Mechanical Engineer Average Salary in United States 2023
How much money does a person working as Mechanical Engineer make in United States?
LOW
42,400
USD AVERAGE
86,500
USD HIGH
135,000
USD
A person working as Mechanical Engineer in United States typically earns around 86,500 USD per year. Salaries range from 42,400 USD (lowest) to 135,000 USD (highest).
This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Mechanical Engineer salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Mechanical Engineer Pay Scale and Salaries in United States
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
80,200 USD or more
70,900 to 80,200 USD
50,300 USD or less
50,300 to 70,900 USD
 42,400 USD |
80,700 USD |
135,000 USD |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Mechanical Engineer salaries in United States range from 42,400 USD per year (starting salary) to 135,000 USD per year (maximum salary). This is not the minimum wage as per the law, only the lowest reported number in the salary survey that had thousands of participants and professionals from all over the country.
Median Salary
The median salary is 80,700 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Mechanical Engineer(s) are earning less than 80,700 USD while the other half are earning more than 80,700 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Mechanical Engineer(s) are earning less than 66,000 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 66,000 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Mechanical Engineer(s) are earning less than 92,300 USD while 25% are earning more than 92,300 USD.
Pay Scale Structure
We grouped the most common and recurring salaries into brackets to give more insight into what salary to expect. This method is more accurate than just the average salary and gives more insights on how salaries are actually distributed. Around 65% of all reported figures are in the range 50,300 USD to 70,900 USD. Approximatly 20% fall under the 50,300 USD cap. Ten percent of wages are from 70,900 USD to 80,200 USD. Only 5% of people grossed 80,200 USD or more.
Mechanical Engineer Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does experience and age affect your pay?
Mechanical Engineer average salary change by experience in United States
| 0 - 2 Years | 50,300 USD | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +29% | 64,600 USD |
| 5 - 10 Years | +38% | 89,200 USD |
| 10 - 15 Years | +24% | 110,000 USD |
| 15 - 20 Years | +7% | 118,000 USD |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 126,000 USD |
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Mechanical Engineer salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience makes approximately 50,300 USD per year.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 64,600 USD per year, 29% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 89,200 USD per year, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Mechanical Engineer whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 110,000 USD per year, 24% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 118,000 USD per year, 7% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 126,000 USD per year, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Mechanical Engineer Salary Comparison By Education
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary difference between different Mechanical Engineer(s) who have the same experience but different education levels.
Mechanical Engineer average salary difference by education level in United States
| Bachelor's Degree | 62,800 USD | |
| Master's Degree | +60% | 101,000 USD |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Mechanical Engineer salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is Bachelor's Degree, the average salary is 62,800 USD per year.
While someone with a Master's Degree gets a salary of 101,000 USD per year, 60% more than someone having a Bachelor's Degree degree.
Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in United States costs anywhere from 39,500 US Dollar(s) to 118,000 US Dollar(s) and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch into a higher paying job. The numbers seem to support the thoery. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender - Mechanical Engineer
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male Mechanical Engineer employees in United States earn 5% more than their female counterparts on average.
| Male | 88,600 USD | |
| Female | -5% | 84,200 USD |
Salary Comparison By Gender in United States for all Careers
Mechanical Engineer Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in United States
How much are annual salary increments in United States for Mechanical Engineer(s)? How often do employees get salary raises?
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer(s) in United States are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 11% every 16 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 16 months.
United States / All Professions
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
How to calculate the salary increment percentage?
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
Annual Increment Rate By Industry 2022
| Banking | 4% | |
| Energy | 8% | |
| Information Technology | 3% | |
| Healthcare | 7% | |
| Travel | 2% | |
| Construction | 6% | |
| Education | 1% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in United States for the year 2022. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Salary Packages and Schemes
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
Mechanical Engineer Bonus and Incentive Rates in United States
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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"Mechanical Engineer" is considered to be a moderate bonus-based job. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
43% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 57% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 57% | |
| No Bonus | 43% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Mechanical Engineer Salary Trend and Forecast in United States
How are Mechanical Engineer salaries changing over time? Listed below is a chart that shows the average salary in recent years.
| Average Salary 2019 | 76,800 USD | |
| Average Salary 2020 | +4% | 79,700 USD |
| Average Salary 2021 | +3% | 81,900 USD |
| Average Salary 2022 | +2% | 83,500 USD |
Mechanical Engineer salaries in United States are on the rise in the year 2023 based on recent submitted salaries and reports. As displayed in the chart, salaries in 2022 are 2% higher than those of 2021. The trend suggests a slow yet continuous increase in pay in 2024 and future years. These numbers may vary from industry to another.
