Mechanical Engineers salary
Engineering · OCC code 17-2141 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Mechanical Engineers in the US earn a median of $102,320 per year (mean $110,080) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +106.7% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, well above the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $81,800 and $130,290; the top 10% earn $161,240 or more. The median hourly wage is $49.19. About 286,760 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is New Mexico ($141,490). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Mechanical Engineers pay range (national percentiles)
What mechanical engineers earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $68,740 |
| 25th percentile | $81,800 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $102,320 |
| Mean (average) | $110,080 |
| 75th percentile | $130,290 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $161,240 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Mechanical Engineers salary by state
Median and mean wage for mechanical engineers in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $102,320.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $141,490 | $135,530 | 1,690 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $130,000 | $136,300 | 590 |
| 3 | Alaska | $129,990 | $120,920 | 530 |
| 4 | California | $126,370 | $131,130 | 27,090 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $122,670 | $120,650 | 9,430 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $116,910 | $111,180 | 300 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $115,270 | $122,900 | 1,400 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $114,050 | $117,410 | 1,650 |
| 9 | Maryland | $111,740 | $119,120 | 6,330 |
| 10 | Washington | $109,370 | $118,750 | 9,350 |
| 11 | Texas | $108,240 | $119,350 | 18,790 |
| 12 | Colorado | $108,060 | $120,890 | 6,850 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $107,020 | $112,560 | 4,440 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $106,600 | $112,460 | 5,310 |
| 15 | Delaware | $106,020 | $114,420 | 530 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $105,360 | $107,690 | 5,060 |
| 17 | New York | $105,130 | $114,910 | 8,420 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $103,890 | $109,960 | 2,580 |
| 19 | Idaho | $103,660 | $108,170 | 970 |
| 20 | Michigan | $102,730 | $106,150 | 31,830 |
| 21 | Arizona | $102,510 | $109,580 | 5,440 |
| 22 | Maine | $101,500 | $104,660 | 940 |
| 23 | Oregon | $101,290 | $107,750 | 3,080 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $100,990 | $106,210 | 9,390 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $100,610 | $100,800 | 860 |
| 26 | Vermont | $100,520 | $105,090 | 530 |
| 27 | Illinois | $99,730 | $104,460 | 9,920 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $99,410 | $103,340 | 3,050 |
| 29 | Virginia | $99,350 | $105,240 | 7,960 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $99,330 | $101,260 | 3,680 |
| 31 | Montana | $99,250 | $100,100 | 580 |
| 32 | Indiana | $99,200 | $103,430 | 8,650 |
| 33 | Utah | $99,050 | $102,810 | 3,540 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $98,980 | $105,650 | 5,970 |
| 35 | Nevada | $98,110 | $104,090 | 1,090 |
| 36 | Iowa | $97,570 | $99,070 | 4,230 |
| 37 | Alabama | $97,550 | $106,090 | 5,480 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $97,450 | $103,660 | 14,300 |
| 39 | Florida | $97,190 | $101,870 | 8,860 |
| 40 | Georgia | $96,820 | $108,100 | 5,180 |
| 41 | Ohio | $96,330 | $97,970 | 16,420 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $95,250 | $101,040 | 460 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $94,820 | $97,360 | 8,060 |
| 44 | Missouri | $91,890 | $95,250 | 3,950 |
| 45 | Kansas | $91,770 | $94,780 | 4,120 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $90,730 | $96,510 | 1,210 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $90,590 | $96,180 | 680 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $90,510 | $98,530 | 2,250 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $84,020 | $92,000 | 770 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $82,510 | $90,490 | 860 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $78,570 | $84,370 | 1,150 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: New Mexico ($141,490). Lowest: Arkansas ($78,570).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineers (this job) | $102,320 | $110,080 | +106.7% |
| Personal Financial Advisors | $102,140 | $160,210 | +106.3% |
| Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary | $101,480 | $110,360 | +105.0% |
| Statisticians | $103,300 | $112,330 | +108.7% |
| Management Analysts | $101,190 | $114,710 | +104.4% |
| Industrial Engineers | $101,140 | $107,900 | +104.3% |
Personal Financial Advisors · Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary · Statisticians · Management Analysts · Industrial Engineers
Frequently asked questions
How much do mechanical engineers make?
Mechanical Engineers earn a national median of $102,320 per year (mean $110,080) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $81,800 (25th percentile) and $130,290 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $161,240 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $68,740. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for mechanical engineers?
The median hourly wage is $49.19 and the mean is $52.92 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays mechanical engineers the most?
New Mexico has the highest median wage for mechanical engineers at $141,490, versus a national median of $102,320. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many mechanical engineers are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 286,760 mechanical engineers are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #32 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 17-2141), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20