State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Mechanical Engineer Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Mechanical Engineers is $104,110 a year ($50.05/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 9.1% through 2034, with about 18,100 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 17-2141Architecture and EngineeringLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $104,110
- Projected growth
- +9.1%
- Openings a year
- 18,100
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Application Engineer, Design Engineer, Equipment Engineer, Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanical Designer, Mechanical Engineer.
How much do Mechanical Engineers make?
10th percentile$73,990
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$84,130
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$104,110
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$132,590
Upper quartile
90th percentile$164,340
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $104,110 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $50.05/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $113,610 |
| People employed | 296,810 |
Versus all US occupations
At $104,110, Mechanical Engineers earn 104% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $53,130 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
The median is typical for the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $102,440.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $164,340 or more while the bottom 10% earn $73,990, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 82% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Mexico pays the most at $157,710, and still leads at $171,030 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Mechanical Engineers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $157,710 | $171,030 | 2,710 |
| District of Columbia | $133,300 | $121,291 | 510 |
| California | $130,900 | $118,226 | 30,530 |
| Delaware | $125,130 | $125,371 | 610 |
| Colorado | $124,430 | $120,745 | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $124,340 | $121,474 | 380 |
| Maryland | $122,870 | $117,065 | 6,550 |
| Louisiana | $119,540 | $135,522 | 1,890 |
| Massachusetts | $119,300 | $112,806 | 7,680 |
| Wyoming | $117,750 | $127,035 | 230 |
Is Mechanical Engineer a growing career?
Mechanical Engineers9.1%
All US occupations3.1%
+9.1% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Mechanical Engineers to change 9.1% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.9× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 26,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 18,100 openings are projected each year, 6.2% of the 293,100 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
How to become a Mechanical Engineer
Most mechanical engineers never need a licence and never get one, because the work happens inside companies designing products rather than offering services to the public. BLS is blunt about both halves of this: licensure is not required for entry-level positions as a mechanical engineer, and mechanical engineers who sell services publicly must be licensed in all states and the District of Columbia. A PE can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects and provide services directly to the public, and it is a state board that grants it.
The credential path, step by step
- Earn a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology4 years, or 5 to 6 years on a combined or cooperative plan
Engineering programs include mathematics, life and physical sciences, engineering and design; engineering technology programs focus less on theory and more on practical application and often emphasise internships and co-ops. Most employers prefer graduates of an accredited program, and a degree from an accredited program is usually necessary to become a licensed professional engineer. Some universities offer five-year programs leading to both a bachelor's and a master's.
- Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam after graduating
The FE can be taken once you have earned a bachelor's degree. Engineers who pass it are commonly called engineers in training or engineer interns. FE Mechanical is computer-based and offered year round, and had a 73% first-time pass rate against 5,153 first-time takers in the most recent NCEES reporting period, the highest volume of any FE discipline after Civil.
- Accumulate relevant work experience, typically at least four yearsAt least 4 years
After meeting the work experience requirement, EITs and EIs can take the second exam, the Principles and Practice of Engineering. Most states require four years of acceptable, progressive and verifiable experience.
- Pass the PE Mechanical exam
Computer-based and offered year round, 80 questions in a nine-hour appointment, $400 paid directly to NCEES. Three depth exams exist: HVAC and Refrigeration, Machine Design and Materials, and Thermal and Fluid Systems. First-time pass rates in the most recent reporting period were 71%, 61% and 70% respectively, and repeat-taker rates were much lower at 40%, 39% and 46%.
- Apply to your state board, and understand the industrial exemption before you assume you need to
The licence comes from a state board, and some boards require a separate application and fee before they will approve you for an NCEES exam seat. Whether you need the licence at all depends on the exemption your state grants employees of manufacturers: Texas, for example, exempts the activities of a private corporation and its full-time employees when the work relates only to the research, development, design, fabrication, production, assembly, integration or service of products manufactured by that entity.
Exams you have to pass
Fundamentals of Engineering exam (FE)
Generally the first step towards licensure, designed for students close to finishing or recent graduates of an EAC/ABET-accredited program. Computer-based, year round, 110 questions in a six-hour appointment, $225 paid directly to NCEES. Take FE Mechanical.
Administered by NCEES, at Pearson test centres.
Principles and Practice of Engineering exam, Mechanical (PE Mechanical)
Designed for engineers with a minimum of four years of post-college work experience in the discipline. Computer-based and offered year round, 80 questions in a nine-hour appointment (eight hours of exam plus a 50-minute scheduled break), $400 paid to NCEES. Choose one of HVAC and Refrigeration, Machine Design and Materials, or Thermal and Fluid Systems. NCEES supplies an electronic reference handbook and all specified design standards during the exam and allows no personal materials in the room.
Administered by NCEES, at Pearson test centres.
- Program accreditation
EAC/ABET · ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission
A degree from an accredited program is usually necessary to become a licensed professional engineer. Where non-ABET graduates can be licensed at all, an additional four to eight years of work experience may be required instead, which is the practical reason to care about accreditation even if you never intend to seek a licence.
- How long the training takes
4 years to start working; about 8 years to a PE if you want one
Licensure is not required for entry-level positions, so a mechanical engineer can work an entire career without one. The PE route adds the FE exam after graduation, typically at least four years of relevant experience, and the PE exam.