Mechanical Engineer Average Hourly Wage in United States
42 USD per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) in United States is 42 USD. This means that the average Mechanical Engineer in United States earns approximately 42 USD for every worked hour.
About The Hourly Pay Rate
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?
The minimum pay rate per hour for 'Mechanical Engineer' in United States is 20 USD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Mechanical Engineer VS Other Jobs
The average salary for Mechanical Engineer is 8% more than that of Engineering. Also, Engineering salaries are 16% less than those of All Jobs.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Acoustics Engineer | 78,200 USD |  -10% |
| Assembly Engineering Technician | 64,700 USD | -25% |
| Assistant Chief Engineer | 96,600 USD |  +12% |
| Associate Engineer | 78,500 USD | -9% |
| Autocad Operator | 52,600 USD | -39% |
| Automation Engineer | 93,400 USD | +8% |
| Avionic System Support Engineer | 77,700 USD | -10% |
| Biochemical Engineer | 83,100 USD | -4% |
| BMS Engineer | 81,700 USD | -6% |
| Bridge and Lock Tender | 48,000 USD | -45% |
| Broadcast Engineer | 81,500 USD | -6% |
| CAD Design Engineer | 91,400 USD | +6% |
| CAD Designer | 51,600 USD | -40% |
| CAE Engineer | 82,300 USD | -5% |
| Ceramics Engineer | 81,300 USD | -6% |
| Civil Engineer | 85,600 USD | -1% |
| Commissioning Engineer | 86,700 USD | +0% |
| Communications Engineer | 92,600 USD | +7% |
| Condition Monitoring Engineer | 74,600 USD | -14% |
| Contract Associate Engineer | 84,600 USD | -2% |
| Control Systems Engineer | 80,800 USD | -7% |
| Controls Engineer | 86,500 USD | -0% |
| Controls Software Engineer | 74,700 USD | -14% |
| Corrosion Engineer | 76,700 USD | -11% |
| Design Engineer | 87,400 USD | +1% |
| Drafter | 52,200 USD | -40% |
| Drafting Manager | 98,800 USD | +14% |
| Drilling Engineer | 85,400 USD | -1% |
| Electrical Draughtsman | 41,500 USD | -52% |
| Electrical Engineer | 89,900 USD | +4% |
| Electrical Engineering Manager | 121,000 USD | +40% |
| Electromechanical Engineering Technologist | 95,100 USD | +10% |
| Electromechanical Equipment Assembler | 43,300 USD | -50% |
| Energy Engineer | 86,900 USD | +0% |
| Engine Assembler | 39,900 USD | -54% |
| Engineer | 91,700 USD | +6% |
| Engineering Account Manager | 98,000 USD | +13% |
| Engineering Chief Designer | 97,100 USD | +12% |
| Engineering Consultant | 116,000 USD | +34% |
| Engineering Key Account Manager | 118,000 USD | +36% |
| Engineering Lab Technician | 81,300 USD | -6% |
| Engineering Planning Manager | 114,000 USD | +32% |
| Engineering Production Manager | 156,000 USD | +80% |
| Engineering Project Analyst | 98,900 USD | +14% |
| Engineering Project Coordinator | 99,700 USD | +15% |
| Engineering Project Director | 173,000 USD | +100% |
| Engineering Project Manager | 122,000 USD | +41% |
| Engineering Research and Development Manager | 143,000 USD | +65% |
| Engineering Safety Coordinator | 69,000 USD | -20% |
| Engineering Sales Manager | 120,000 USD | +39% |
| Engineering Technician | 67,700 USD | -22% |
| Engineering Technologist | 66,100 USD | -24% |
| Environmental Engineer | 87,500 USD | +1% |
| Equipment Engineer | 76,000 USD | -12% |
| Equipment Engineering Manager | 113,000 USD | +31% |
| Estimator | 74,200 USD | -14% |
| Fabrication Specialist | 61,900 USD | -28% |
| Fabricator | 37,000 USD | -57% |
| Facade Engineer | 81,100 USD | -6% |
| Fiber Analyst | 47,500 USD | -45% |
| Field Engineer | 91,700 USD | +6% |
| Field Engineering Manager | 139,000 USD | +61% |
| Fire Engineer | 88,700 USD | +2% |
| Fitter and Turner | 26,400 USD | -69% |
| Forestry Strategic Planner | 98,000 USD | +13% |
