national |
| 67 | Chico, CA | $109,210 | +5% above national |
| 68 | Asheville, NC | $108,630 | +4% above national |
| 69 | Pittsfield, MA | $108,570 | +4% above national |
| 70 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $108,510 | +4% above national |
| 71 | Walla Walla, WA | $108,510 | +4% above national |
| 72 | Greeley, CO | $108,500 | +4% above national |
| 73 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $108,360 | +4% above national |
| 74 | Greenville, NC | $108,340 | +4% above national |
| 75 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $108,310 | +4% above national |
| 76 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $108,160 | +4% above national |
| 77 | Billings, MT | $107,930 | +4% above national |
| 78 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $107,600 | +3% above national |
| 79 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $107,500 | +3% above national |
| 80 | Tulsa, OK | $107,440 | +3% above national |
| 81 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $107,060 | +3% above national |
| 82 | Erie, PA | $106,890 | +3% above national |
| 83 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $106,870 | +3% above national |
| 84 | Vallejo, CA | $106,800 | +3% above national |
| 85 | Corvallis, OR | $106,700 | +2% above national |
| 86 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $106,690 | +2% above national |
| 87 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $106,660 | +2% above national |
| 88 | Bellingham, WA | $106,580 | +2% above national |
| 89 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $106,560 | +2% above national |
| 90 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $106,490 | +2% above national |
| 91 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $106,340 | +2% above national |
| 92 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $106,330 | +2% above national |
| 93 | Niles, MI | $106,320 | +2% above national |
| 94 | Tyler, TX | $106,240 | +2% above national |
| 95 | Charlottesville, VA | $106,130 | +2% above national |
| 96 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $106,110 | +2% above national |
| 97 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $105,980 | +2% above national |
| 98 | Redding, CA | $105,980 | +2% above national |
| 99 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $105,980 | +2% above national |
| 100 | Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $105,760 | +2% above national |
| 101 | Mobile, AL | $105,670 | +1% above national |
| 102 | Pueblo, CO | $105,580 | +1% above national |
| 103 | Bangor, ME | $105,450 | +1% above national |
| 104 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $105,420 | +1% above national |
| 105 | Kokomo, IN | $105,410 | +1% above national |
| 106 | Grand Junction, CO | $105,210 | +1% above national |
| 107 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $105,020 | +1% above national |
| 108 | Syracuse, NY | $105,020 | +1% above national |
| 109 | Modesto, CA | $104,990 | +1% above national |
| 110 | Spartanburg, SC | $104,990 | +1% above national |
| 111 | New Haven, CT | $104,950 | +1% above national |
| 112 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $104,910 | +1% above national |
| 113 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $104,840 | +1% above national |
| 114 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $104,620 | same as national |
| 115 | Albany, GA | $104,500 | same as national |
| 116 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $104,410 | same as national |
| 117 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $104,320 | same as national |
| 118 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $104,220 | same as national |
| 119 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $104,150 | same as national |
| 120 | Richmond, VA | $104,130 | same as national |
| 121 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $104,110 | same as national |
| 122 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $103,850 | same as national |
| 123 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $103,820 | same as national |
| 124 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $103,810 | same as national |
| 125 | Florence, SC | $103,800 | same as national |
| 126 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $103,700 | same as national |
| 127 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $103,450 | 1% below national |
| 128 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $103,380 | 1% below national |
| 129 | Ogden, UT | $103,100 | 1% below national |
| 130 | Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $103,090 | 1% below national |
| 131 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $103,020 | 1% below national |
| 132 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $102,990 | 1% below national |
| 133 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $102,980 | 1% below national |
| 134 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $102,820 | 1% below national |
| 135 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $102,740 | 1% below national |
| 136 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $102,650 | 1% below national |
| 137 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $102,630 | 1% below national |
| 138 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $102,610 | 1% below national |
| 139 | Elizabethtown, KY | $102,590 | 1% below national |
| 140 | Huntsville, AL | $102,450 | 2% below national |
| 141 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $102,370 | 2% below national |
| 142 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $102,350 | 2% below national |
| 143 | Columbia, SC | $102,280 | 2% below national |
| 144 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $102,280 | 2% below national |
| 145 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $102,270 | 2% below national |
| 146 | Roanoke, VA | $102,160 | 2% below national |
| 147 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $102,070 | 2% below national |
| 148 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $102,020 | 2% below national |
| 149 | Savannah, GA | $101,990 | 2% below national |
| 150 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $101,950 | 2% below national |
