Mechanical Engineers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for mechanical engineerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $113,610 ≈ $55/hr
National median salary $104,110
Total employment 296,810 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +9.1%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 18,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 293,100 → 319,600 (+26,500)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- New Mexico$152,430
- District of Columbia$138,500
- California$136,660
- Alaska$126,160
- Maryland$125,850
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$88,340
- South Dakota$95,080
- North Dakota$96,400
- Wisconsin$96,750
- Nebraska$96,820
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $152,430 | $157,710 | $73 | +34.2% | 2,710 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $138,500 | $133,300 | $67 | +21.9% | 510 |
| 3 | California | $136,660 | $130,900 | $66 | +20.3% | 30,530 |
| 4 | Alaska | $126,160 | $124,340 | $61 | +11% | 380 |
| 5 | Maryland | $125,850 | $122,870 | $61 | +10.8% | 6,550 |
| 6 | Colorado | $124,410 | $124,430 | $60 | +9.5% | 7,190 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $124,290 | $116,230 | $60 | +9.4% | 1,560 |
| 8 | Texas | $121,510 | $112,410 | $58 | +7% | 22,080 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $121,430 | $119,300 | $58 | +6.9% | 7,680 |
| 10 | Washington | $121,370 | $110,430 | $58 | +6.8% | 8,240 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $120,520 | $119,540 | $58 | +6.1% | 1,890 |
| 12 | Delaware | $117,710 | $125,130 | $57 | +3.6% | 610 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $117,060 | $117,750 | $56 | +3% | 230 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $116,640 | $112,300 | $56 | +2.7% | 4,180 |
| 15 | Oregon | $115,090 | $103,470 | $55 | +1.3% | 2,920 |
| 16 | Virginia | $114,770 | $104,180 | $55 | +1% | 7,470 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $113,690 | $104,580 | $55 | +0.1% | 5,780 |
| 18 | Michigan | $112,320 | $104,890 | $54 | -1.1% | 34,630 |
| 19 | Vermont | $112,260 | $107,330 | $54 | -1.2% | 530 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $111,530 | $105,090 | $54 | -1.8% | 4,600 |
| 21 | Illinois | $111,380 | $102,680 | $54 | -2% | 11,790 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $110,940 | $103,660 | $53 | -2.4% | 2,760 |
| 23 | New York | $110,270 | $102,440 | $53 | -2.9% | 8,590 |
| 24 | Nevada | $110,180 | $102,680 | $53 | -3% | 1,410 |
| 25 | Georgia | $109,650 | $100,620 | $53 | -3.5% | 5,290 |
| 26 | Alabama | $109,330 | $100,230 | $53 | -3.8% | — |
| 27 | Utah | $107,410 | $102,500 | $52 | -5.5% | 3,370 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $107,350 | $100,720 | $52 | -5.5% | 9,560 |
| 29 | Arizona | $107,220 | $100,270 | $52 | -5.6% | 5,050 |
| 30 | Maine | $107,220 | $102,430 | $52 | -5.6% | 890 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $106,060 | $99,140 | $51 | -6.6% | 5,890 |
| 32 | Florida | $105,800 | $99,980 | $51 | -6.9% | 10,740 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $105,410 | $101,850 | $51 | -7.2% | 2,270 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $104,790 | $99,550 | $50 | -7.8% | 3,930 |
| 35 | Indiana | $104,670 | $99,590 | $50 | -7.9% | 8,690 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $103,740 | $97,920 | $50 | -8.7% | 13,550 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $103,410 | $98,740 | $50 | -9% | 530 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $103,320 | $101,050 | $50 | -9.1% | 4,170 |
| 39 | Missouri | $101,340 | $99,330 | $49 | -10.8% | 4,870 |
| 40 | Ohio | $101,320 | $99,100 | $49 | -10.8% | 14,390 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $101,310 | $97,390 | $49 | -10.8% | 760 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $100,690 | $98,000 | $48 | -11.4% | 1,570 |
| 43 | Iowa | $99,230 | $97,700 | $48 | -12.7% | 3,470 |
| 44 | Montana | $98,660 | $94,190 | $47 | -13.2% | 500 |
| 45 | Idaho | $98,430 | $93,190 | $47 | -13.4% | 1,070 |
| 46 | Kansas | $97,840 | $86,260 | $47 | -13.9% | 4,630 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $96,820 | $88,060 | $47 | -14.8% | 950 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $96,750 | $95,870 | $47 | -14.8% | 7,470 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $96,400 | $86,330 | $46 | -15.1% | 790 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $95,080 | $88,380 | $46 | -16.3% | 560 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $88,340 | $80,180 | $42 | -22.2% | 1,410 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 471 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $168,030 | $165,920 | 5,540 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $161,370 | $158,690 | 5,150 |
| 3 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $157,710 | $159,370 | 1,120 |
| 4 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $139,320 | $129,630 | 50 |
| 5 | Baton Rouge, LA | $135,530 | $136,970 | 540 |
| 6 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $132,920 | $139,810 | 190 |
| 7 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $132,790 | $136,230 | 60 |
| 8 | Salinas, CA | $132,560 | $128,240 | 70 |
| 9 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $129,750 | $126,770 | 390 |
| 10 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $128,740 | $137,040 | 980 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing mechanical engineerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sector 51 - Information | $175,610 | $167,600 | 1,130 |
| 2 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $169,020 | $183,860 | 760 |
| 3 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $169,020 | $183,860 | 760 |
| 4 | Natural Gas Distribution | $168,170 | $153,340 | 890 |
| 5 | Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil | $141,340 | $148,700 | 50 |
| 6 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $140,600 | $145,180 | 740 |
| 7 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $140,600 | $145,180 | 740 |
| 8 | Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $138,030 | $133,620 | 110 |
| 9 | Sector 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $138,030 | $152,630 | 1,420 |
| 10 | Utilities | $135,150 | $136,970 | 1,870 |
| 11 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $135,150 | $136,970 | 1,870 |
| 12 | Solar Electric Power Generation | $132,270 | $141,670 | 110 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do mechanical engineers make in the U.S.?
The median mechanical engineers salary in the United States is $104,110 per year (mean $113,610), and about 80% earn between $73,990 and $164,340.
How much do mechanical engineers make per hour?
Roughly $55 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $113,610 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays mechanical engineers the most?
New Mexico has the highest average pay for mechanical engineers at $152,430 per year (median $157,710).
What is the job outlook for mechanical engineers?
Employment is projected to change +9.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 18,100 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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