Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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.

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National estimates for Mechanical Engineers
Industry profile for Mechanical Engineers
Geographic profile for Mechanical Engineers

National estimates for Mechanical Engineers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Mechanical Engineers:

Employment (1)	Employment RSE (3)	Mean hourly wage	Mean annual wage (2)	Wage RSE (3)
278,240	1.0 %	$ 46.64	$ 97,000	0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Mechanical Engineers:

Percentile	10%	25%	50% (Median)	75%	90%
Hourly Wage	$ 29.21	$ 36.56	$ 45.82	$ 57.78	$ 65.49
Annual Wage (2)	$ 60,750	$ 76,050	$ 95,300	$ 120,180	$ 136,210

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Industry profile for Mechanical Engineers:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Mechanical Engineers:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	59,940	3.97	$ 48.46	$ 100,800
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)	27,960	3.99	$ 42.13	$ 87,640
Scientific Research and Development Services	14,190	1.78	$ 54.78	$ 113,930
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)	13,920	0.66	$ 49.87	$ 103,720
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	13,610	2.90	$ 52.48	$ 109,160

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Mechanical Engineers:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	4,800	5.41	$ 49.03	$ 101,970
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)	27,960	3.99	$ 42.13	$ 87,640
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	59,940	3.97	$ 48.46	$ 100,800
Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing	740	3.73	$ 42.90	$ 89,240
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	5,430	3.39	$ 39.19	$ 81,510

Top paying industries for Mechanical Engineers:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil	50	0.43	$ 75.58	$ 157,210
Other Pipeline Transportation	40	0.45	$ 74.01	$ 153,940
Oil and Gas Extraction	300	0.28	$ 63.11	$ 131,280
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	610	0.59	$ 60.23	$ 125,280
Land Subdivision	(8)	(8)	$ 60.03	$ 124,860

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Geographic profile for Mechanical Engineers:

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

States with the highest employment level in Mechanical Engineers:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan	32,520	8.01	4.06	$ 44.04	$ 91,610
California	28,450	1.72	0.87	$ 54.39	$ 113,130
Texas	20,840	1.70	0.86	$ 53.52	$ 111,330
Pennsylvania	17,420	3.12	1.58	$ 44.00	$ 91,520
Ohio	13,650	2.62	1.33	$ 41.82	$ 86,980

States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Mechanical Engineers:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan	32,520	8.01	4.06	$ 44.04	$ 91,610
Wisconsin	9,610	3.49	1.77	$ 41.49	$ 86,290
Iowa	5,100	3.44	1.74	$ 43.25	$ 89,950
New Hampshire	2,100	3.31	1.68	$ 47.18	$ 98,140
Pennsylvania	17,420	3.12	1.58	$ 44.00	$ 91,520

Top paying states for Mechanical Engineers:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
New Mexico	1,620	2.08	1.05	$ 57.71	$ 120,040
Louisiana	1,040	0.58	0.29	$ 57.40	$ 119,380
District of Columbia	680	1.03	0.52	$ 54.73	$ 113,840
California	28,450	1.72	0.87	$ 54.39	$ 113,130
Alaska	330	1.11	0.56	$ 53.77	$ 111,850

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Mechanical Engineers:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	21,920	12.17	6.16	$ 45.54	$ 94,720
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	9,850	1.72	0.87	$ 52.13	$ 108,430
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	8,480	2.93	1.48	$ 60.56	$ 125,970
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	7,290	1.72	0.87	$ 46.10	$ 95,890
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	6,870	0.79	0.40	$ 47.90	$ 99,640
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH	6,800	2.63	1.33	$ 53.10	$ 110,450
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	6,510	2.45	1.24	$ 47.29	$ 98,360
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	5,680	1.58	0.80	$ 49.98	$ 103,960
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	5,330	1.82	0.92	$ 56.35	$ 117,200
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	5,000	2.61	1.32	$ 50.33	$ 104,690

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Mechanical Engineers:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	1,380	16.39	8.30	$ 47.61	$ 99,030
California-Lexington Park, MD	690	14.78	7.48	$ 49.52	$ 103,010
Dubuque, IA	740	13.11	6.64	$ 45.06	$ 93,730
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	21,920	12.17	6.16	$ 45.54	$ 94,720
Huntsville, AL	2,040	8.86	4.48	$ 51.43	$ 106,980
Peoria, IL	1,380	8.82	4.46	$ 55.14	$ 114,680
New Bern, NC	350	8.15	4.12	$ 38.92	$ 80,960
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA	660	7.62	3.86	$ 45.06	$ 93,710
Ann Arbor, MI	1,370	6.82	3.45	$ 44.14	$ 91,820
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL	1,420	6.42	3.25	$ 46.57	$ 96,870