| 151 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $101,830 | 2% below national |
| 152 | Goldsboro, NC | $101,800 | 2% below national |
| 153 | Carson City, NV | $101,690 | 2% below national |
| 154 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $101,650 | 2% below national |
| 155 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $101,570 | 2% below national |
| 156 | Reno, NV | $101,520 | 2% below national |
| 157 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $101,500 | 3% below national |
| 158 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $101,470 | 3% below national |
| 159 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $101,470 | 3% below national |
| 160 | Chambersburg, PA | $101,400 | 3% below national |
| 161 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $101,370 | 3% below national |
| 162 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $101,370 | 3% below national |
| 163 | Mankato, MN | $101,350 | 3% below national |
| 164 | Yuba City, CA | $101,270 | 3% below national |
| 165 | Warner Robins, GA | $101,190 | 3% below national |
| 166 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $101,180 | 3% below national |
| 167 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $101,180 | 3% below national |
| 168 | Bend, OR | $101,130 | 3% below national |
| 169 | Wilmington, NC | $101,100 | 3% below national |
| 170 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $101,090 | 3% below national |
| 171 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $101,040 | 3% below national |
| 172 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $101,020 | 3% below national |
| 173 | Casper, WY | $101,010 | 3% below national |
| 174 | Sumter, SC | $101,010 | 3% below national |
| 175 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $100,980 | 3% below national |
| 176 | Battle Creek, MI | $100,950 | 3% below national |
| 177 | Dover, DE | $100,900 | 3% below national |
| 178 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $100,850 | 3% below national |
| 179 | Monroe, LA | $100,740 | 3% below national |
| 180 | Columbus, OH | $100,730 | 3% below national |
| 181 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $100,700 | 3% below national |
| 182 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $100,690 | 3% below national |
| 183 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $100,640 | 3% below national |
| 184 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $100,630 | 3% below national |
| 185 | Bloomington, IL | $100,500 | 3% below national |
| 186 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $100,390 | 4% below national |
| 187 | Winchester, VA-WV | $100,380 | 4% below national |
| 188 | Lincoln, NE | $100,360 | 4% below national |
| 189 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $100,360 | 4% below national |
| 190 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $100,360 | 4% below national |
| 191 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $100,340 | 4% below national |
| 192 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $100,310 | 4% below national |
| 193 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $100,290 | 4% below national |
| 194 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $100,280 | 4% below national |
| 195 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $100,230 | 4% below national |
| 196 | Longview, TX | $100,230 | 4% below national |
| 197 | Rochester, NY | $100,160 | 4% below national |
| 198 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $100,000 | 4% below national |
| 199 | Ithaca, NY | $99,990 | 4% below national |
| 200 | Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $99,880 | 4% below national |
| 201 | Jacksonville, NC | $99,780 | 4% below national |
| 202 | Tucson, AZ | $99,750 | 4% below national |
| 203 | Fayetteville, NC | $99,700 | 4% below national |
| 204 | Madison, WI | $99,680 | 4% below national |
| 205 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $99,660 | 4% below national |
| 206 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $99,630 | 4% below national |
| 207 | Vineland, NJ | $99,620 | 4% below national |
| 208 | Jacksonville, FL | $99,500 | 4% below national |
| 209 | Abilene, TX | $99,460 | 4% below national |
| 210 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $99,440 | 4% below national |
| 211 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $99,390 | 5% below national |
| 212 | Lima, OH | $99,290 | 5% below national |
| 213 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $99,290 | 5% below national |
| 214 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $99,170 | 5% below national |
| 215 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $99,150 | 5% below national |
| 216 | Rockford, IL | $99,150 | 5% below national |
| 217 | Bowling Green, KY | $99,090 | 5% below national |
| 218 | Knoxville, TN | $99,070 | 5% below national |
| 219 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $98,970 | 5% below national |
| 220 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $98,940 | 5% below national |
| 221 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $98,910 | 5% below national |
| 222 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $98,910 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Traverse City, MI | $98,900 | 5% below national |
| 224 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $98,880 | 5% below national |
| 225 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $98,880 | 5% below national |
| 226 | Amarillo, TX | $98,830 | 5% below national |
| 227 | Birmingham, AL | $98,810 | 5% below national |
| 228 | Fresno, CA | $98,740 | 5% below national |
| 229 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $98,740 | 5% below national |
| 230 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $98,730 | 5% below national |
| 231 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $98,700 | 5% below national |
| 232 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $98,690 | 5% below national |
| 233 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $98,680 | 5% below national |
| 234 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $98,680 | 5% below national |
