Mechanical Engineer Schools, Salaries, and Job Data
Mechanical Engineers Job Overview
Mechanical engineers are involved with researching, designing and developing tools, machines and a wide variety of mechanical devices and components. Some of the equipment and devices mechanical engineers may work with are surgical instruments, elevators, robots and refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. Mechanical engineers also design tools used in other engineering fields.
Mechanical Engineers Schools and Degrees
Many colleges and universities provide degrees in mechanical engineering. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology provides accreditation for college and university engineering programs.
Job Requirements
Most mechanical engineer positions require, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. Some mechanical engineers have an advanced degree in a specialized engineering field or in business administration.
Nature of Work
Specify system components or oversee modifications of products to ensure they conform with engineering design and performance specifications
Conduct research which tests and analyzes the feasibility, design, operation and performance of equipment, systems and components
Consult with other engineers and other personnel to implement operating procedures and resolve system malfunctions
Recommend design modifications to fix system or machine malfunctions
Mechanical Engineers Jobs and Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a six percent employment growth from 2008 to 2018 for mechanical engineers which is slower than the average for all occupations.
The major employers of mechanical engineers are shown below:
Machine manufacturers
Primary and fabricated materials manufacturers
Consulting firms
Electrical and transportation equipment manufacturers
In 2009 the median annual earnings for mechanical engineers was $77,020.
Job Numbers and Growth
Mechanical engineers nationally number 226,000. The unemployment level for workers is very low, compared to other occupations. About 2% of employees were unemployed recently.
Area Job Conditions
Mechanical engineers are relatively common in Columbus (Indiana), Niles (Michigan), and Ann Arbor (Michigan). They are rarer in Atlantic City (New Jersey), Pensacola (Florida), and El Paso (Texas).
Workers are paid highest in Amarillo (Texas), Washington (District of Columbia), and San Jose (California), and lowest in Sumter (South Carolina), Lawrence (Kansas), and College Station (Texas).
Training and Education
Employees are generally expected to have a bachelor's degree. About 78% of mechanical engineers hold a bachelor's degree or better. Currently 18% of workers have some college education, though not a degree. About 4% of employees were able to get their jobs with a high-school diploma. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.
Part-Time Work and Self-Employment
About 2% of mechanical engineers work less than full-time. In 2% of the cases, workers work for themselves.
Career Video for Mechanical Engineers
Mechanical Engineers by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)
In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.
Alabama
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Anniston
$78,000
60
-10%
Auburn
$70,000
80
+24%
Birmingham
$78,000
540
-35%
Decatur
$83,000
200
+152%
Florence
$81,000
80
+4%
Huntsville
$86,000
1,340
+295%
Mobile
$77,000
220
-23%
Montgomery
$68,000
170
-36%
Tuscaloosa
$88,000
80
-43%
Alaska
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Anchorage
$102,000
270
0%
Arizona
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Flagstaff
$67,000
60
-29%
Phoenix
$75,000
1,800
-40%
Tucson
$86,000
890
