How much does a mechanical engineer make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $50.05 an hour or $8,676 a month.
- Hourly
- $50.05
- Average (mean)
- $113,600
- Jobs
- 296,810
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $73,990 | $35.57 | |
| 25th | $84,130 | $40.45 | |
| Median | $104,100 | $50.05 | |
| 75th | $132,600 | $63.75 | |
| 90th | $164,300 | $79.01 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| New Mexico | $157,700 |
| District of Columbia | $133,300 |
| California | $130,900 |
| Delaware | $125,100 |
| Colorado | $124,400 |
| Alaska | $124,300 |
| Maryland | $122,900 |
| Louisiana | $119,500 |
| Massachusetts | $119,300 |
| Wyoming | $117,800 |
| Rhode Island | $116,200 |
| Texas | $112,400 |
| New Jersey | $112,300 |
| Washington | $110,400 |
| Vermont | $107,300 |
| Connecticut | $105,100 |
| Michigan | $104,900 |
| South Carolina | $104,600 |
| Virginia | $104,200 |
| New Hampshire | $103,700 |
| Oregon | $103,500 |
| Illinois | $102,700 |
| Nevada | $102,700 |
| Utah | $102,500 |
| New York | $102,400 |
| Maine | $102,400 |
| Oklahoma | $101,900 |
| Kentucky | $101,100 |
| North Carolina | $100,700 |
| Georgia | $100,600 |
| Arizona | $100,300 |
| Alabama | $100,200 |
| Florida | $99,980 |
| Indiana | $99,590 |
| Tennessee | $99,550 |
| Missouri | $99,330 |
| Minnesota | $99,140 |
| Ohio | $99,100 |
| Hawaii | $98,740 |
| Mississippi | $98,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,920 |
| Iowa | $97,700 |
| West Virginia | $97,390 |
| Wisconsin | $95,870 |
| Montana | $94,190 |
| Idaho | $93,190 |
| South Dakota | $88,380 |
| Nebraska | $88,060 |
| North Dakota | $86,330 |
| Kansas | $86,260 |
| Arkansas | $80,180 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $168,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | $161,400 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $135,500 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $132,900 |
| Salinas, CA | $132,600 |
| Augusta, GA | $128,700 |
| Peoria, IL | $128,700 |
| Denver, CO | $128,200 |
| Columbus, IN | $127,700 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $127,700 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $127,300 |
| Washington, DC | $127,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $126,600 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $126,100 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $125,800 |
In other countries
Mechanical Engineer belongs to the international group "Mechanical engineers".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Health and Safety Engineer$115,200
- Industrial Engineer$102,400
- Marine Engineer and Naval Architect$112,200
- Materials Engineer$112,900
- Mining and Geological Engineer$106,200
- Nuclear Engineer$134,000
- Petroleum Engineer$144,900
- Engineer$122,900
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $50.05 ($104,100 a year).
How much does a mechanical engineer make a month?
About $8,676 a month before tax, based on a median of $104,100 a year.
How much does a mechanical engineer make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $73,990 or less a year ($35.57 an hour); the top 10% make $164,300 or more.
Which state pays mechanical engineers the most?
New Mexico, with a median of $157,700 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($133,300) and California ($130,900).
Which city pays mechanical engineers the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $168,000 a year.
How many mechanical engineers are there in the United States?
About 296,810 people work as mechanical engineers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.