| 235 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $98,670 | 5% below national |
| 236 | Topeka, KS | $98,620 | 5% below national |
| 237 | Ames, IA | $98,610 | 5% below national |
| 238 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $98,590 | 5% below national |
| 239 | Binghamton, NY | $98,560 | 5% below national |
| 240 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $98,550 | 5% below national |
| 241 | Reading, PA | $98,540 | 5% below national |
| 242 | Sheboygan, WI | $98,450 | 5% below national |
| 243 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $98,400 | 5% below national |
| 244 | Springfield, MA | $98,380 | 6% below national |
| 245 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $98,380 | 6% below national |
| 246 | Flagstaff, AZ | $98,150 | 6% below national |
| 247 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $98,140 | 6% below national |
| 248 | Charleston, WV | $98,050 | 6% below national |
| 249 | Pittsburgh, PA | $98,050 | 6% below national |
| 250 | Rocky Mount, NC | $98,040 | 6% below national |
| 251 | Salem, OR | $98,010 | 6% below national |
| 252 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $97,990 | 6% below national |
| 253 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $97,950 | 6% below national |
| 254 | Akron, OH | $97,920 | 6% below national |
| 255 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $97,900 | 6% below national |
| 256 | Bloomington, IN | $97,830 | 6% below national |
| 257 | Owensboro, KY | $97,810 | 6% below national |
| 258 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $97,810 | 6% below national |
| 259 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $97,700 | 6% below national |
| 260 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $97,690 | 6% below national |
| 261 | Idaho Falls, ID | $97,540 | 6% below national |
| 262 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $97,480 | 6% below national |
| 263 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $97,400 | 6% below national |
| 264 | Cleveland, OH | $97,220 | 7% below national |
| 265 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $97,210 | 7% below national |
| 266 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $97,200 | 7% below national |
| 267 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $97,150 | 7% below national |
| 268 | Rochester, MN | $97,100 | 7% below national |
| 269 | Johnson City, TN | $97,040 | 7% below national |
| 270 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $97,030 | 7% below national |
| 271 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $97,000 | 7% below national |
| 272 | Oklahoma City, OK | $96,930 | 7% below national |
| 273 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $96,790 | 7% below national |
| 274 | Albany, OR | $96,710 | 7% below national |
| 275 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $96,690 | 7% below national |
| 276 | Waco, TX | $96,680 | 7% below national |
| 277 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $96,660 | 7% below national |
| 278 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $96,610 | 7% below national |
| 279 | Sandusky, OH | $96,580 | 7% below national |
| 280 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $96,540 | 7% below national |
| 281 | Ocala, FL | $96,520 | 7% below national |
| 282 | Jackson, TN | $96,290 | 8% below national |
| 283 | Iowa City, IA | $96,190 | 8% below national |
| 284 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $96,180 | 8% below national |
| 285 | Bay City, MI | $96,000 | 8% below national |
| 286 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $95,990 | 8% below national |
| 287 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $95,910 | 8% below national |
| 288 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $95,900 | 8% below national |
| 289 | Burlington, NC | $95,870 | 8% below national |
| 290 | Flint, MI | $95,850 | 8% below national |
| 291 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $95,850 | 8% below national |
| 292 | Glens Falls, NY | $95,820 | 8% below national |
| 293 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $95,820 | 8% below national |
| 294 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $95,770 | 8% below national |
| 295 | Wichita Falls, TX | $95,710 | 8% below national |
| 296 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $95,700 | 8% below national |
| 297 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $95,660 | 8% below national |
| 298 | Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $95,640 | 8% below national |
| 299 | Winston-Salem, NC | $95,600 | 8% below national |
| 300 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $95,580 | 8% below national |
| 301 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $95,530 | 8% below national |
| 302 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $95,480 | 8% below national |
| 303 | Fond du Lac, WI | $95,410 | 8% below national |
| 304 | Las Cruces, NM | $95,370 | 8% below national |
| 305 | Fort Wayne, IN | $95,310 | 8% below national |
| 306 | Jackson, MI | $95,280 | 8% below national |
| 307 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $95,250 | 9% below national |
| 308 | Evansville, IN | $95,220 | 9% below national |
| 309 | Monroe, MI | $95,190 | 9% below national |
| 310 | Toledo, OH | $95,170 | 9% below national |
| 311 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $95,150 | 9% below national |
| 312 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $95,000 | 9% below national |
| 313 | Lawrence, KS | $94,990 | 9% below national |
| 314 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $94,940 | 9% below national |
| 315 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $94,790 | 9% below national |
| 316 | Lynchburg, VA | $94,630 | 9% below national |
| 317 | Wichita, KS | $94,610 | 9% below national |
| 318 | Montgomery, AL | $94,570 | 9% below national |
| 319 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $94,560 | 9% below national |
| 320 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $94,540 | 9% below national |
| 321 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $94,520 | 9% below national |
| 322 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $94,520 | 9% below national |
