Mechanical Engineer salary in the U.S.
Mechanical Engineers in the U.S. earn a median of $104,110 a year ($50.05 an hour), based on BLS data for 296,810 workers.
Pay ranges from $73,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $164,340 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $113,610, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for mechanical engineers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $73,990 | $35.57 |
| 25th percentile | $84,130 | $40.45 |
| Median | $104,110 | $50.05 |
| 75th percentile | $132,590 | $63.75 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $164,340 | $79.01 |
| Average (mean) | $113,610 | $54.62 |
Half of mechanical engineers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,675.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,337.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,004.23 |
| Weekly | $2,002.12 |
| Hourly | $50.05 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Mechanical Engineer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $157,710 | 2,710 |
| District of Columbia | $133,300 | 510 |
| California | $130,900 | 30,530 |
| Delaware | $125,130 | 610 |
| Colorado | $124,430 | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $124,340 | 380 |
| Maryland | $122,870 | 6,550 |
| Louisiana | $119,540 | 1,890 |
| Massachusetts | $119,300 | 7,680 |
| Wyoming | $117,750 | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $116,230 | 1,560 |
| Texas | $112,410 | 22,080 |
| New Jersey | $112,300 | 4,180 |
| Washington | $110,430 | 8,240 |
| Vermont | $107,330 | 530 |
| Connecticut | $105,090 | 4,600 |
| Michigan | $104,890 | 34,630 |
| South Carolina | $104,580 | 5,780 |
| Virginia | $104,180 | 7,470 |
| New Hampshire | $103,660 | 2,760 |
| Oregon | $103,470 | 2,920 |
| Illinois | $102,680 | 11,790 |
| Nevada | $102,680 | 1,410 |
| Utah | $102,500 | 3,370 |
| New York | $102,440 | 8,590 |
| Maine | $102,430 | 890 |
| Oklahoma | $101,850 | 2,270 |
| Kentucky | $101,050 | 4,170 |
| North Carolina | $100,720 | 9,560 |
| Georgia | $100,620 | 5,290 |
| Arizona | $100,270 | 5,050 |
| Alabama | $100,230 | n/a |
| Florida | $99,980 | 10,740 |
| Indiana | $99,590 | 8,690 |
| Tennessee | $99,550 | 3,930 |
| Missouri | $99,330 | 4,870 |
| Minnesota | $99,140 | 5,890 |
| Ohio | $99,100 | 14,390 |
| Hawaii | $98,740 | 530 |
| Mississippi | $98,000 | 1,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,920 | 13,550 |
| Iowa | $97,700 | 3,470 |
| West Virginia | $97,390 | 760 |
| Wisconsin | $95,870 | 7,470 |
| Montana | $94,190 | 500 |
| Idaho | $93,190 | 1,070 |
| South Dakota | $88,380 | 560 |
| Nebraska | $88,060 | 950 |
| North Dakota | $86,330 | 790 |
| Kansas | $86,260 | 4,630 |
| Arkansas | $80,180 | 1,410 |
| Puerto Rico | $72,240 | 490 |
| Guam | $61,510 | 140 |
Best-paying metro areas for mechanical engineers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $168,030 | 5,540 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $161,370 | 5,150 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $135,530 | 540 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $132,920 | 190 |
| Salinas, CA | $132,560 | 70 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $128,740 | 980 |
| Peoria, IL | $128,710 | 2,120 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $128,180 | 4,530 |
| Columbus, IN | $127,700 | 1,000 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $127,650 | 670 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $127,310 | 2,280 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $126,990 | 5,390 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $126,590 | 4,500 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $126,090 | 110 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $125,780 | 650 |
Metro areas with the most mechanical engineers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 4,500 | $126,590 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,450 | $101,180 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 4,330 | $99,630 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 | $48.48 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 | $49.25 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 | $58.00 |
| Engineers, All Other | $122,930 | $59.10 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $130,220 | $62.60 |
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $161,740 | $77.76 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 | $64.89 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 | $51.50 |
| Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | $109,370 | $52.58 |
| Materials Engineer | $112,860 | $54.26 |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | $115,160 | $55.36 |
| Chemical Engineer | $125,040 | $60.12 |
| Petroleum Engineer | $144,910 | $69.67 |
| Nuclear Engineer | $133,970 | $64.41 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 17-2141. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for mechanical engineers in the U.S. is $104,110 a year, or $50.05 an hour. Pay ranges from $73,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $164,340 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid mechanical engineers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of mechanical engineers in the U.S. earn at least $164,340 a year. The top 25% earn $132,590 or more.
What is the starting pay for mechanical engineers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $73,990 a year, and a quarter of mechanical engineers earn $84,130 or less.
How many mechanical engineers work in the U.S.?
About 296,810 mechanical engineers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.