Salary guide, May 2025
Mechanical Engineer pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in the United States was $104,110 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $84,130 and $132,590.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $73,990 | $84,130 | $104,110 | $132,590 | $164,340 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.57 | $40.45 | $50.05 | $63.75 | $79.01 |
BLS estimated 296,810 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $99,660 | $78,490 to $127,810 | 2,000 | 0.37 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $100,290 | $85,340 to $127,330 | 1,220 | 0.44 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $103,380 | $82,830 to $128,920 | 1,720 | 0.64 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $100,000 | $81,420 to $124,360 | 1,810 | 1.28 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $109,990 | $92,180 to $137,060 | 6,960 | 0.38 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $109,990 | $92,180 to $137,060 | 6,960 | 0.38 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $105,420 | $87,200 to $132,840 | 5,600 | 0.73 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $102,070 | $83,140 to $130,310 | 6,900 | 0.8 |
Rank every metro for Mechanical Engineer
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$140,600
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$140,600
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing$125,380
- Apparel Manufacturing$125,070
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing$124,400
- Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills$124,140
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$124,010
- Other Food Manufacturing$121,740
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturing$121,670
- Chemical Manufacturing$119,150
- Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing$117,350
- Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing$115,720
- Paper Manufacturing$114,990
- Animal Slaughtering and Processing$113,160
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$112,900
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 130,930 | $82,490 | $101,570 | $127,800 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 41,730 | $79,580 | $98,620 | $123,220 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 31,460 | $87,140 | $105,560 | $132,370 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 29,420 | $79,340 | $97,620 | $120,800 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 18,290 | $93,970 | $106,870 | $134,480 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 14,590 | $77,410 | $94,320 | $110,060 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 12,060 | $99,760 | $112,900 | $149,430 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 10,800 | $92,000 | $106,210 | $134,920 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 8,750 | $83,290 | $102,410 | $126,410 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 7,160 | $82,920 | $101,350 | $124,470 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 6,820 | $78,910 | $97,340 | $116,340 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 5,510 | $76,180 | $88,160 | $106,140 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 5,080 | $83,680 | $102,200 | $126,730 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 4,940 | $97,010 | $107,240 | $134,140 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 4,420 | $99,020 | $124,400 | $135,750 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 4,330 | $98,690 | $121,670 | $140,660 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3,820 | $75,440 | $87,120 | $104,250 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 3,690 | $75,800 | $92,110 | $110,700 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 3,220 | $93,170 | $106,290 | $128,530 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 3,190 | $75,920 | $92,560 | $113,820 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 3,170 | $81,020 | $96,660 | $120,210 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 3,080 | $85,900 | $104,950 | $130,830 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 3,060 | $82,490 | $98,120 | $118,360 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 2,650 | $98,540 | $119,150 | $140,430 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 2,470 | $82,030 | $100,280 | $127,540 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 2,400 | $81,470 | $98,170 | $120,660 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 2,380 | $80,770 | $97,190 | $122,130 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 2,300 | $81,760 | $99,680 | $115,860 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 2,000 | $79,470 | $96,910 | $119,520 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 1,980 | $76,950 | $84,370 | $99,470 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 1,890 | $101,380 | $124,010 | $144,670 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 1,340 | $97,710 | $106,870 | $134,840 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 1,180 | $99,420 | $115,720 | $130,670 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 910 | $82,750 | $105,030 | $133,740 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 900 | $90,680 | $106,350 | $131,820 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 870 | $98,870 | $114,990 | $131,350 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 740 | $124,430 | $140,600 | $165,480 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 740 | $124,430 | $140,600 | $165,480 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 700 | $72,270 | $81,710 | $100,270 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 690 | $82,260 | $97,170 | $125,100 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 670 | $70,170 | $80,600 | $98,420 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 660 | $82,760 | $97,320 | $107,020 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 620 | $89,710 | $103,280 | $130,300 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 620 | $83,200 | $100,930 | $118,460 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 620 | $83,200 | $100,930 | $118,460 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 620 | $78,590 | $92,820 | $105,730 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 530 | $74,220 | $99,990 | $115,580 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 510 | $75,000 | $87,180 | $102,840 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 480 | $106,780 | $124,140 | $136,700 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 470 | $85,520 | $106,650 | $128,760 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 400 | $83,350 | $103,380 | $124,700 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 390 | $102,020 | $121,740 | $144,950 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 390 | $75,790 | $93,380 | $110,480 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 380 | $96,450 | $106,660 | $119,580 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 370 | $84,090 | $98,280 | $106,450 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 310 | $75,260 | $90,020 | $105,880 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 310 | $84,800 | $102,300 | $114,830 |
