Mechanical Engineers Salary 2025: $107,372 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
$107,372 per year is the national median annual wage for mechanical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $52/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $105,400 to $217,530. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 17-2141.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $107,372
- Median hourly wage
- $52/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $117,836
- Total US employment
- 179,960
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($168,030)
- BLS SOC code
- 17-2141
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
Mechanical Engineer (SOC 17-2141) is a high-paying U.S. occupation: national median wage of $107,372 across 179,960 reported workers per the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey.
Cross-city wage variation runs moderate — $85,490 to $168,030 median across 69 cities, about 97% above the floor. The spread is large enough to matter for relocation decisions but not large enough to dominate them. Mechanical Engineer is in the {{category}} category. BLS OEWS captures base wage but not bonuses, equity compensation, or commissions; total compensation for many roles runs meaningfully above the reported wage.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Mechanical Engineers salaries range from $85,490 to $168,030 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Mechanical Engineers Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $105,400 | $130,452 | $168,030 | $192,780 | $217,530 | $85,817 | 5,540 |
| San Francisco, CA | $102,710 | $126,174 | $161,370 | $186,875 | $212,380 | $89,850 | 5,150 |
| Denver, CO | $74,880 | $96,200 | $128,180 | $148,515 | $168,850 | $113,635 | 4,530 |
| Washington, DC | $85,760 | $102,252 | $126,990 | $161,090 | $195,190 | $83,109 | 5,390 |
| Seattle, WA | $81,730 | $99,674 | $126,590 | $149,540 | $172,490 | $84,732 | 4,500 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $77,630 | $96,890 | $125,780 | $141,880 | $157,980 | $91,476 | 650 |
| Houston, TX | $79,470 | $97,822 | $125,350 | $162,040 | $198,730 | $129,896 | 8,310 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $77,040 | $95,784 | $123,900 | $148,620 | $173,340 | $74,639 | 8,780 |
| San Diego, CA | $81,460 | $97,576 | $121,750 | $147,255 | $172,760 | $75,999 | 3,370 |
| Anchorage, AK | $76,660 | $94,640 | $121,610 | $144,070 | $166,530 | $95,756 | 270 |
| Sacramento, CA | $82,990 | $98,182 | $120,970 | $145,785 | $170,600 | $97,009 | 1,480 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $78,490 | $95,010 | $119,790 | $145,665 | $171,540 | $119,076 | 560 |
| Boston, MA | $80,280 | $95,888 | $119,300 | $143,100 | $166,900 | $78,435 | 6,890 |
| New Orleans, LA | $75,340 | $92,400 | $117,990 | $144,400 | $170,810 | $123,034 | 530 |
| Baltimore, MD | $76,900 | $92,820 | $116,700 | $145,810 | $174,920 | $102,189 | 3,050 |
| Providence, RI | $77,600 | $91,104 | $111,360 | $146,035 | $180,710 | $93,266 | 1,750 |
| New York, NY | $79,520 | $91,708 | $109,990 | $137,500 | $165,010 | $58,755 | 6,960 |
| Greensboro, NC | $78,710 | $91,042 | $109,540 | $123,290 | $137,040 | $119,978 | 1,260 |
| Detroit, MI | $79,880 | $91,716 | $109,470 | $135,250 | $161,030 | $115,110 | 22,500 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $76,700 | $89,768 | $109,370 | $137,095 | $164,820 | $104,660 | 500 |
| Albany, NY | $76,270 | $89,086 | $108,310 | $136,835 | $165,360 | $107,557 | 930 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $76,420 | $88,892 | $107,600 | $134,940 | $162,280 | $98,716 | 640 |
| Tulsa, OK | $70,710 | $85,402 | $107,440 | $123,975 | $140,510 | $123,779 | 1,060 |
| Austin, TX | $68,080 | $83,524 | $106,690 | $139,950 | $173,210 | $103,583 | 1,790 |
| Hartford, CT | $77,150 | $88,682 | $105,980 | $133,375 | $160,770 | $94,121 | 1,690 |
| Dallas, TX | $76,530 | $88,086 | $105,420 | $136,280 | $167,140 | $101,268 | 5,600 |
| Portland, OR | $78,210 | $88,934 | $105,020 | $135,030 | $165,040 | $80,723 | 2,520 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $66,390 | $81,798 | $104,910 | $131,275 | $157,640 | $85,711 | 1,420 |
| San Antonio, TX | $74,340 | $86,452 | $104,620 | $132,145 | $159,670 | $114,339 | 1,480 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $75,160 | $86,860 | $104,410 | $131,165 | $157,920 | $88,184 | 4,850 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $76,290 | $87,462 | $104,220 | $136,370 | $168,520 | $114,276 | 3,310 |
