Mechanical Engineer Salary by U.S. City (2026)

Mechanical Engineer salaries across 50 U.S. cities, from BLS wage data: median and 10th-90th percentiles, plus cost-of-living-adjusted real pay. Compare metros.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS) & BEA Regional Price Parities · Updated June 2026

Cities tracked
50
National average
$105,220

How Mechanical Engineer pay varies by city

Across the 50 U.S. metros tracked here, Mechanical Engineer pay ranges from about $80,510 in El Paso, TX to $153,520 in San Jose, CA (median wage). But the highest nominal pay isn’t the best deal once local prices are factored in: adjusted for cost of living, Wichita, KS delivers the strongest real buying power (about $496,448 in national-average dollars). The U.S. national average for this role is about $105,220.

The table below ranks every metro by median wage. “Real pay” adjusts each salary for local cost of living (BEA Regional Price Parity, U.S. = 100) so you can compare what the paycheck is actually worth. See our methodology for sources and formulas.

CityMedian10th %ile90th %ileCost of living
(US = 100)		Real pay
(COL-adjusted)
San Jose, CA$153,520$95,910$215,560110.4$140,641
Oakland, CA$136,970$83,120$196,080115.6$123,766
San Francisco, CA$136,970$83,120$196,080115.6$123,766
Albuquerque, NM$133,660$87,050$167,65095.5$140,194
San Diego, CA$122,350$78,500$162,920111.9$106,876
Houston, TX$119,550$76,630$168,83098.6$126,991
Sacramento, CA$118,050$71,930$164,670106.7$110,743
Washington, DC$116,470$79,920$177,610108.9$114,296
Boston, MA$108,959$62,544$141,448108.3$100,640
Seattle, WA$108,730$76,200$167,670111.1$107,241
Tucson, AZ$105,160$83,150$171,34096.9$117,807
Long Beach, CA$104,990$73,250$169,190113.6$103,288
Los Angeles, CA$104,990$73,250$169,190113.6$103,288
Philadelphia, PA$104,520$73,800$182,160102.6$111,961
Denver, CO$104,390$68,990$170,280105.8$110,529
New York, NY$104,100$67,640$164,160112.6$101,925
Portland, OR$102,500$77,400$146,540105.4$102,759
Austin, TX$102,370$62,970$165,88098.1$112,883
New Orleans, LA$102,010$78,000$160,21026.3$419,962
Baltimore, MD$101,710$66,320$170,400104.5$105,717
Detroit, MI$101,230$67,580$133,920100.3$102,564
Chicago, IL$100,200$64,330$153,540103.6$101,414
Memphis, TN$99,990$63,470$132,25092.2$105,447
Tulsa, OK$99,670$67,010$131,33089.2$112,650
Raleigh, NC$99,560$64,710$140,88098.2$103,426
Arlington, TX$99,490$63,490$157,630——
Dallas, TX$99,490$63,490$157,630103.1$100,834
San Antonio, TX$99,130$62,220$152,39094.7$107,954
Minneapolis, MN$98,740$65,640$147,600104.8$99,149
Mesa, AZ$98,430$68,880$135,550103.3$98,378
Phoenix, AZ$98,430$68,880$135,550103.3$98,378
Louisville, KY$97,280$66,500$141,63093.1$107,721
Miami, FL$96,680$59,570$169,150114.2$92,515
Nashville, TN$96,680$63,540$133,63096.3$102,493
Charlotte, NC$95,980$61,960$141,40097.3$103,145
Columbus, OH$95,620$64,800$137,49095.5$106,464
Colorado Springs, CO$95,490$50,269$127,144100.7$94,820
Fresno, CA$95,030$61,810$150,930102.2$97,966
Kansas City, MO$94,980$66,350$130,59092.5$102,450
Jacksonville, FL$93,550$61,910$140,83099.5$99,091
Indianapolis, IN$92,930$63,950$136,03095.7$102,094
Cleveland, OH$92,920$63,730$134,360——
Fort Worth, TX$91,745$49,862$121,062103.1$88,995
Milwaukee, WI$86,650$66,890$129,09096.9$97,558
Omaha, NE$86,240$62,800$133,49091.9$101,827
Oklahoma City, OK$85,110$63,730$124,06090.4$99,869
Atlanta, GA$82,900$36,560$136,450100.1$89,608
Wichita, KS$82,430$61,830$132,07018.3$496,448
Las Vegas, NV$81,360$49,220$126,230100.2$87,681
El Paso, TX$80,510$44,130$123,21089.9$92,680

“Real pay” = average wage × 100 ÷ the metro’s Regional Price Parity — what the salary is worth in national-average dollars. A high-paying city with high costs can rank below a cheaper one on real pay.

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