| Generation Engineer | 89,300 USD | +3% |
| Genetic Engineer | 90,700 USD | +5% |
| Geological Engineer | 91,700 USD | +6% |
| Geotechnical Engineer | 90,100 USD | +4% |
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | 45,400 USD | -48% |
| Highway Engineer | 86,800 USD | +0% |
| HSE Professional | 82,900 USD | -4% |
| HVAC Engineer | 86,300 USD | -0% |
| HVAC Supervisor | 80,600 USD | -7% |
| Industrial Engineer | 80,400 USD | -7% |
| Industrial Engineering Technologist | 79,200 USD | -8% |
| Instrument Engineer | 84,200 USD | -3% |
| Instrumentation and Control Engineer | 82,100 USD | -5% |
| Instrumentation Engineer | 82,900 USD | -4% |
| Instrumentation Manager | 87,000 USD | +1% |
| Irrigation Engineer | 83,500 USD | -4% |
| Licensed Aircraft Engineer | 90,300 USD | +4% |
| Locomotive Engineer | 82,500 USD | -5% |
| Maintenance Engineer | 83,000 USD | -4% |
| Maintenance Fitter | 30,500 USD | -65% |
| Maintenance Manager | 84,500 USD | -2% |
| Manufacturing Engineer | 79,400 USD | -8% |
| Marine Engineer | 85,300 USD | -1% |
| Materials Engineer | 85,600 USD | -1% |
| Materials Researcher | 79,000 USD | -9% |
| Materials Technician | 64,100 USD | -26% |
| Mechanical and Electrical Engineer | 90,400 USD | +4% |
| Mechanical Design Engineer | 87,500 USD | +1% |
| Mechanical Designer | 73,000 USD | -16% |
| Mechanical Engineer | 86,500 USD | -0% |
| Mechanical Engineering Manager | 117,000 USD | +35% |
| Mechanical Inspector | 84,300 USD | -3% |
| Mechatronics Engineer | 86,700 USD | +0% |
| Mining Engineer | 82,800 USD | -4% |
| Oil and Petrochemical Engineer | 96,700 USD | +12% |
| Optical Engineer | 84,600 USD | -2% |
| Optical Instrument Assembler | 41,100 USD | -53% |
| PCB Assembler | 30,800 USD | -64% |
| Photonics Engineer | 91,100 USD | +5% |
| Photonics Technician | 76,500 USD | -12% |
| Pipeline Engineer | 74,600 USD | -14% |
| Piping Designer | 45,500 USD | -47% |
| Piping Engineer | 79,100 USD | -9% |
| Planning Engineer | 82,300 USD | -5% |
| Pressure Vessel Inspector | 41,800 USD | -52% |
| Principal Cost Engineer | 85,800 USD | -1% |
| Principal Engineer | 86,400 USD | -0% |
| Principal Support Engineer | 88,900 USD | +3% |
| Process Engineer | 81,700 USD | -6% |
| Process Operator | 49,400 USD | -43% |
| Product Development Engineer | 88,500 USD | +2% |
| Product Development Technician | 61,500 USD | -29% |
| Product Engineer | 91,000 USD | +5% |
| Product Safety Engineer | 78,100 USD | -10% |
| Production Engineer | 80,900 USD | -7% |
| Project Engineer | 86,100 USD | -1% |
| Proposal Manager | 113,000 USD | +31% |
| Purchasing Engineer | 75,300 USD | -13% |
| Quality Assurance Engineer | 83,100 USD | -4% |
| Rail Engineer | 87,000 USD | +1% |
| Robotics Engineer | 96,800 USD | +12% |
| Robotics Technician | 72,100 USD | -17% |
| Safety Engineer | 88,700 USD | +2% |
| Safety Inspector | 69,400 USD | -20% |
| Safety Manager | 98,700 USD | +14% |
| Safety Officer | 44,600 USD | -48% |
| Sales Engineer | 92,300 USD | +7% |
| Scheduling Engineer | 80,400 USD | -7% |
| Service Engineer | 93,100 USD | +8% |
| Solar Engineer | 92,200 USD | +7% |
| Staff Engineer | 87,200 USD | +1% |
| Static Equipment Engineer | 85,400 USD | -1% |
| Stationary Engineer | 73,700 USD | -15% |
| Stress Engineer | 82,400 USD | -5% |
| Structural Analysis Engineer | 81,000 USD | -6% |
| Structural Designer | 72,300 USD | -16% |
| Structural Engineer | 83,400 USD | -4% |
| Structural Technician | 56,300 USD | -35% |
| Supply Chain Specialist | 86,900 USD | +0% |
| Surveyor | 65,000 USD | -25% |
| Technical Affairs Officer | 44,900 USD | -48% |
| Technical Assistant | 44,300 USD | -49% |
| Technical Engineer | 75,400 USD | -13% |
| Technical Support Engineer | 74,600 USD | -14% |
| Tender Engineer | 78,000 USD | -10% |
