Mechanical engineers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $73,990 | $35.57 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $104,110 | $50.05 |
| Mean (average) | $113,610 | $54.62 |
| 90th percentile | $164,340 | $79.01 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Mechanical engineers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $100,230 | $72,110 | $162,420 | ||
| Alaska | $124,340 | $76,890 | $174,320 | 380 | 0.61 |
| Arizona | $100,270 | $71,030 | $159,040 | 5,050 | 0.82 |
| Arkansas | $80,180 | $57,650 | $131,840 | 1,410 | 0.56 |
| California | $130,900 | $82,070 | $203,620 | 30,530 | 0.88 |
| Colorado | $124,430 | $75,100 | $170,810 | 7,190 | 1.31 |
| Connecticut | $105,090 | $77,340 | $157,980 | 4,600 | 1.42 |
| Delaware | $125,130 | $65,890 | $168,180 | 610 | 0.66 |
| District of Columbia | $133,300 | $86,820 | $195,190 | 510 | 0.38 |
| Florida | $99,980 | $66,260 | $153,950 | 10,740 | 0.57 |
| Georgia | $100,620 | $71,940 | $156,320 | 5,290 | 0.57 |
| Guam | $61,510 | $49,700 | $103,300 | 140 | 1.07 |
| Hawaii | $98,740 | $66,110 | $141,500 | 530 | 0.44 |
| Idaho | $93,190 | $63,660 | $141,020 | 1,070 | 0.65 |
| Illinois | $102,680 | $72,150 | $160,160 | 11,790 | 1.01 |
| Indiana | $99,590 | $66,330 | $143,090 | 8,690 | 1.42 |
| Iowa | $97,700 | $71,050 | $137,540 | 3,470 | 1.17 |
| Kansas | $86,260 | $72,210 | $131,660 | 4,630 | 1.69 |
| Kentucky | $101,050 | $65,370 | $139,810 | 4,170 | 1.09 |
| Louisiana | $119,540 | $70,350 | $181,550 | 1,890 | 0.51 |
| Maine | $102,430 | $78,440 | $137,280 | 890 | 0.72 |
| Maryland | $122,870 | $79,670 | $176,680 | 6,550 | 1.24 |
| Massachusetts | $119,300 | $79,570 | $166,480 | 7,680 | 1.11 |
| Michigan | $104,890 | $76,310 | $159,840 | 34,630 | 4.12 |
| Minnesota | $99,140 | $75,870 | $151,580 | 5,890 | 1.05 |
| Mississippi | $98,000 | $62,210 | $136,990 | 1,570 | 0.71 |
| Missouri | $99,330 | $64,750 | $142,100 | 4,870 | 0.87 |
| Montana | $94,190 | $65,820 | $133,270 | 500 | 0.51 |
| Nebraska | $88,060 | $61,860 | $136,870 | 950 | 0.49 |
| Nevada | $102,680 | $75,960 | $160,210 | 1,410 | 0.48 |
| New Hampshire | $103,660 | $72,740 | $165,500 | 2,760 | 2.12 |
| New Jersey | $112,300 | $79,160 | $162,800 | 4,180 | 0.51 |
| New Mexico | $157,710 | $103,780 | $203,140 | 2,710 | 1.63 |
| New York | $102,440 | $74,990 | $160,220 | 8,590 | 0.46 |
| North Carolina | $100,720 | $71,260 | $155,550 | 9,560 | 1.01 |
| North Dakota | $86,330 | $63,930 | $136,060 | 790 | 0.96 |
| Ohio | $99,100 | $69,160 | $138,020 | 14,390 | 1.36 |
| Oklahoma | $101,850 | $70,070 | $136,110 | 2,270 | 0.7 |
| Oregon | $103,470 | $78,100 | $162,550 | 2,920 | 0.78 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,920 | $65,770 | $150,950 | 13,550 | 1.17 |
| Puerto Rico | $72,240 | $48,880 | $131,550 | 490 | 0.27 |
| Rhode Island | $116,230 | $79,000 | $195,190 | 1,560 | 1.63 |
| South Carolina | $104,580 | $74,260 | $166,340 | 5,780 | 1.31 |
| South Dakota | $88,380 | $65,130 | $134,140 | 560 | 0.64 |
| Tennessee | $99,550 | $64,150 | $156,150 | 3,930 | 0.63 |
| Texas | $112,410 | $75,810 | $175,210 | 22,080 | 0.82 |
| Utah | $102,500 | $73,070 | $160,640 | 3,370 | 1.02 |
| Vermont | $107,330 | $83,820 | $150,380 | 530 | 0.92 |
| Virginia | $104,180 | $77,840 | $160,770 | 7,470 | 0.95 |
| Washington | $110,430 | $79,400 | $167,680 | 8,240 | 1.22 |
| West Virginia | $97,390 | $64,640 | $143,030 | 760 | 0.57 |
| Wisconsin | $95,870 | $64,850 | $130,360 | 7,470 | 1.33 |
| Wyoming | $117,750 | $71,730 | $151,810 | 230 | 0.44 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for mechanical engineers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 17,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.5%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for mechanical engineers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Engineering Mechanics CIP 14.1101
- Mechanical Engineering CIP 14.1901
- Electromechanical Engineering CIP 14.4101
Licenses and certifications
Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam
National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
Professional Engineer (PE) License
National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
- Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
- Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
- Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
- Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and recommend remedial actions.
- Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
- Research and analyze customer design proposals, specifications, manuals, or other data to evaluate the feasibility, cost, or maintenance requirements of designs or applications.
- Provide technical customer service.
Technology skills
- Autodesk AutoCAD (in demand)
- Autodesk Revit (in demand)
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Python (in demand)
- PTC Creo Parametric (in demand)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- C (hot technology)
- C++ (hot technology)
- Chef (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Operations Analysis, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Technology Design.
Common job titles: Application Engineer, Design Engineer, Equipment Engineer, Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanical Designer, Mechanical Engineer, Product Development Engineer, Product Engineer, Project Engineer, Test Engineer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do mechanical engineers make?
The national median annual wage for mechanical engineers was $104,110 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $73,990 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $164,340. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do mechanical engineers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is mechanical engineers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of mechanical engineers to change +11.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 17,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay mechanical engineers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New Mexico ($157,710), District of Columbia ($133,300), California ($130,900). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.