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
$139,896
San Jose, CA
National Average
$100,504
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$105,291
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $139,896 | $67.26/hr | +39.2% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $135,121 | $64.96/hr | +34.4% | View Details |
| 3 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $124,978 | $60.09/hr | +24.4% | View Details |
| 4 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $118,682 | $57.06/hr | +18.1% | View Details |
| 5 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $117,242 | $56.37/hr | +16.7% | View Details |
| 6 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $111,873 | $53.79/hr | +11.3% | View Details |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $110,078 | $52.92/hr | +9.5% | View Details |
| 8 | Denver, CO Cost of Living: 118.4 | $109,611 | $52.70/hr | +9.1% | View Details |
| 9 | San Diego, CA Cost of Living: 142.8 | $108,307 | $52.07/hr | +7.8% | View Details |
| 10 | Chicago, IL Cost of Living: 105.4 | $105,291 | $50.62/hr | +4.8% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$140k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$135k
/year
Seattle, WA
$125k
/year
Boston, MA
$119k
/year
New York, NY
$117k
/year
Washington, DC
$112k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$110k
/year
Denver, CO
$110k
/year
San Diego, CA
$108k
/year
Chicago, IL
$105k
/year
Riverside, CA
$104k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$103k
/year
Hartford, CT
$103k
/year
Austin, TX
$103k
/year
Portland, OR
$102k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$102k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$102k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$102k
/year
Miami, FL
$101k
/year
Providence, RI
$101k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$101k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$100k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$100k
/year
Nashville, TN
$99k
/year
Houston, TX
$99k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$98k
/year
Dallas, TX
$98k
/year
Tampa, FL
$97k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$97k
/year
Richmond, VA
$97k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$96k
/year
Orlando, FL
$95k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$95k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$95k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$94k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$94k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$94k
/year
Louisville, KY
$94k
/year
Detroit, MI
$93k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$93k
/year
Columbus, OH
$93k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$93k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$92k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$89k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$89k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$88k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$88k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$86k
/year
Memphis, TN
$86k
/year
El Paso, TX
$85k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Mechanical Engineers the most?
San Jose, CA pays Mechanical Engineers the most, with a median salary of $139,896 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 $100,504 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.