Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2015

17-2141 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.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
278,340 1.3 % $42.40 $88,190 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $25.79 $31.99 $40.19 $50.53 $61.74
Annual Wage (2) $53,640 $66,540 $83,590 $105,110 $128,430

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 63,070 4.53 $44.84 $93,260
Scientific Research and Development Services 18,150 2.81 $47.24 $98,260
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 14,850 3.04 $44.95 $93,500
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing 12,760 2.27 $37.90 $78,830
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 11,600 0.58 $46.39 $96,490

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Industrial Machinery Manufacturing 5,780 5.17 $38.27 $79,590
Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing 4,760 4.74 $39.34 $81,820
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 63,070 4.53 $44.84 $93,260
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing 7,920 4.33 $40.38 $83,990
Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing 10,250 3.84 $36.93 $76,810

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 980 0.51 $70.55 $146,740
Other Information Services 160 0.07 $68.61 $142,710
Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance 160 0.16 $57.69 $120,000
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 240 2.34 $53.25 $110,750
Waste Treatment and Disposal 660 0.71 $52.48 $109,170

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.




States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 40,490 9.77 4.84 $42.87 $89,160
California 23,850 1.54 0.76 $47.75 $99,330
Texas 19,630 1.70 0.84 $49.15 $102,230
Ohio 14,260 2.70 1.34 $36.49 $75,910
Illinois 11,910 2.04 1.01 $42.92 $89,280



States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 40,490 9.77 4.84 $42.87 $89,160
Connecticut 5,970 3.60 1.78 $40.63 $84,520
Indiana 10,290 3.49 1.73 $37.10 $77,160
Wisconsin 9,540 3.44 1.71 $35.06 $72,930
Ohio 14,260 2.70 1.34 $36.49 $75,910



Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 640 1.95 0.96 $62.70 $130,420
New Mexico 1,020 1.28 0.63 $50.23 $104,470
Texas 19,630 1.70 0.84 $49.15 $102,230
Delaware 670 1.54 0.76 $48.78 $101,450
District of Columbia 650 0.97 0.48 $48.04 $99,930




Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 18,120 15.44 7.65 $43.70 $90,890
Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metropolitan Division 12,270 16.89 8.37 $45.22 $94,050
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 8,760 2.99 1.48 $52.27 $108,720
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 6,330 1.54 0.76 $47.82 $99,470
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 5,540 1.55 0.77 $43.08 $89,610
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 5,080 0.78 0.39 $43.05 $89,550
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 5,050 2.68 1.33 $39.97 $83,140
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division 4,350 2.47 1.22 $43.18 $89,810
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 4,310 2.81 1.39 $46.07 $95,830
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 4,210 1.74 0.86 $52.82 $109,860



Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Columbus, IN 1,910 38.78 19.21 $38.29 $79,650
Jackson, MI 1,040 17.28 8.56 $41.65 $86,640
Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metropolitan Division 12,270 16.89 8.37 $45.22 $94,050
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 940 15.65 7.75 $45.37 $94,370
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 18,120 15.44 7.65 $43.70 $90,890
Peoria, IL 2,660 15.09 7.47 (8) (8)
California-Lexington Park, MD 440 10.08 4.99 $44.15 $91,820
Ann Arbor, MI 1,560 7.46 3.69 $45.13 $93,870
Saginaw, MI 610 7.33 3.63 $37.60 $78,210
Framingham, MA NECTA Division 1,240 7.21 3.57 $48.10 $100,060



Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Anchorage, AK 530 2.99 1.48 $64.18 $133,500
Tuscaloosa, AL 160 1.56 0.77 $58.77 $122,230
Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, MA NECTA Division 150 2.65 1.31 $57.65 $119,910
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 3,860 3.82 1.89 $56.06 $116,600
Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metropolitan Division 1,060 1.84 0.91 $53.51 $111,290
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 4,210 1.74 0.86 $52.82 $109,860
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 8,760 2.99 1.48 $52.27 $108,720
Baton Rouge, LA 620 1.58 0.78 $51.86 $107,860
Boulder, CO 810 4.74 2.35 $51.77 $107,690
Trenton, NJ 360 1.64 0.81 $51.77 $107,670

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 1,190 4.72 2.34 $32.46 $67,520
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 900 4.86 2.41 $39.17 $81,480
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 880 4.83 2.39 $38.44 $79,960
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) 860 2.61 1.29 $33.26 $69,170
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 760 2.78 1.38 $32.51 $67,620

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 340 6.92 3.43 $50.13 $104,280
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 900 4.86 2.41 $39.17 $81,480
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 880 4.83 2.39 $38.44 $79,960
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 1,190 4.72 2.34 $32.46 $67,520
West Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 280 4.42 2.19 $42.81 $89,050

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Balance of Alaska nonmetropolitan area 80 1.03 0.51 $57.83 $120,300
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 60 1.09 0.54 $53.10 $110,450
Big Thicket Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 80 0.72 0.36 $52.22 $108,610
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 340 6.92 3.43 $50.13 $104,280
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 180 2.67 1.32 $48.93 $101,770

About May 2015 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.

Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2015 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2015 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2015 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2015 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2015 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 30, 2016