| 323 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $94,470 | 9% below national |
| 324 | Green Bay, WI | $94,450 | 9% below national |
| 325 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $94,280 | 9% below national |
| 326 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $94,270 | 9% below national |
| 327 | Rapid City, SD | $94,180 | 10% below national |
| 328 | York-Hanover, PA | $94,160 | 10% below national |
| 329 | Paducah, KY-IL | $94,060 | 10% below national |
| 330 | Medford, OR | $94,030 | 10% below national |
| 331 | Utica-Rome, NY | $93,980 | 10% below national |
| 332 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $93,970 | 10% below national |
| 333 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $93,860 | 10% below national |
| 334 | Tallahassee, FL | $93,810 | 10% below national |
| 335 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $93,800 | 10% below national |
| 336 | Dothan, AL | $93,750 | 10% below national |
| 337 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $93,660 | 10% below national |
| 338 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $93,650 | 10% below national |
| 339 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $93,550 | 10% below national |
| 340 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $93,530 | 10% below national |
| 341 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $93,450 | 10% below national |
| 342 | Gainesville, GA | $93,420 | 10% below national |
| 343 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $93,310 | 10% below national |
| 344 | Lebanon, PA | $93,210 | 10% below national |
| 345 | Twin Falls, ID | $93,190 | 10% below national |
| 346 | Omaha, NE-IA | $93,180 | 10% below national |
| 347 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $93,060 | 11% below national |
| 348 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $93,050 | 11% below national |
| 349 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $92,940 | 11% below national |
| 350 | Springfield, IL | $92,920 | 11% below national |
| 351 | Visalia, CA | $92,770 | 11% below national |
| 352 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $92,770 | 11% below national |
| 353 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $92,570 | 11% below national |
| 354 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $92,500 | 11% below national |
| 355 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $92,400 | 11% below national |
| 356 | Yuma, AZ | $92,230 | 11% below national |
| 357 | Punta Gorda, FL | $92,220 | 11% below national |
| 358 | Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $92,060 | 12% below national |
| 359 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $91,820 | 12% below national |
| 360 | Columbus, GA-AL | $91,430 | 12% below national |
| 361 | El Paso, TX | $91,430 | 12% below national |
| 362 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $91,430 | 12% below national |
| 363 | Boise City, ID | $91,340 | 12% below national |
| 364 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $91,230 | 12% below national |
| 365 | Lubbock, TX | $91,110 | 12% below national |
| 366 | Saginaw, MI | $91,040 | 13% below national |
| 367 | Dalton, GA | $90,940 | 13% below national |
| 368 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $90,710 | 13% below national |
| 369 | St. Cloud, MN | $90,670 | 13% below national |
| 370 | State College, PA | $90,530 | 13% below national |
| 371 | Duluth, MN-WI | $90,490 | 13% below national |
| 372 | Kingston, NY | $90,150 | 13% below national |
| 373 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $90,070 | 13% below national |
| 374 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $89,960 | 14% below national |
| 375 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $89,800 | 14% below national |
| 376 | Missoula, MT | $89,730 | 14% below national |
| 377 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $89,720 | 14% below national |
| 378 | Springfield, OH | $89,520 | 14% below national |
| 379 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $89,380 | 14% below national |
| 380 | Jefferson City, MO | $89,120 | 14% below national |
| 381 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $89,000 | 15% below national |
| 382 | Mansfield, OH | $88,770 | 15% below national |
| 383 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $88,770 | 15% below national |
| 384 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $88,770 | 15% below national |
| 385 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $88,330 | 15% below national |
| 386 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $88,130 | 15% below national |
| 387 | Bozeman, MT | $87,840 | 16% below national |
| 388 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $87,720 | 16% below national |
| 389 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $87,690 | 16% below national |
| 390 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $86,520 | 17% below national |
| 391 | Fargo, ND-MN | $86,330 | 17% below national |
| 392 | Morgantown, WV | $86,270 | 17% below national |
| 393 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $86,230 | 17% below national |
| 394 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $86,120 | 17% below national |
| 395 | Williamsport, PA | $86,110 | 17% below national |
| 396 | Muncie, IN | $86,010 | 17% below national |
| 397 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $85,850 | 18% below national |
| 398 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $85,740 | 18% below national |
| 399 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $85,490 | 18% below national |
| 400 | Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $85,460 | 18% below national |
| 401 | Appleton, WI | $85,260 | 18% below national |
| 402 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $85,190 | 18% below national |
| 403 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $84,890 | 18% below national |
| 404 | Kenosha, WI | $84,780 | 19% below national |
| 405 | St. George, UT | $84,690 | 19% below national |
| 406 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $84,630 | 19% below national |
| 407 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $84,370 | 19% below national |