+56%
Yuma
$75,000
70
-15%
Arkansas
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Fayetteville
$75,000
150
-55%
Fort Smith
$72,000
160
-18%
Jonesboro
$59,000
50
-27%
Little Rock
$69,000
250
-57%
California
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Bakersfield
$95,000
650
+51%
Chico
$78,000
40
-62%
Fresno
$92,000
240
-55%
Los Angeles
$88,000
5,770
-16%
Modesto
$74,000
40
-84%
Oakland
$87,000
1,590
-6%
Oxnard
$90,000
700
+42%
Riverside
$79,000
910
-55%
Sacramento
$86,000
730
-50%
Salinas
$82,000
60
-77%
San Diego
$88,000
2,970
+34%
San Francisco
$99,000
840
-50%
San Jose
$104,000
3,950
+161%
San Luis Obispo
$80,000
90
-38%
Santa Ana
$86,000
2,370
-4%
Santa Barbara
$103,000
330
+22%
Santa Cruz
$99,000
60
-56%
Santa Rosa
$83,000
250
-11%
Stockton
$74,000
70
-80%
Vallejo
$88,000
90
-53%
Colorado
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Boulder
$100,000
610
+147%
Colorado Springs
$84,000
550
+32%
Denver
$93,000
2,800
+33%
Fort Collins
$89,000
360
+80%
Greeley
$76,000
50
-55%
Pueblo
$83,000
30
-65%
Connecticut
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Bridgeport
$79,000
690
-3%
Danbury
$80,000
340
+228%
Hartford
$78,000
1,330
+38%
New Haven
$76,000
450
0%
Waterbury
$69,000
130
+26%
Delaware
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Wilmington
$88,000
650
+20%
District of Columbia
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Washington
$113,000
3,890
-6%
Florida
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Deltona
$60,000
100
-60%
Fort Lauderdale
$71,000
410
-65%
Fort Walton Beach
330
+182%
Gainesville
$71,000
120
-38%
Jacksonville
$70,000
470
-54%
Lakeland
$58,000
70
-77%
Miami
$68,000
360
-78%
Ocala
$59,000
140
+3%
Orlando
$72,000
780
-55%
Palm Bay
$82,000
1,230
+282%
Panama City
$91,000
370
+254%
Port St Lucie
$66,000
50
-74%
Sarasota
$66,000
180
-56%
Tallahassee
$87,000
40
-85%
Tampa
$75,000
960
-50%
West Palm Beach
$78,000
460
-47%
Georgia
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Albany
$78,000
50
-46%
Athens
$95,000
70
-35%
Atlanta
$77,000
2,900
-26%
Augusta
$101,000
630
+88%
Brunswick
$83,000
30
-49%
Columbus
$72,000
30
-83%
Dalton
$72,000
70
-32%
Gainesville
$66,000
40
-62%
Macon
$62,000
60
-57%
Warner Robins
$78,000
270
+239%
Hawaii
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Honolulu
$77,000
440
-40%
Idaho
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Boise
$83,000
520
+21%
Coeur Dalene
$70,000
130
+74%
Idaho Falls
$126,000
40
-42%
Lewiston
$68,000
30
-5%
Illinois
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Champaign
140
-13%
Chicago
$80,000
5,400
-15%
Kankakee
$59,000
40
-33%
Peoria
$64,000
610
+121%
Rockford
$76,000
430
+91%
Indiana
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Anderson
$71,000
40
-27%
Bloomington
$70,000
120
+13%
Elkhart
$65,000
220
+29%
Evansville
$69,000
360
+30%
Fort Wayne
$66,000
610
+83%
Gary
$73,000
430
-3%
Indianapolis
$70,000
1,500
-1%
Kokomo
$85,000
230
+312%
Lafayette
$68,000
410
+254%
Michigan City
$64,000
80
+35%
Muncie
$85,000
70
+5%
South Bend
$82,000
350
+70%
Terre Haute
$65,000
70
-32%
Iowa
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Ames
$63,000
40
-25%
Cedar Rapids
$70,000
360
+61%
Davenport
$70,000
260
-14%
Des Moines
$74,000
320
-42%
Iowa City
$75,000
80
-26%
Sioux City
$81,000
40
-64%
Kansas
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Lawrence
$60,000
30
-52%
Manhattan
$69,000
80
+4%
Wichita
$67,000
540
+13%
Kentucky
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Bowling Green
$71,000
50
-40%
Lexington
$73,000
300
-24%
Louisville
$74,000
870
-15%
Owensboro
$81,000
50
-28%
Louisiana
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Baton Rouge
$86,000
690
+11%
Houma
$77,000
