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Mechanical Engineers Salary
Mechanical Engineers earn a median $104,110 a year in the U.S., with 296,810 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $104,110 a year
- Employment
- 296,810
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +11.2%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 17,800
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $104,110 · $50.05 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $113,610 · $54.62 an hour (estimate error ±0.4%)
- 10th percentile
- $73,990 · $35.57 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $84,130 · $40.45 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $132,590 · $63.75 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $164,340 · $79.01 an hour
- Employment
- 296,810 (estimate error ±1.3%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 298,500
- Projected for 2035
- 332,000
- Change
- +33,500 (+11.2%)
- Openings each year
- 17,800
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 0.5%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $157,710 | 2,710 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $133,300 | 510 |
| 3 | California | $130,900 | 30,530 |
| 4 | Delaware | $125,130 | 610 |
| 5 | Colorado | $124,430 | 7,190 |
| 6 | Alaska | $124,340 | 380 |
| 7 | Maryland | $122,870 | 6,550 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $119,540 | 1,890 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $119,300 | 7,680 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $117,750 | 230 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 34,630 | $104,890 |
| California | 30,530 | $130,900 |
| Texas | 22,080 | $112,410 |
| Ohio | 14,390 | $99,100 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,550 | $97,920 |
| Illinois | 11,790 | $102,680 |
| Florida | 10,740 | $99,980 |
| North Carolina | 9,560 | $100,720 |
| Indiana | 8,690 | $99,590 |
| New York | 8,590 | $102,440 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $168,030 | 5,540 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $161,370 | 5,150 |
| 3 | Baton Rouge, LA | $135,530 | 540 |
| 4 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $132,920 | 190 |
| 5 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $128,740 | 980 |
| 6 | Peoria, IL | $128,710 | 2,120 |
| 7 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $128,180 | 4,530 |
| 8 | Columbus, IN | $127,700 | 1,000 |
| 9 | Lexington Park, MD | $127,650 | 670 |
| 10 | Ann Arbor, MI | $127,310 | 2,280 |
| 11 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $126,990 | 5,390 |
| 12 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $126,590 | 4,500 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 22,500 | $109,470 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 8,780 | $123,900 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 8,310 | $125,350 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,960 | $109,990 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,900 | $102,070 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 6,890 | $119,300 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,600 | $105,420 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 5,540 | $168,030 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,390 | $126,990 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,150 | $161,370 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,850 | $104,410 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 4,530 | $128,180 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)7,640 certified filingsMedian offered wage $110,266
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)1,447 certified filingsMedian offered wage $108,150
Mechanical Engineers pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
- Aerospace Engineers
- Agricultural Engineers
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Civil Engineers
- Computer Hardware Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Environmental Engineers
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
- Industrial Engineers
- Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
Frequently asked questions
- How much do mechanical engineers make?
- The median wage for mechanical engineers in the U.S. is $104,110 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $84,130 and $132,590.
- Which state pays mechanical engineers the most?
- New Mexico has the highest median wage for this occupation at $157,710 a year.
- What is the job outlook for mechanical engineers?
- BLS projects employment to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 17,800 openings each year on average.
- What education do mechanical engineers need?
- The typical entry-level education is: bachelor's degree.