SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 17-2141.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $73,990 | $6,166 | $1,423 | $35.57 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $84,130 | $7,011 | $1,618 | $40.45 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $104,110 | $8,676 | $2,002 | $50.05 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $132,590 | $11,049 | $2,550 | $63.75 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $164,340 | $13,695 | $3,160 | $79.01 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Mechanical Engineers is $104,110, which is 104% higher. Among the 36 occupations of the field Architecture and Engineering, it ranks number 15 by median pay. With 296,810 jobs, it makes up about 19 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Mechanical Engineers pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Mexico ($157,710), District of Columbia ($133,300) and California ($130,900). The lowest was in Guam ($61,510), Puerto Rico ($72,240) and Arkansas ($80,180). The most jobs were in Michigan (34,630), California (30,530) and Texas (22,080). The occupation is most concentrated in Michigan, where its share of all jobs is 4.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 2,710 | $157,710 | $152,430 | $75.82 |
| District of Columbia | 510 | $133,300 | $138,500 | $64.09 |
| California | 30,530 | $130,900 | $136,660 | $62.94 |
| Delaware | 610 | $125,130 | $117,710 | $60.16 |
| Colorado | 7,190 | $124,430 | $124,410 | $59.82 |
| Alaska | 380 | $124,340 | $126,160 | $59.78 |
| Maryland | 6,550 | $122,870 | $125,850 | $59.07 |
| Louisiana | 1,890 | $119,540 | $120,520 | $57.47 |
| Massachusetts | 7,680 | $119,300 | $121,430 | $57.36 |
| Wyoming | 230 | $117,750 | $117,060 | $56.61 |
| Rhode Island | 1,560 | $116,230 | $124,290 | $55.88 |
| Texas | 22,080 | $112,410 | $121,510 | $54.05 |
| New Jersey | 4,180 | $112,300 | $116,640 | $53.99 |
| Washington | 8,240 | $110,430 | $121,370 | $53.09 |
| Vermont | 530 | $107,330 | $112,260 | $51.60 |
| Connecticut | 4,600 | $105,090 | $111,530 | $50.52 |
| Michigan | 34,630 | $104,890 | $112,320 | $50.43 |
| South Carolina | 5,780 | $104,580 | $113,690 | $50.28 |
| Virginia | 7,470 | $104,180 | $114,770 | $50.09 |
| New Hampshire | 2,760 | $103,660 | $110,940 | $49.84 |
| Oregon | 2,920 | $103,470 | $115,090 | $49.74 |
| Illinois | 11,790 | $102,680 | $111,380 | $49.37 |
| Nevada | 1,410 | $102,680 | $110,180 | $49.37 |
| Utah | 3,370 | $102,500 | $107,410 | $49.28 |
| New York | 8,590 | $102,440 | $110,270 | $49.25 |
| Maine | 890 | $102,430 | $107,220 | $49.25 |
| Oklahoma | 2,270 | $101,850 | $105,410 | $48.97 |
| Kentucky | 4,170 | $101,050 | $103,320 | $48.58 |
| North Carolina | 9,560 | $100,720 | $107,350 | $48.42 |
| Georgia | 5,290 | $100,620 | $109,650 | $48.37 |
| Arizona | 5,050 | $100,270 | $107,220 | $48.21 |
| Alabama | not published | $100,230 | $109,330 | $48.19 |
| Florida | 10,740 | $99,980 | $105,800 | $48.07 |
| Indiana | 8,690 | $99,590 | $104,670 | $47.88 |
| Tennessee | 3,930 | $99,550 | $104,790 | $47.86 |
| Missouri | 4,870 | $99,330 | $101,340 | $47.75 |
| Minnesota | 5,890 | $99,140 | $106,060 | $47.66 |
| Ohio | 14,390 | $99,100 | $101,320 | $47.64 |
| Hawaii | 530 | $98,740 | $103,410 | $47.47 |
| Mississippi | 1,570 | $98,000 | $100,690 | $47.12 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,550 | $97,920 | $103,740 | $47.08 |
| Iowa | 3,470 | $97,700 | $99,230 | $46.97 |
| West Virginia | 760 | $97,390 | $101,310 | $46.82 |
| Wisconsin | 7,470 | $95,870 | $96,750 | $46.09 |
| Montana | 500 | $94,190 | $98,660 | $45.28 |
| Idaho | 1,070 | $93,190 | $98,430 | $44.80 |
| South Dakota | 560 | $88,380 | $95,080 | $42.49 |
| Nebraska | 950 | $88,060 | $96,820 | $42.34 |
| North Dakota | 790 | $86,330 | $96,400 | $41.51 |
| Kansas | 4,630 | $86,260 | $97,840 | $41.47 |
| Arkansas | 1,410 | $80,180 | $88,340 | $38.55 |
| Puerto Rico | 490 | $72,240 | $77,880 | $34.73 |
| Guam | 140 | $61,510 | $68,920 | $29.57 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$109,370 a year
- Environmental Engineers$107,110 a year
- Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers$106,220 a year
- Industrial Engineers$102,440 a year
- Civil Engineers$100,840 a year
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval$99,280 a year
Common questions
How much do Mechanical Engineers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $104,110 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $73,990 and the highest-paid 10% more than $164,340.
How many people work as Mechanical Engineers?
About 296,810 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.