| Richmond, VA | $73,990 | $86,046 | $104,130 | $121,965 | $139,800 | $101,988 | 640 |
| Memphis, TN | $70,630 | $84,022 | $104,110 | $127,255 | $150,400 | $123,940 | 390 |
| Lexington, KY | $68,490 | $82,622 | $103,820 | $121,815 | $139,810 | $113,713 | 900 |
| Orlando, FL | $72,620 | $84,924 | $103,380 | $121,715 | $140,050 | $100,272 | 1,720 |
| Chicago, IL | $66,900 | $80,968 | $102,070 | $129,895 | $157,720 | $95,126 | 6,900 |
| Atlanta, GA | $72,800 | $84,488 | $102,020 | $134,005 | $165,990 | $102,843 | 3,070 |
| Charlotte, NC | $74,530 | $85,498 | $101,950 | $129,535 | $157,120 | $105,429 | 2,470 |
| Greenville, SC | $78,820 | $87,920 | $101,570 | $133,640 | $165,710 | $112,730 | 1,800 |
| Reno, NV | $74,360 | $85,224 | $101,520 | $129,980 | $158,440 | $95,324 | 570 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $69,820 | $82,492 | $101,500 | $130,820 | $160,140 | $100,099 | 1,600 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $76,620 | $86,444 | $101,180 | $128,860 | $156,540 | $95,273 | 4,450 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $69,980 | $82,380 | $100,980 | $130,450 | $159,920 | $100,278 | 3,660 |
| Columbus, OH | $71,870 | $83,414 | $100,730 | $116,060 | $131,390 | $108,195 | 2,630 |
| St. Louis, MO | $65,900 | $79,676 | $100,340 | $124,700 | $149,060 | $111,489 | 2,190 |
| Tampa, FL | $68,290 | $81,090 | $100,290 | $129,670 | $159,050 | $100,693 | 1,220 |
| Rochester, NY | $69,810 | $81,950 | $100,160 | $117,945 | $135,730 | $107,815 | 1,040 |
| Raleigh, NC | $59,220 | $75,532 | $100,000 | $130,085 | $160,170 | $100,200 | 1,810 |
| Tucson, AZ | $75,990 | $85,494 | $99,750 | $127,515 | $155,280 | $104,560 | 980 |
| Madison, WI | $76,040 | $85,496 | $99,680 | $116,750 | $133,820 | $96,031 | 770 |
| Miami, FL | $62,680 | $77,472 | $99,660 | $130,085 | $160,510 | $80,959 | 2,000 |
| Kansas City, MO | $78,070 | $86,694 | $99,630 | $118,140 | $136,650 | $104,434 | 4,330 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $67,920 | $80,552 | $99,500 | $125,795 | $152,090 | $104,627 | 1,210 |
| Nashville, TN | $52,670 | $71,378 | $99,440 | $122,715 | $145,990 | $99,143 | 990 |
| Louisville, KY | $65,240 | $78,860 | $99,290 | $124,615 | $149,940 | $110,078 | 1,320 |
| Knoxville, TN | $63,200 | $77,548 | $99,070 | $124,025 | $148,980 | $109,712 | 760 |
| Birmingham, AL | $61,470 | $76,406 | $98,810 | $128,350 | $157,890 | $109,303 | 780 |
| Fresno, CA | $63,440 | $77,560 | $98,740 | $130,935 | $163,130 | $93,592 | 260 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $65,390 | $78,726 | $98,730 | $115,665 | $132,600 | $101,366 | 2,200 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $68,550 | $80,602 | $98,680 | $126,565 | $154,450 | $109,523 | 2,140 |
| Spokane, WA | $74,790 | $84,342 | $98,670 | $123,795 | $148,920 | $101,304 | 450 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $65,580 | $78,568 | $98,050 | $120,525 | $143,000 | $106,230 | 3,470 |
| Buffalo, NY | $65,460 | $78,156 | $97,200 | $115,185 | $133,170 | $105,081 | 780 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $73,920 | $83,124 | $96,930 | $114,020 | $131,110 | $112,058 | 710 |
| Wichita, KS | $65,840 | $77,348 | $94,610 | $117,135 | $139,660 | $112,631 | 800 |
| Little Rock, AR | $58,620 | $72,692 | $93,800 | $114,415 | $135,030 | $106,349 | 330 |
| Omaha, NE | $59,800 | $73,152 | $93,180 | $114,190 | $135,200 | $101,503 | 490 |
| Boise, ID | $63,630 | $74,714 | $91,340 | $113,160 | $134,980 | $89,461 | 480 |
| Des Moines, IA | $70,770 | $76,658 | $85,490 | $109,545 | $133,600 | $91,629 | 390 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Mechanical Engineer is $107,372 as of 2025. The national mean (average) is $117,836. Salaries range from $85,490 to $168,030 depending on city and cost of living.
Mechanical Engineer salaries vary significantly by metro area. The highest-paying cities offer median salaries well above the national average of $107,372, though cost of living should be factored in. Check the city breakdown table above for COL-adjusted figures.
There are approximately 179,960 Mechanical Engineer positions in the US across 69 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Mechanical Engineer positions at the 90th percentile earn significantly more than the median, suggesting strong income growth potential with experience and specialization. The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile indicates the impact that skills, location, and seniority have on compensation.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.