| 334300 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 290 | $100,780 | $125,380 | $146,000 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 250 | $74,530 | $84,360 | $104,190 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 250 | $83,090 | $98,010 | $112,430 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 200 | $93,820 | $104,820 | $115,760 |
| 312100 | Beverage Manufacturing | 190 | $93,950 | $104,980 | $115,760 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 150 | $85,540 | $107,220 | $124,050 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 120 | $81,810 | $99,180 | $124,630 |
| 311800 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 110 | $66,800 | $74,460 | $87,800 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 100 | $91,370 | $96,570 | $104,150 |
| 313000 | Textile Mills | 90 | $92,010 | $101,990 | $131,570 |
| 314000 | Textile Product Mills | 90 | $65,180 | $85,590 | $105,270 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 80 | $103,970 | $117,350 | $131,040 |
| 313200 | Fabric Mills | 70 | $97,810 | $105,810 | $134,390 |
| 314900 | Other Textile Product Mills | 70 | $65,160 | $81,410 | $102,390 |
| 311600 | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 40 | $84,990 | $113,160 | $140,040 |
| 321200 | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 40 | $82,650 | $92,230 | $101,990 |
| 323000 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 40 | $82,640 | $104,420 | $129,120 |
| 323100 | Printing and Related Support Activities | 40 | $82,640 | $104,420 | $129,120 |
| 337900 | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 40 | $98,180 | $111,900 | $139,990 |
| 315000 | Apparel Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $103,120 | $125,070 | $134,270 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Mechanical Engineer, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $81,800 | $102,320 | $130,290 |
| May 2025 | $84,130 | $104,110 | $132,590 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about the authority you are offering?
Settle product engineering versus plant equipment work stated in the brief before outreach begins. We put the difference around product engineering versus plant equipment work stated in the brief in front of you so the interview tests missing experience rather than assuming it is already there.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Mechanical Engineer?
The median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers in the United States was $104,110 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $84,130 and $132,590. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $73,990. 90% earned less than $164,340.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Mechanical Engineer at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 296,810 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters reviews the Mechanical Engineer role under the SOC 17-2141 classification. The national median wage is $104,110 as of May 2025, which marks an increase from $102,320 in May 2024. The middle-band width is $48,460, determined by a P25 of $84,130 and a P75 of $132,590.
Because BLS measures this occupation broadly across all industries, the data does not account for the specific equipment work or product engineering functions that distinguish a manufacturing role from other types of mechanical engineering.
Regional hub comparisons show that Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, a major employment center for this occupation, reports a median of $109,470 with a middle-band width of $34,640. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim hub shows a higher median of $123,900 with a broader band of $50,840. Nationally, the Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing industry reports a median of $140,600, while Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing reports $125,380. These industry-specific figures illustrate the value premium placed on mechanical engineering in specialized manufacturing sectors compared to the general national average.
In our assessment of this role, we screen for candidates with deep experience in performing calculations for load, heat, and motion as they apply to real-world operating conditions. Because the SOC classification bundles all mechanical engineers, the data does not separate plant-based equipment engineers from those in product design. Hiring teams should interpret these medians as a baseline for broad engineering talent. Total compensation structures often include elements like shift differentials or production-based incentives that are not captured in the BLS annual median. The data confirms the national trend but lacks the granular detail of company-specific job grades or specialized machine certifications.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How should employers use the $104,110 national median?
This figure serves as a baseline for the broader occupation. It should be adjusted based on the specific engineering complexity of the role.
Why is the Detroit band width narrower than the Los Angeles band?
The band width reflects the dispersion of salaries within the local market. Detroit shows more centralized pay levels for mechanical engineers than the Los Angeles area.
Does this data reflect hourly mechanical engineering work?
The data is presented as an annual median. It does not provide an hourly rate, as mechanical engineering roles are typically salaried positions.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4