# Mechanical Engineers

SOC 17-2141. Page: https://educationguide.com/careers/mechanical-engineers

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.

## Pay and outlook
- U.S. median wage $104,110 (middle half $84,130–$132,590; BLS May 2025)
- Ages 25-34: median $94,418; 92% hold a bachelor's or higher (Census ACS 2020-2024)
- Jobs 2025-35: 11.2%; ~17.8k openings a year; typical entry: Bachelor's degree

## Fields of degree of young workers (ages 25-34, bachelor's+)
- Mechanical Engineering: 57% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/mechanical-engineering)
- General Engineering: 6% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/engineering)
- Electrical Engineering: 4% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/electrical-engineering)
- Aerospace Engineering: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/aerospace-aeronautical-and-astronautical-space-engineering)
- Chemical Engineering: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/chemical-engineering)
- Industrial And Manufacturing Engineering: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/industrial-engineering)
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies: 2% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/mechanical-engineering-related-technologies-technicians)
- General Business: 1% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/business)
- Business Management And Administration: 1% (https://educationguide.com/degrees/business-administration)
- Miscellaneous Engineering: 1%

## Median wage by state
- AK: $124,340
- AL: $100,230
- AR: $80,180
- AZ: $100,270
- CA: $130,900
- CO: $124,430
- CT: $105,090
- DC: $133,300
- DE: $125,130
- FL: $99,980
- GA: $100,620
- GU: $61,510
- HI: $98,740
- IA: $97,700
- ID: $93,190
- IL: $102,680
- IN: $99,590
- KS: $86,260
- KY: $101,050
- LA: $119,540
- MA: $119,300
- MD: $122,870
- ME: $102,430
- MI: $104,890
- MN: $99,140
- MO: $99,330
- MS: $98,000
- MT: $94,190
- NC: $100,720
- ND: $86,330
- NE: $88,060
- NH: $103,660
- NJ: $112,300
- NM: $157,710
- NV: $102,680
- NY: $102,440
- OH: $99,100
- OK: $101,850
- OR: $103,470
- PA: $97,920
- PR: $72,240
- RI: $116,230
- SC: $104,580
- SD: $88,380
- TN: $99,550
- TX: $112,410
- UT: $102,500
- VA: $104,180
- VT: $107,330
- WA: $110,430
- WI: $95,870
- WV: $97,390
- WY: $117,750

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#careers

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0). O*NET data: CC BY 4.0, O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA).