Engineering · 69 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Mechanical Engineer (2025)

The median Mechanical Engineer salary is $168,030 in San Jose, CA, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Houston, TX offers the best purchasing power at $129,896 adjusted.

The 69 cities below are ranked by median wage for Mechanical Engineer, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Mechanical Engineer relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$107,372

National Median

$168,030

Highest City

$85,490

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	San Jose, CA	$168,030	$105,400, $217,530	195.8	$85,817	5,540
2	San Francisco, CA	$161,370	$102,710, $212,380	179.6	$89,850	5,150
3	Denver, CO	$128,180	$74,880, $168,850	112.8	$113,635	4,530
4	Washington, DC	$126,990	$85,760, $195,190	152.8	$83,109	5,390
5	Seattle, WA	$126,590	$81,730, $172,490	149.4	$84,732	4,500
6	Bridgeport, CT	$125,780	$77,630, $157,980	137.5	$91,476	650
7	Houston, TX	$125,350	$79,470, $198,730	96.5	$129,896	8,310
8	Los Angeles, CA	$123,900	$77,040, $173,340	166	$74,639	8,780
9	San Diego, CA	$121,750	$81,460, $172,760	160.2	$75,999	3,370
10	Anchorage, AK	$121,610	$76,660, $166,530	127	$95,756	270
11	Sacramento, CA	$120,970	$82,990, $170,600	124.7	$97,009	1,480
12	Bakersfield, CA	$119,790	$78,490, $171,540	100.6	$119,076	560
13	Boston, MA	$119,300	$80,280, $166,900	152.1	$78,435	6,890
14	New Orleans, LA	$117,990	$75,340, $170,810	95.9	$123,034	530
15	Baltimore, MD	$116,700	$76,900, $174,920	114.2	$102,189	3,050
16	Providence, RI	$111,360	$77,600, $180,710	119.4	$93,266	1,750
17	New York, NY	$109,990	$79,520, $165,010	187.2	$58,755	6,960
18	Greensboro, NC	$109,540	$78,710, $137,040	91.3	$119,978	1,260
19	Detroit, MI	$109,470	$79,880, $161,030	95.1	$115,110	22,500
20	Colorado Springs, CO	$109,370	$76,700, $164,820	104.5	$104,660	500
21	Albany, NY	$108,310	$76,270, $165,360	100.7	$107,557	930
22	Las Vegas, NV	$107,600	$76,420, $162,280	109	$98,716	640
23	Tulsa, OK	$107,440	$70,710, $140,510	86.8	$123,779	1,060
24	Austin, TX	$106,690	$68,080, $173,210	103	$103,583	1,790
25	Hartford, CT	$105,980	$77,150, $160,770	112.6	$94,121	1,690
26	Dallas, TX	$105,420	$76,530, $167,140	104.1	$101,268	5,600
27	Portland, OR	$105,020	$78,210, $165,040	130.1	$80,723	2,520
28	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$104,910	$66,390, $157,640	122.4	$85,711	1,420
29	San Antonio, TX	$104,620	$74,340, $159,670	91.5	$114,339	1,480
30	Philadelphia, PA	$104,410	$75,160, $157,920	118.4	$88,184	4,850
31	Cincinnati, OH	$104,220	$76,290, $168,520	91.2	$114,276	3,310
32	Richmond, VA	$104,130	$73,990, $139,800	102.1	$101,988	640
33	Memphis, TN	$104,110	$70,630, $150,400	84	$123,940	390
34	Lexington, KY	$103,820	$68,490, $139,810	91.3	$113,713	900
35	Orlando, FL	$103,380	$72,620, $140,050	103.1	$100,272	1,720
36	Chicago, IL	$102,070	$66,900, $157,720	107.3	$95,126	6,900
37	Atlanta, GA	$102,020	$72,800, $165,990	99.2	$102,843	3,070
38	Charlotte, NC	$101,950	$74,530, $157,120	96.7	$105,429	2,470
39	Greenville, SC	$101,570	$78,820, $165,710	90.1	$112,730	1,800
40	Reno, NV	$101,520	$74,360, $158,440	106.5	$95,324	570
41	Salt Lake City, UT	$101,500	$69,820, $160,140	101.4	$100,099	1,600
42	Minneapolis, MN	$101,180	$76,620, $156,540	106.2	$95,273	4,450
43	Phoenix, AZ	$100,980	$69,980, $159,920	100.7	$100,278	3,660
44	Columbus, OH	$100,730	$71,870, $131,390	93.1	$108,195	2,630
45	St. Louis, MO	$100,340	$65,900, $149,060	90	$111,489	2,190
46	Tampa, FL	$100,290	$68,290, $159,050	99.6	$100,693	1,220
47	Rochester, NY	$100,160	$69,810, $135,730	92.9	$107,815	1,040
48	Raleigh, NC	$100,000	$59,220, $160,170	99.8	$100,200	1,810
49	Tucson, AZ	$99,750	$75,990, $155,280	95.4	$104,560	980
50	Madison, WI	$99,680	$76,040, $133,820	103.8	$96,031	770
51	Miami, FL	$99,660	$62,680, $160,510	123.1	$80,959	2,000
52	Kansas City, MO	$99,630	$78,070, $136,650	95.4	$104,434	4,330
53	Jacksonville, FL	$99,500	$67,920, $152,090	95.1	$104,627	1,210
54	Nashville, TN	$99,440	$52,670, $145,990	100.3	$99,143	990
55	Louisville, KY	$99,290	$65,240, $149,940	90.2	$110,078	1,320
56	Knoxville, TN	$99,070	$63,200, $148,980	90.3	$109,712	760
57	Birmingham, AL	$98,810	$61,470, $157,890	90.4	$109,303	780
58	Fresno, CA	$98,740	$63,440, $163,130	105.5	$93,592	260
59	Milwaukee, WI	$98,730	$65,390, $132,600	97.4	$101,366	2,200
60	Indianapolis, IN	$98,680	$68,550, $154,450	90.1	$109,523	2,140
61	Spokane, WA	$98,670	$74,790, $148,920	97.4	$101,304	450
62	Pittsburgh, PA	$98,050	$65,580, $143,000	92.3	$106,230	3,470
63	Buffalo, NY	$97,200	$65,460, $133,170	92.5	$105,081	780
64	Oklahoma City, OK	$96,930	$73,920, $131,110	86.5	$112,058	710
65	Wichita, KS	$94,610	$65,840, $139,660	84	$112,631	800
66	Little Rock, AR	$93,800	$58,620, $135,030	88.2	$106,349	330
67	Omaha, NE	$93,180	$59,800, $135,200	91.8	$101,503	490
68	Boise, ID	$91,340	$63,630, $134,980	102.1	$89,461	480
69	Des Moines, IA	$85,490	$70,770, $133,600	93.3	$91,629	390

