Annual Salary, Salary Range, and Highest Paying States and Industries
Mechanical Engineers
Mechanical Engineers perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.
Table of contents
- Average salary
- Starting salary
- Salary rank
- Salary range
- Highest paying states
- Highest paying industries
Average salary
Starting salary
Entry-level Mechanical Engineers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $58,410 to $71,880 per year or $28 to $35 per hour. Similar to any other job, their salary will increase as they gain experience.
Salary rank
We wanted to make it easy for our readers to compare the salary of Mechanical Engineers to all the other careers out there. So we created Salary Rank. We compared the salary of all careers then we gave them a rank of A, B, C, or D depending on where their average salary sit in comparison to other careers.
Salary range
Level | Hourly | Annual |
---|---|---|
Highest (Top 10%) | $68 | $141,060 |
Senior (Top 25%) | $55 | $114,380 |
Middle (Mid 50%) | $43 | $90,160 |
Junior (Bottom 25%) | $35 | $71,880 |
No experience (Bottom 10%) | $28 | $58,410 |
Highest paying states
State | Hourly | Annual |
---|---|---|
NM | $56 | $117,180 |
DC | $56 | $115,860 |
MD | $54 | $112,090 |
CA | $53 | $110,070 |
LA | $51 | $106,090 |
DE | $51 | $106,040 |
MA | $51 | $105,250 |
CO | $50 | $104,120 |
TX | $49 | $102,660 |
AK | $49 | $102,090 |
Another simple way to increase your salary as a Mechanical Engineer is to move to a higher paying state. However moving to a higher paying state like NM doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the expenses at NM might be much higher than where you are currently living at right now.
According to BLS, the highest paid Mechanical Engineers are in the states of NM, DC, MD, CA and LA.
Highest paying industries
Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
---|---|---|
Other Pipeline Transportation | $127170 | $61.14 |
Waste Treatment and Disposal | $122400 | $58.84 |
Oil and Gas Extraction | $117000 | $56.25 |
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $115470 | $55.51 |
Insurance Carriers | $114160 | $54.88 |
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $111240 | $53.48 |
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $110210 | $52.99 |
Office Administrative Services | $110190 | $52.98 |
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $108220 | $52.03 |
Scientific Research and Development Services | $107930 | $51.89 |
Chemical Manufacturing | $107780 | $51.82 |
Software Publishers | $107400 | $51.64 |
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $107230 | $51.55 |
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | $107020 | $51.45 |
Spectator Sports | $105620 | $50.78 |
Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $105140 | $50.55 |
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $105120 | $50.54 |
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $104710 | $50.34 |
State Government | $103890 | $49.95 |
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $103750 | $49.88 |
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil | $103560 | $49.79 |
Support Activities for Rail Transportation | $103150 | $49.59 |
Federal Executive Branch | $103050 | $49.54 |
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $102730 | $49.39 |
Nonresidential Building Construction | $102210 | $49.14 |
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $102200 | $49.13 |
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $102020 | $49.05 |
Management of Companies and Enterprises | $100730 | $48.43 |
Rail Transportation | $100640 | $48.39 |
Specialized Design Services | $100590 | $48.36 |