Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Mechanical Engineers
Find out which cities offer the best salaries for Mechanical Engineers. Data based on 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
Highest Paying City
$136,733
San Jose, CA
National Average
$97,062
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$102,363
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $136,733 | $65.74/hr | +40.9% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $131,730 | $63.33/hr | +35.7% | View Details |
| 3 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $119,729 | $57.56/hr | +23.4% | View Details |
| 4 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $116,409 | $55.97/hr | +19.9% | View Details |
| 5 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $112,949 | $54.30/hr | +16.4% | View Details |
| 6 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $111,110 | $53.42/hr | +14.5% | View Details |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $109,084 | $52.44/hr | +12.4% | View Details |
| 8 | San Diego, CA Cost of Living: 142.8 | $104,597 | $50.29/hr | +7.8% | View Details |
| 9 | Portland, OR Cost of Living: 118.8 | $103,043 | $49.54/hr | +6.2% | View Details |
| 10 | Austin, TX Cost of Living: 105.3 | $102,363 | $49.21/hr | +5.5% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$137k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$132k
/year
Seattle, WA
$120k
/year
New York, NY
$116k
/year
Washington, DC
$113k
/year
Boston, MA
$111k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$109k
/year
San Diego, CA
$105k
/year
Portland, OR
$103k
/year
Austin, TX
$102k
/year
Denver, CO
$102k
/year
Hartford, CT
$102k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$101k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$101k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$99k
/year
Dallas, TX
$99k
/year
Riverside, CA
$99k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$98k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$98k
/year
Chicago, IL
$98k
/year
Miami, FL
$98k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$97k
/year
Houston, TX
$96k
/year
Detroit, MI
$95k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$95k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$94k
/year
Nashville, TN
$94k
/year
Providence, RI
$93k
/year
Orlando, FL
$92k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$92k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$92k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$92k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$91k
/year
Richmond, VA
$91k
/year
Tampa, FL
$90k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$90k
/year
Columbus, OH
$89k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$89k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$88k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$88k
/year
Louisville, KY
$88k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$88k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$88k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$87k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$87k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$86k
/year
Memphis, TN
$86k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$85k
/year
El Paso, TX
$83k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$82k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Mechanical Engineers the most?
San Jose, CA pays Mechanical Engineers the most, with a median salary of $136,733 per year.
What is the average Mechanical Engineer salary across all cities?
The average Mechanical Engineer salary across all 50 major US metro areas is $97,062 per year.
Should I consider cost of living when comparing salaries?
Yes! Cities like San Francisco and New York pay higher salaries, but also have higher costs of living. A $80,000 salary in a city with 90 cost of living index has more purchasing power than$100,000 in a city with 150 cost of living index.