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The national median salary for Mechanical Engineers is $102,315 per year ($49.19/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $81,806 and $130,291 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $161,242 per year. There are approximately 286,760 mechanical engineers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+9.1%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
18K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
293K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
15% from new growth85% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
57K
$102,990
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)
NAICS 3330A1
29K
$95,460
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
18K
$123,080
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
14K
$117,310
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
NAICS 336400
12K
$110,730
Wage range across top 5 industries: $95,460 to $123,080 (29% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$33.05
$68,744
P25
$39.33
$81,806
P50MEDIAN
$49.19
$102,315
P75
$62.64
$130,291
P90
$77.52
$161,242
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average mechanical engineers salary?
The national median salary for Mechanical Engineers is $102,315 per year ($49.19/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $81,806 and $130,291 annually.
How much do top-earning mechanical engineers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Mechanical Engineers is $161,242 per year ($77.52/hr). The 75th percentile is $130,291 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers?
Entry-level Mechanical Engineers (10th percentile) earn approximately $68,744 per year ($33.05/hr). The 25th percentile is $81,806 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.