Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023
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 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) |
| 281,290 |
1.6 % |
$ 50.59 |
$ 105,220 |
0.5 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Mechanical Engineers:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 31.04 |
$ 38.06 |
$ 47.84 |
$ 61.05 |
$ 75.71 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 64,560 |
$ 79,160 |
$ 99,510 |
$ 126,990 |
$ 157,470 |
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 |
58,810 |
3.57 |
$ 50.30 |
$ 104,620 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
28,930 |
3.72 |
$ 45.15 |
$ 93,900 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
20,430 |
2.21 |
$ 60.68 |
$ 126,220 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) |
13,610 |
0.64 |
$ 54.53 |
$ 113,430 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
11,160 |
2.19 |
$ 56.33 |
$ 117,170 |
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 |
5,220 |
5.64 |
$ 53.67 |
$ 111,630 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
28,930 |
3.72 |
$ 45.15 |
$ 93,900 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
58,810 |
3.57 |
$ 50.30 |
$ 104,620 |
| Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing |
5,660 |
3.49 |
$ 40.78 |
$ 84,820 |
| Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing |
670 |
3.13 |
$ 55.77 |
$ 116,000 |
Top paying industries for Mechanical Engineers:
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 |
32,580 |
7.49 |
4.05 |
$ 47.93 |
$ 99,690 |
| California |
27,420 |
1.53 |
0.82 |
$ 60.86 |
$ 126,600 |
| Texas |
19,630 |
1.45 |
0.78 |
$ 53.99 |
$ 112,310 |
| Pennsylvania |
19,060 |
3.20 |
1.73 |
$ 50.76 |
$ 105,570 |
| Ohio |
15,160 |
2.77 |
1.50 |
$ 46.88 |
$ 97,520 |
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 |
32,580 |
7.49 |
4.05 |
$ 47.93 |
$ 99,690 |
| New Hampshire |
2,950 |
4.37 |
2.36 |
$ 49.52 |
$ 103,000 |
| Iowa |
5,340 |
3.46 |
1.87 |
$ 46.10 |
$ 95,890 |
| Pennsylvania |
19,060 |
3.20 |
1.73 |
$ 50.76 |
$ 105,570 |
| Rhode Island |
1,510 |
3.09 |
1.67 |
$ 50.26 |
$ 104,540 |
Top paying states for Mechanical Engineers:
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 |
20,390 |
10.73 |
5.79 |
$ 49.46 |
$ 102,870 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
8,520 |
1.38 |
0.74 |
$ 56.39 |
$ 117,300 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
8,350 |
3.03 |
1.63 |
$ 56.38 |
$ 117,270 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
7,540 |
2.37 |
1.28 |
$ 60.21 |
$ 125,250 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
7,070 |
2.50 |
1.35 |
$ 55.20 |
$ 114,820 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
7,040 |
1.56 |
0.84 |
$ 50.51 |
$ 105,060 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
6,720 |
0.71 |
0.38 |
$ 55.16 |
$ 114,730 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
4,890 |
1.23 |
0.67 |
$ 49.98 |
$ 103,950 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
4,700 |
1.94 |
1.05 |
$ 68.79 |
$ 143,090 |
| Pittsburgh, PA |
4,590 |
4.28 |
2.31 |
$ 52.17 |
$ 108,510 |
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) |
| Columbus, IN |
1,340 |
26.54 |
14.33 |
$ 56.28 |
$ 117,070 |
| California-Lexington Park, MD |
680 |
14.48 |
7.82 |
$ 53.22 |
$ 110,700 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA |
1,010 |
11.68 |
6.31 |
$ 52.00 |
$ 108,150 |
| Saginaw, MI |
870 |
10.99 |
5.93 |
$ 44.97 |
$ 93,530 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
20,390 |
10.73 |
5.79 |
$ 49.46 |
$ 102,870 |
| Huntsville, AL |
2,260 |
8.99 |
4.85 |
$ 53.74 |
$ 111,780 |
| Ann Arbor, MI |
1,910 |
8.85 |
4.78 |
$ 52.40 |
$ 108,980 |
| New Bern, NC |
350 |
7.79 |
4.21 |
$ 42.44 |
$ 88,280 |
| Fond du Lac, WI |
300 |
6.69 |
3.61 |
$ 48.61 |
$ 101,100 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA |
600 |
6.49 |
3.50 |
$ 49.38 |
$ 102,710 |
United States Department of Labor
