Mechanical Engineers: Career Overview
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.
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The Daily Work of Mechanical Engineers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of mechanical engineers cover:
- 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.
- Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
- Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and recommend remedial actions.
- Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
- Research and analyze customer design proposals, specifications, manuals, or other data to evaluate the feasibility, cost, or maintenance requirements of designs or applications.
- Provide technical customer service.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful mechanical engineers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Mechanical Engineers Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Air Conditioning Engineer (AC Engineer)
- Application Engineer
- Automation Engineer
- Body Engineer
- Brake Engineer
- Car Designer
- Combustion Engineer
- Cooling and Heating Systems Design Engineer
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 88,587 mechanical engineers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +7.7% over the projection horizon.
Mechanical Engineers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $79,543 |
| Hourly median | $38.24 |
| 10th percentile | $45,691 |
| 25th percentile | $62,617 |
| 75th percentile | $96,469 |
| 90th percentile | $113,396 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | $141,490 |
| District of Columbia | $130,000 |
| Alaska | $129,990 |
| California | $126,370 |
| Massachusetts | $122,670 |
| Wyoming | $116,910 |
| Rhode Island | $115,270 |
| Louisiana | $114,050 |
| Maryland | $111,740 |
| Washington | $109,370 |
| Texas | $108,240 |
| Colorado | $108,060 |
| New Jersey | $107,020 |
| Connecticut | $106,600 |
| Delaware | $106,020 |
| South Carolina | $105,360 |
| New York | $105,130 |
| New Hampshire | $103,890 |
| Idaho | $103,660 |
| Michigan | $102,730 |
| Arizona | $102,510 |
| Maine | $101,500 |
| Oregon | $101,290 |
| North Carolina | $100,990 |
| West Virginia | $100,610 |
| Vermont | $100,520 |
| Illinois | $99,730 |
| Kentucky | $99,410 |
| Virginia | $99,350 |
| Tennessee | $99,330 |
| Montana | $99,250 |
| Indiana | $99,200 |
| Utah | $99,050 |
| Minnesota | $98,980 |
| Nevada | $98,110 |
| Iowa | $97,570 |
| Alabama | $97,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,450 |
| Florida | $97,190 |
| Georgia | $96,820 |
| Ohio | $96,330 |
| Hawaii | $95,250 |
| Wisconsin | $94,820 |
| Missouri | $91,890 |
| Kansas | $91,770 |
| Mississippi | $90,730 |
| South Dakota | $90,590 |
| Oklahoma | $90,510 |
| North Dakota | $84,020 |
| Nebraska | $82,510 |
| Arkansas | $78,570 |
| Puerto Rico | $62,520 |
| Guam | $60,700 |
Where Mechanical Engineers Earn the Most
Earnings for mechanical engineers shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $119,653 | 14.5% | 0.93 |
| New England | $113,963 | 7.1% | 1.52 |
| Southwest | $107,712 | 9.8% | 0.78 |
| Rocky Mountains | $104,904 | 4.3% | 1.12 |
| Middle Atlantic | $103,845 | 12.1% | 0.96 |
| Great Lakes | $99,669 | 26.2% | 2.45 |
| Southeast | $99,253 | 18.7% | 0.87 |
| Plains States | $94,360 | 7.2% | 1.15 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $147,730 | 3,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $145,640 | 4,670 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $141,420 | 60 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | LA | $132,850 | 480 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $129,990 | 400 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $129,190 | 200 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $128,660 | 3,320 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | TX | $126,870 | 7,010 |
Top Industries Employing Mechanical Engineers
The bulk of mechanical engineers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 127,220 | $99,990 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 89,470 | $106,190 |
| Wholesale Trade | 18,910 | $98,380 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 11,080 | $108,040 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,330 | $94,330 |
| Construction | 5,680 | $97,790 |
| Utilities | 1,710 | $130,420 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,710 | $98,770 |
Below are examples of industries where mechanical engineers work:
Tech Stack
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Configuration management software: Chef (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of mechanical engineers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level mechanical engineers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Electrical Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer (Primary-Long)
- Industrial Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Manufacturing Engineers (Supplemental)
- Fuel Cell Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Mechatronics Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring mechanical engineers often complete programs in:
Engineering
3 programs across 3 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 17-2141.00 (Mechanical Engineers).
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