90
-39%
Lafayette
$71,000
170
-26%
Lake Charles
$85,000
110
-20%
Monroe
$75,000
40
-66%
Shreveport
$80,000
110
-62%
Maine
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Bangor
$63,000
30
-67%
Lewiston
$65,000
70
-6%
Portland
$83,000
330
+1%
Maryland
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Baltimore
$86,000
2,740
+23%
Bethesda
$100,000
1,230
+26%
Massachusetts
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Barnstable Town
$89,000
70
-55%
Boston
$88,000
3,790
+28%
Brockton
$73,000
90
-36%
Framingham
$88,000
540
+104%
Haverhill
$86,000
260
+105%
Lawrence
$78,000
100
+12%
Leominster
$82,000
60
-18%
Lowell
$96,000
540
+183%
New Bedford
$81,000
70
-29%
Peabody
$85,000
380
+137%
Pittsfield
$81,000
90
+97%
Springfield
$69,000
440
-11%
Taunton
$86,000
80
+22%
Worcester
$79,000
550
+33%
Michigan
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Ann Arbor
$78,000
960
+254%
Battle Creek
$67,000
110
+43%
Bay City
$65,000
60
+31%
Flint
$63,000
260
+25%
Grand Rapids
$66,000
1,500
+138%
Holland
$72,000
580
+284%
Jackson
$62,000
100
+40%
Kalamazoo
$76,000
910
+318%
Lansing
$68,000
150
-54%
Monroe
$77,000
140
+169%
Muskegon
$65,000
140
+68%
Niles
$74,000
740
+752%
Saginaw
$75,000
330
+160%
Warren
$90,000
14,680
+704%
Minnesota
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Duluth
$71,000
110
-47%
Mankato
$74,000
60
-29%
Minneapolis
$80,000
3,990
+32%
Rochester
$67,000
40
-75%
St Cloud
$65,000
70
-53%
Mississippi
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Gulfport
$75,000
80
-53%
Jackson
$73,000
110
-74%
Missouri
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Columbia
$71,000
30
-76%
Jefferson City
$77,000
40
-65%
Kansas City
$81,000
2,150
+25%
Springfield
$57,000
100
-68%
St Joseph
$62,000
70
-7%
St Louis
$78,000
1,850
-18%
Montana
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Billings
$66,000
50
-62%
Great Falls
$57,000
40
-24%
Missoula
$68,000
40
-49%
Nebraska
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Lincoln
$70,000
90
-65%
Omaha
$63,000
450
-43%
Nevada
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Carson City
$79,000
60
+67%
Reno
$84,000
140
-55%
New Hampshire
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Manchester
$72,000
190
+16%
Nashua
$90,000
440
+100%
Portsmouth
$79,000
250
+190%
New Jersey
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Atlantic City
$89,000
60
-74%
Camden
$83,000
630
-29%
Edison
$89,000
1,430
-18%
Newark
$82,000
1,780
+5%
Trenton
$90,000
220
-41%
New Mexico
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Albuquerque
$87,000
700
+9%
Las Cruces
$73,000
90
-7%
New York
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Albany
$83,000
620
-18%
Binghamton
$72,000
300
+68%
Buffalo
$69,000
800
-14%
Elmira
$74,000
120
+119%
Glens Falls
$69,000
70
-10%
Ithaca
$72,000
150
+153%
Kingston
$64,000
50
-45%
Nassau
$90,000
1,290
-40%
New York
$84,000
4,110
-53%
Poughkeepsie
$83,000
190
-53%
Rochester
$72,000
1,300
+53%
Syracuse
$72,000
590
+13%
Utica
$60,000
140
-30%
North Carolina
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Asheville
$62,000
240
-17%
Burlington
$68,000
70
-18%
Charlotte
$80,000
1,450
+0%
Durham
$77,000
270
-41%
Fayetteville
$82,000
100
-50%
Greensboro
$73,000
450
-24%
Greenville
$69,000
50
-51%
Hickory
$67,000
120
-49%
Raleigh
$81,000
540
-38%
Rocky Mount
$61,000
110
+27%
Winston Salem
$71,000
250
-28%
North Dakota
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Fargo
$69,000
190
-2%
Ohio
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Akron
$72,000
1,020
+91%
Canton
$70,000
430
+59%
Cincinnati
$80,000
1,950
+14%
Cleveland
$78,000
2,690
+55%
Columbus
$69,000
1,710
+10%
Dayton
$75,000
1,310
+105%
Lima
$68,000
100
+29%
Mansfield
$69,000
120
+56%
Sandusky
$65,000
70
+41%
Springfield
$62,000
50
-29%
Toledo
$71,000
570
+17%
Youngstown
$67,000
220
-41%
Oklahoma
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Oklahoma City
$76,000
640
-34%
Tulsa
$75,000
770
+7%
Oregon
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Bend
$75,000
40
-58%
Corvallis
$71,000
110
+195%
Eugene
$75,000
90
-60%
Medford
$68,000
50
-58%
Portland
$85,000
2,080
+20%
Salem
$68,000
60
-75%
Pennsylvania
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Allentown
$89,000
670
+16%
Altoona
$67,000
50
-45%
Erie
$75,000
370
+80%
Harrisburg
$85,000
320
-40%
Johnstown
$75,000
120
+43%
Lancaster
$67,000
160
-59%
Lebanon
$70,000
80
+20%
Philadelphia
$85,000
3,210
-1%
Pittsburgh
$77,000
2,190
+13%
Reading
$65,000
300
+11%
Scranton
$65,000
220
-49%
State College
$75,000
50
-47%
Williamsport
$62,000
100
+31%
York
$68,000
440
+53%
South Carolina
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Anderson
$79,000
70
-17%
Charleston
$70,000
730
+53%
Columbia
$72,000
330
-44%
Florence
$76,000
70
-43%
Greenville
$85,000
2,050
+312%
Spartanburg
$71,000
240
+31%
Sumter
$70,000
60
+30%
South Dakota
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Rapid City
$75,000
90
-7%
Sioux Falls
$68,000
90
-60%
Tennessee
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Chattanooga
$81,000
380
+1%
Clarksville
$72,000
100
-17%
Cleveland
$75,000
50
+3%
Jackson
$70,000
60
-32%
Kingsport
$75,000
190
-2%
Knoxville
$90,000
770
+39%
Memphis
$82,000
440
-58%
Nashville
$78,000
500
-60%
Texas
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Austin
$83,000
820
-38%
Beaumont
$89,000
190
-27%
College Station
$52,000
200
+39%
Corpus Christi
$91,000
110
-62%
Dallas
$89,000
3,490
-2%
El Paso
$73,000
100
-78%
Fort Worth
$74,000
1,730
+18%
Houston
$100,000
7,510
+68%
Longview
$75,000
110
-26%
Lubbock
$64,000
40
-80%
Midland
$76,000
30
-68%
Odessa
$88,000
40
-53%
San Antonio
$74,000
530
-64%
Tyler
$83,000
70
-50%
Victoria
$102,000
70
-1%
Waco
$77,000
80
-49%
Wichita Falls
$62,000
30
-64%
Utah
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Logan
$72,000
50
-28%
Ogden
$83,000
700
+115%
Provo
$80,000
480
+74%
Salt Lake City
$71,000
1,290
+26%
Vermont
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Burlington
$83,000
290
+64%
Virginia
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Blacksburg
$89,000
200
+118%
Charlottesville
$69,000
140
+4%
Danville
$65,000
50
+2%
Harrisonburg
$87,000
50
-40%
Lynchburg
$82,000
300
+93%
Richmond
$76,000
990
-4%
Roanoke
$74,000
250
-1%
Virginia Beach
$81,000
1,890
+48%
Winchester
$82,000
50
-32%
Washington
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Bellingham
$93,000
90
-20%
Bremerton
$84,000
500
+289%
Kennewick
$88,000
330
+110%
Mount Vernon
$79,000
130
+101%
Seattle
$90,000
3,690
+55%
Spokane
$62,000
230
-32%
Tacoma
$84,000
220
-50%
West Virginia
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Charleston
$82,000
190
-19%
Huntington
$71,000
60
-67%
Morgantown
$66,000
40
-49%
Wheeling
$84,000
40
-59%
Wisconsin
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Appleton
$71,000
250
+37%
Eau Claire
$68,000
160
+41%
Green Bay
$73,000
240
-12%
Janesville
$59,000
50
-48%
La Crosse
$81,000
130
+18%
Madison
$68,000
730
+29%
Milwaukee
$74,000
2,020
+44%
Oshkosh
$70,000
340
+149%
Racine
$71,000
210
+84%
Sheboygan
$99,000
270
+223%
Wausau
$67,000
140
+39%
Wyoming
City and Area
Median Salary
Employees
Job Density
Casper
$78,000
70
+35%
Cheyenne
$68,000
80
+30%
Salary and employment data obtained from the United States Department of Labor. Individual salaries depend on location, education and career background. Thanks to CityTownInfo.com for this mechanical engineer schools and jobs info.