| 408 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $84,270 | 19% below national |
| 409 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $84,210 | 19% below national |
| 410 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $84,150 | 19% below national |
| 411 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $84,010 | 19% below national |
| 412 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $83,990 | 19% below national |
| 413 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $83,920 | 19% below national |
| 414 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $83,830 | 19% below national |
| 415 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $83,760 | 20% below national |
| 416 | Lancaster, PA | $83,710 | 20% below national |
| 417 | Terre Haute, IN | $83,550 | 20% below national |
| 418 | Joplin, MO-KS | $83,430 | 20% below national |
| 419 | Elmira, NY | $83,220 | 20% below national |
| 420 | Yakima, WA | $83,220 | 20% below national |
| 421 | Manhattan, KS | $83,200 | 20% below national |
| 422 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $82,900 | 20% below national |
| 423 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $82,800 | 20% below national |
| 424 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $82,660 | 21% below national |
| 425 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $82,640 | 21% below national |
| 426 | Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $82,630 | 21% below national |
| 427 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $82,550 | 21% below national |
| 428 | Lafayette, LA | $82,520 | 21% below national |
| 429 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $82,350 | 21% below national |
| 430 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $82,300 | 21% below national |
| 431 | Columbia, MO | $82,200 | 21% below national |
| 432 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $82,120 | 21% below national |
| 433 | Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $81,930 | 21% below national |
| 434 | Kankakee, IL | $81,840 | 21% below national |
| 435 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $81,670 | 22% below national |
| 436 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $81,570 | 22% below national |
| 437 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $81,490 | 22% below national |
| 438 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $81,420 | 22% below national |
| 439 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $81,400 | 22% below national |
| 440 | Jackson, MS | $81,300 | 22% below national |
| 441 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $81,110 | 22% below national |
| 442 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $81,010 | 22% below national |
| 443 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $80,650 | 23% below national |
| 444 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $80,500 | 23% below national |
| 445 | Morristown, TN | $80,490 | 23% below national |
| 446 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $80,220 | 23% below national |
| 447 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $80,180 | 23% below national |
| 448 | Springfield, MO | $80,020 | 23% below national |
| 449 | Merced, CA | $79,600 | 24% below national |
| 450 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $79,530 | 24% below national |
| 451 | Wausau, WI | $79,340 | 24% below national |
| 452 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $79,310 | 24% below national |
| 453 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $79,300 | 24% below national |
| 454 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $78,950 | 24% below national |
| 455 | Altoona, PA | $78,670 | 24% below national |
| 456 | Eau Claire, WI | $78,360 | 25% below national |
| 457 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $78,340 | 25% below national |
| 458 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $77,470 | 26% below national |
| 459 | Hattiesburg, MS | $76,770 | 26% below national |
| 460 | Jonesboro, AR | $76,690 | 26% below national |
| 461 | Johnstown, PA | $76,210 | 27% below national |
| 462 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $76,130 | 27% below national |
| 463 | San Angelo, TX | $75,930 | 27% below national |
| 464 | Gainesville, FL | $75,490 | 27% below national |
| 465 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $74,400 | 29% below national |
| 466 | West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $72,780 | 30% 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 Engineers make? ▼
The median annual salary for Mechanical Engineers is $104,110 ($50.05/hour). The salary range spans from $73,990 at the 10th percentile to $164,340 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Mechanical Engineers the most? ▼
New Mexico pays the highest median salary for Mechanical Engineers at $157,710/year, which is +51% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Mechanical Engineers? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Mechanical Engineers is Bachelor's degree.
How dangerous is being a Mechanical Engineers? ▼
Mechanical Engineers has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 2 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.5 per 100 workers.
Is Mechanical Engineers a good career? ▼
Employment for Mechanical Engineers is projected to grow 9.1% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 18,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Mechanical Engineers pay vary by state? ▼
Mechanical Engineers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is New Mexico at $157,710/year, while North Dakota pays the least at $86,330/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Mechanical Engineers? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Mechanical Engineers is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $168,030/year. BLS reports wage data for 466 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.
What to do with this data
How to use Mechanical Engineers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $132,590/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: New Mexico leads at $157,710/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.