- Continuing education
Set by each state
Several states require engineers to take continuing education to renew their licences every year; others do not. Check your own board.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
Each state issues its own licences and sets its own requirements; NCEES writes the exams but the board grants the licence. Two things vary in ways that matter. First, continuing education: several states require engineers to take continuing education to renew their licences every year and others do not. Second, and more consequential for mechanical engineers, the scope of the exemption for employees of manufacturers. Texas construes its Act as not applying to the activities of a private corporation or its full-time employees in connection with the research, development, design, fabrication, production, assembly, integration or service of products manufactured by that entity, and separately exempts most employees of privately owned or cooperative utilities who do not have final authority over designs incorporated into fixed works on the property of others or made available to the public. Anyone who claims such an exemption while representing themselves as legally qualified to practise engineering loses the right to claim it for ten years. Most states recognise licensure from other states where requirements meet or exceed their own.
Who governs the credential
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) — Writes and administers the FE and PE exams and offers more than 20 different PE exams across disciplines. It is a council of the 69 state and territorial engineering and surveying licensing boards; it does not issue licences.
- State engineering licensing boards — Grant the licence, define who must hold one, and write the exemptions that let most mechanical engineers work without one. Some boards require a separate application and fee to qualify you for a seat at an NCEES exam.
Credential detail for mechanical engineers is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Mechanical Engineers, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- NCEES — PE Exam overview (more than 20 discipline exams, four years post-college experience) · checked August 23, 2026
- NCEES — PE Mechanical Exam (three depth exams, format, fee, pass rates) · checked August 23, 2026
- NCEES — FE Exam (format, fee, disciplines, pass rates) · checked August 23, 2026
- ABET — Licensure, Registration and Certification · checked August 23, 2026
- Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1001, Texas Engineering Practice Act, sections 1001.057 and 1001.058 (industrial and utility exemptions) · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Mechanical engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. Mechanical engineers who sell services publicly must be licensed in all states and the District of Columbia.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as mechanical engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree52.3%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)28.6%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8.9%
- Some College Courses8.3%
- High School Diploma1.3%
What does a Mechanical Engineer do?
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.
Mechanical engineers research, design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines.
Day-to-day tasks
- Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
- Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
- Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
- Research and analyze customer design proposals, specifications, manuals, or other data to evaluate the feasibility, cost, or maintenance requirements of designs or applications.
- Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
- Provide feedback to design engineers on customer problems or needs.
- Develop or test models of alternate designs or processing methods to assess feasibility, sustainability, operating condition effects, potential new applications, or necessity of modification.
- Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most mechanical engineers work full time and some work more than 40 hours a week.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where mechanical engineers work
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | 20% |
|---|---|
| Machinery manufacturing | 14% |
| Transportation equipment manufacturing | 10% |
| Computer and electronic product manufacturing | 6% |
| Scientific research and development services | 6% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Mathematics3.8/5
- Science3.8/5
- Active Learning3.5/5
- Writing3.4/5
- Speaking3.4/5
Transferable skills
- Complex Problem Solving3.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8/5
- Operations Analysis3.5/5
- Systems Analysis3.4/5
- Systems Evaluation3.4/5
- Technology Design3.1/5
- Operations Monitoring3.1/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1/5
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Configuration management software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Mechanical Engineer?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary6.4
Investigativeprimary5.1
Artistic2.0
Social1.2
Enterprising2.0
Conventionalprimary4.8
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Mechanical Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Mechanical Engineers make?
Mechanical Engineers earn a median of $104,110 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 104% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $50.05/hr. The middle half earn between $84,130 and $132,590. The top 10% earn $164,340 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Mechanical Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Mechanical Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 52.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Mechanical Engineer a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.1% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 18,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Mechanical Engineer do?
Mechanical engineers research, design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices, including tools, engines, and machines. A core O*NET task: read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Configuration management software.
Which states pay Mechanical Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Mechanical Engineers are New Mexico ($157,710), District of Columbia ($133,300), California ($130,900) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Mechanical Engineer?
O*NET scores Mechanical Engineers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Mechanical Engineer?
4 years to start working; about 8 years to a PE if you want one. Licensure is not required for entry-level positions, so a mechanical engineer can work an entire career without one. The PE route adds the FE exam after graduation, typically at least four years of relevant experience, and the PE exam.
Do you need a license to work as a Mechanical Engineer?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. Each state issues its own licences and sets its own requirements; NCEES writes the exams but the board grants the licence. Two things vary in ways that matter. First, continuing education: several states require engineers to take continuing education to renew their licences every year and others do not. Second, and more consequential for mechanical engineers, the scope of the exemption for employees of manufacturers. Texas construes its Act as not applying to the activities of a private corporation or its full-time employees in connection with the research, development, design, fabrication, production, assembly, integration or service of products manufactured by that entity, and separately exempts most employees of privately owned or cooperative utilities who do not have final authority over designs incorporated into fixed works on the property of others or made available to the public. Anyone who claims such an exemption while representing themselves as legally qualified to practise engineering loses the right to claim it for ten years. Most states recognise licensure from other states where requirements meet or exceed their own.
What exams do you have to pass to become a Mechanical Engineer?
The FE (Fundamentals of Engineering exam) and the PE Mechanical (Principles and Practice of Engineering exam, Mechanical). Generally the first step towards licensure, designed for students close to finishing or recent graduates of an EAC/ABET-accredited program. Computer-based, year round, 110 questions in a six-hour appointment, $225 paid directly to NCEES. Take FE Mechanical.