Mechanical Engineers Salary 2025: $107,372 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$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.
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The national median wage for mechanical engineers (BLS SOC 17-2141) is $107,372 per year — about $52/hour — across 179,960 workers in 69 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $117,836 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $76,914 while the 90th earns $165,618 — a 2.2× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most mechanical engineers land in the $91,271–$139,212 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $168,030, versus $85,490 in Des Moines, IA, IA — a 97% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Houston, TX delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($129,896 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
Engineering pay rewards specialization and licensure (PE and similar); the gap between the median and the 90th percentile for mechanical engineers reflects how much seniority and niche expertise move compensation. OEWS captures base wage, not project or sign-on bonuses.
Mechanical Engineers Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what mechanical engineers earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $76,914 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $91,271 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $112,807 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $139,212 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $165,618 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
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 |
What Employers Actually Pay Mechanical Engineers (H-1B Filings)
BLS figures are survey estimates. When employers sponsor foreign workers they must file the wage they actually pay. Across 220 certified H-1B applications for this occupation (U.S. DOL OFLC LCA disclosure data), employers reported a median wage of $105,024 — 2% below the BLS all-worker median of $107,372.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) H-1B LCA disclosure data. Figures are application-weighted across certified filings for SOC 17-2141.
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Mechanical Engineer & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Mechanical Engineer, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Mechanical Engineer prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Explore Mechanical Engineer Pay Further
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Mechanical Engineer is $107,372 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $117,836. Salaries range from $85,490 to $168,030 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) earn about $76,914 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $107,372, $139,212 at the 75th percentile, and $165,618 for the top 10% of earners.
The median mechanical engineer earns about $52/hour, based on the $107,372 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Mechanical Engineer at $168,030, well above the national median of $107,372. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 179,960 Mechanical Engineer positions in the US across 69 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile mechanical engineer earns $165,618 — about 2.2× the $76,914 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.