How much does a mechanical engineer make in Durham?
$101,700a year
Median yearly pay for mechanical engineers in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area. That is $48.87 an hour or $8,471 a month.
- Hourly
- $48.87
- Vs. national median
- -2%
- Rank among cities
- 131 of 346
- Jobs in the area
- 620
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $77,410Median: $101,700Highest 10%: $164,800
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $77,410 | $37.22 | |
| 25th | $84,750 | $40.75 | |
| Median | $101,700 | $48.87 | |
| 75th | $129,300 | $62.17 | |
| 90th | $164,800 | $79.24 |
Other cities in North Carolina
Median yearly pay for mechanical engineers.
| Greensboro, NC | $109,500 |
| Asheville, NC | $108,600 |
| Greenville, NC | $108,300 |
| Charlotte, NC | $102,000 |
| Wilmington, NC | $101,100 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $100,300 |
| Raleigh, NC | $100,000 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $99,780 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $99,700 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $98,040 |
| Burlington, NC | $95,870 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $95,600 |
| Hickory, NC | $89,960 |
Related jobs in Durham
Same field, median yearly pay.
| Computer Hardware Engineer | $175,100 |
| Electronics Engineer | $155,700 |
| Electrical Engineer | $129,000 |
| Engineer | $127,700 |
| Chemical Engineer | $117,400 |
| Materials Engineer | $117,000 |
| Health and Safety Engineer | $116,800 |
| Environmental Engineer | $108,000 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,900 |
| Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer | $99,050 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make an hour in Durham?
The median hourly pay in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area is $48.87 ($101,700 a year).
Do mechanical engineers make more in Durham than the national average?
No: $101,700 against $104,100 nationally, 2% less.
How does Durham compare with the rest of North Carolina?
The median in North Carolina is $100,700, so Durham pays 1% more.
Where does Durham rank for mechanical engineer pay?
131 of 346 metro areas with data.
How much does a mechanical engineer make starting out in Durham?
The lowest-paid 10% make $77,410 or less a year; the top 10% make $164,800 or more.
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.