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Mechanical Engineer paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Houston, TX	$129,896	$125,350	96.5
2	Memphis, TN	$123,940	$104,110	84
3	Tulsa, OK	$123,779	$107,440	86.8
4	New Orleans, LA	$123,034	$117,990	95.9
5	Greensboro, NC	$119,978	$109,540	91.3
6	Bakersfield, CA	$119,076	$119,790	100.6
7	Detroit, MI	$115,110	$109,470	95.1
8	San Antonio, TX	$114,339	$104,620	91.5
9	Cincinnati, OH	$114,276	$104,220	91.2
10	Lexington, KY	$113,713	$103,820	91.3
11	Denver, CO	$113,635	$128,180	112.8
12	Greenville, SC	$112,730	$101,570	90.1
13	Wichita, KS	$112,631	$94,610	84
14	Oklahoma City, OK	$112,058	$96,930	86.5
15	St. Louis, MO	$111,489	$100,340	90
16	Louisville, KY	$110,078	$99,290	90.2
17	Knoxville, TN	$109,712	$99,070	90.3
18	Indianapolis, IN	$109,523	$98,680	90.1
19	Birmingham, AL	$109,303	$98,810	90.4
20	Columbus, OH	$108,195	$100,730	93.1
21	Rochester, NY	$107,815	$100,160	92.9
22	Albany, NY	$107,557	$108,310	100.7
23	Little Rock, AR	$106,349	$93,800	88.2
24	Pittsburgh, PA	$106,230	$98,050	92.3
25	Charlotte, NC	$105,429	$101,950	96.7
26	Buffalo, NY	$105,081	$97,200	92.5
27	Colorado Springs, CO	$104,660	$109,370	104.5
28	Jacksonville, FL	$104,627	$99,500	95.1
29	Tucson, AZ	$104,560	$99,750	95.4
30	Kansas City, MO	$104,434	$99,630	95.4
31	Austin, TX	$103,583	$106,690	103
32	Atlanta, GA	$102,843	$102,020	99.2
33	Baltimore, MD	$102,189	$116,700	114.2
34	Richmond, VA	$101,988	$104,130	102.1
35	Omaha, NE	$101,503	$93,180	91.8
36	Milwaukee, WI	$101,366	$98,730	97.4
37	Spokane, WA	$101,304	$98,670	97.4
38	Dallas, TX	$101,268	$105,420	104.1
39	Tampa, FL	$100,693	$100,290	99.6
40	Phoenix, AZ	$100,278	$100,980	100.7
41	Orlando, FL	$100,272	$103,380	103.1
42	Raleigh, NC	$100,200	$100,000	99.8
43	Salt Lake City, UT	$100,099	$101,500	101.4
44	Nashville, TN	$99,143	$99,440	100.3
45	Las Vegas, NV	$98,716	$107,600	109
46	Sacramento, CA	$97,009	$120,970	124.7
47	Madison, WI	$96,031	$99,680	103.8
48	Anchorage, AK	$95,756	$121,610	127
49	Reno, NV	$95,324	$101,520	106.5
50	Minneapolis, MN	$95,273	$101,180	106.2
51	Chicago, IL	$95,126	$102,070	107.3
52	Hartford, CT	$94,121	$105,980	112.6
53	Fresno, CA	$93,592	$98,740	105.5
54	Providence, RI	$93,266	$111,360	119.4
55	Des Moines, IA	$91,629	$85,490	93.3
56	Bridgeport, CT	$91,476	$125,780	137.5
57	San Francisco, CA	$89,850	$161,370	179.6
58	Boise, ID	$89,461	$91,340	102.1
59	Philadelphia, PA	$88,184	$104,410	118.4
60	San Jose, CA	$85,817	$168,030	195.8
61	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$85,711	$104,910	122.4
62	Seattle, WA	$84,732	$126,590	149.4
63	Washington, DC	$83,109	$126,990	152.8
64	Miami, FL	$80,959	$99,660	123.1
65	Portland, OR	$80,723	$105,020	130.1
66	Boston, MA	$78,435	$119,300	152.1
67	San Diego, CA	$75,999	$121,750	160.2
68	Los Angeles, CA	$74,639	$123,900	166
69	New York, NY	$58,755	$109,990	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose, CA pays the highest median Mechanical Engineer salary at $168,030. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Houston, TX offers the most purchasing power at $129,896 adjusted.

The national median Mechanical Engineer salary is $107,372 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $85,490 to $168,030 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above, cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.