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Mechanical Engineer Salary by State (2026)
Mechanical Engineers (Mechanical Engineers) hold 291,190 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $107,639 per year, but the median ranges from $80,180 in Arkansas to $157,710 in New Mexico. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Mechanical Engineer salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| New Mexico | $157,710 | 2,710 |
| District of Columbia | $133,300 | 510 |
| California | $130,900 | 30,530 |
| Delaware | $125,130 | 610 |
| Colorado | $124,430 | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $124,340 | 380 |
| Maryland | $122,870 | 6,550 |
| Louisiana | $119,540 | 1,890 |
| Massachusetts | $119,300 | 7,680 |
| Wyoming | $117,750 | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $116,230 | 1,560 |
| Texas | $112,410 | 22,080 |
| New Jersey | $112,300 | 4,180 |
| Washington | $110,430 | 8,240 |
| Vermont | $107,330 | 530 |
| Connecticut | $105,090 | 4,600 |
| Michigan | $104,890 | 34,630 |
| South Carolina | $104,580 | 5,780 |
| Virginia | $104,180 | 7,470 |
| New Hampshire | $103,660 | 2,760 |
| Oregon | $103,470 | 2,920 |
| Illinois | $102,680 | 11,790 |
| Nevada | $102,680 | 1,410 |
| Utah | $102,500 | 3,370 |
| New York | $102,440 | 8,590 |
| Maine | $102,430 | 890 |
| Oklahoma | $101,850 | 2,270 |
| Kentucky | $101,050 | 4,170 |
| North Carolina | $100,720 | 9,560 |
| Georgia | $100,620 | 5,290 |
| Arizona | $100,270 | 5,050 |
| Alabama | $100,230 | 0 |
| Florida | $99,980 | 10,740 |
| Indiana | $99,590 | 8,690 |
| Tennessee | $99,550 | 3,930 |
| Missouri | $99,330 | 4,870 |
| Minnesota | $99,140 | 5,890 |
| Ohio | $99,100 | 14,390 |
| Hawaii | $98,740 | 530 |
| Mississippi | $98,000 | 1,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,920 | 13,550 |
| Iowa | $97,700 | 3,470 |
| West Virginia | $97,390 | 760 |
| Wisconsin | $95,870 | 7,470 |
| Montana | $94,190 | 500 |
| Idaho | $93,190 | 1,070 |
| South Dakota | $88,380 | 560 |
| Nebraska | $88,060 | 950 |
| North Dakota | $86,330 | 790 |
| Kansas | $86,260 | 4,630 |
| Arkansas | $80,180 | 1,410 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Mechanical Engineer salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Mechanical Engineer salary in the US is about $107,639 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 291,190 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Mechanical Engineers the most?
- New Mexico has the highest median Mechanical Engineer salary at $157,710 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Mechanical Engineers the least?
- Arkansas has the lowest median at $80,180 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Mechanical Engineers, code 17-2141). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.