| Test Development Engineer | 84,500 USD | -2% |
| Transportation Engineer | 78,500 USD | -9% |
| Validation Engineer | 73,000 USD | -16% |
| Verification Engineer | 81,800 USD | -5% |
| Wastewater Engineer | 84,900 USD | -2% |
| Wind Energy Engineer | 88,100 USD | +2% |
| Wind Energy Operations Manager | 119,000 USD | +37% |
| Work Planner | 62,200 USD | -28% |
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Atlanta | 85,300 USD |
| Austin | 102,000 USD |
| Baltimore | 86,600 USD |
| Boston | 89,900 USD |
| Bristol | 71,600 USD |
| Chicago | 108,000 USD |
| Cincinnati | 76,000 USD |
| Cleveland | 80,600 USD |
| Dallas | 106,000 USD |
| Denver | 93,500 USD |
| Detroit | 94,600 USD |
| Honolulu | 75,000 USD |
| Houston | 105,000 USD |
| Indianapolis | 94,200 USD |
| Iowa City | 73,300 USD |
| Jacksonville | 102,000 USD |
| Kansas City | 86,600 USD |
| Kent | 76,100 USD |
| Las Vegas | 86,000 USD |
| Long Beach | 85,400 USD |
| Los Angeles | 113,000 USD |
| Memphis | 92,200 USD |
| Miami | 84,900 USD |
| Minneapolis | 81,100 USD |
| New Orleans | 78,500 USD |
| New York | 106,000 USD |
| Oakland | 81,600 USD |
| Oklahoma City | 89,100 USD |
| Orlando | 79,700 USD |
| Philadelphia | 105,000 USD |
| Phoenix | 103,000 USD |
| Sacramento | 90,300 USD |
| San Antonio | 99,900 USD |
| San Diego | 105,000 USD |
| San Francisco | 95,400 USD |
| San Jose | 100,000 USD |
| Seattle | 98,700 USD |
| Tampa | 78,400 USD |
| Vancouver | 72,700 USD |
| Washington D.C. | 90,000 USD |
Salary Comparison By State
| State | Average Salary |
| Alabama | 97,400 USD |
| Alaska | 83,100 USD |
| Arizona | 96,500 USD |
| Arkansas | 87,100 USD |
| California | 107,000 USD |
| Colorado | 94,600 USD |
| Connecticut | 89,600 USD |
| Delaware | 81,300 USD |
| District of Columbia | 77,600 USD |
| Florida | 104,000 USD |
| Georgia | 100,000 USD |
| Hawaii | 83,400 USD |
| Idaho | 81,400 USD |
| Illinois | 104,000 USD |
| Indiana | 96,700 USD |
| Iowa | 87,300 USD |
| Kansas | 85,200 USD |
| Kentucky | 94,700 USD |
| Louisiana | 92,500 USD |
| Maine | 83,200 USD |
| Maryland | 91,600 USD |
| Massachusetts | 98,900 USD |
| Michigan | 100,000 USD |
| Minnesota | 92,500 USD |
| Mississippi | 85,000 USD |
| Missouri | 98,300 USD |
| Montana | 85,000 USD |
| Nebraska | 85,700 USD |
| Nevada | 85,400 USD |
| New Hampshire | 88,300 USD |
| New Jersey | 100,000 USD |
| New Mexico | 86,900 USD |
| New York | 99,000 USD |
| North Carolina | 93,900 USD |
| North Dakota | 82,800 USD |
| Ohio | 100,000 USD |
| Oklahoma | 88,700 USD |
| Oregon | 86,500 USD |
| Pennsylvania | 104,000 USD |
| Rhode Island | 83,100 USD |
| South Carolina | 90,900 USD |
| South Dakota | 79,100 USD |
| Tennessee | 99,400 USD |
| Texas | 104,000 USD |
| Utah | 85,900 USD |
| Vermont | 77,700 USD |
| Virginia | 102,000 USD |
| Washington | 98,400 USD |
| West Virginia | 85,300 USD |
| Wisconsin | 91,100 USD |
| Wyoming | 83,200 USD |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in United States earn 5% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
| Private Sector | 92,400 USD | |
| Public Sector | +5% | 97,100 USD |
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for Mechanical Engineer in United States?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 80,700 USD and 92,300 USD. This is a very rough estimate and your experience and education will play a very huge part into your final earnings.
Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salart after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for Mechanical Engineer in United States is ranges from 66,000 USD to 92,300 USD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range in a grain of salt.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
