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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

17-2141 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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
303,440 1.4 % $44.62 $92,800 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $27.05 $33.37 $42.00 $53.14 $65.65
Annual Wage (2) $56,270 $69,410 $87,370 $110,520 $136,550


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 61,180 4.22 $46.78 $97,310
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) 30,070 4.13 $40.50 $84,240
Scientific Research and Development Services 17,100 2.54 $49.86 $103,720
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 13,660 2.81 $49.52 $103,000
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 12,570 0.63 $47.77 $99,370

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing 5,180 5.46 $46.58 $96,890
Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 1,430 4.33 $41.36 $86,030
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 61,180 4.22 $46.78 $97,310
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) 30,070 4.13 $40.50 $84,240
Household Appliance Manufacturing 2,220 3.55 $40.60 $84,440

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 450 0.32 $61.00 $126,880
Waste Treatment and Disposal 480 0.49 $57.79 $120,200
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services 50 0.03 $52.67 $109,560
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 860 0.76 $52.39 $108,980
Spectator Sports 470 0.33 $51.50 $107,110


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 43,890 10.16 4.85 $43.80 $91,100
California 27,330 1.61 0.77 $51.62 $107,370
Texas 20,820 1.72 0.82 $50.75 $105,570
Illinois 17,320 2.89 1.38 $44.24 $92,030
Pennsylvania 16,590 2.84 1.35 $41.22 $85,740




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 43,890 10.16 4.85 $43.80 $91,100
Wisconsin 11,270 3.95 1.89 $38.16 $79,360
New Hampshire 2,410 3.70 1.76 $46.76 $97,270
South Carolina 6,000 2.91 1.39 $45.06 $93,730
Minnesota 8,340 2.91 1.39 $41.84 $87,030




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 430 1.37 0.65 $61.87 $128,690
District of Columbia 620 0.87 0.41 $54.22 $112,780
New Mexico 1,290 1.59 0.76 $52.99 $110,210
Maryland 5,670 2.11 1.01 $52.86 $109,960
California 27,330 1.61 0.77 $51.62 $107,370





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 31,180 15.81 7.54 $46.10 $95,880
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,950 2.58 1.23 $43.17 $89,790
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 9,670 1.58 0.75 $50.19 $104,400
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 8,770 3.18 1.52 $48.55 $100,980
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 8,750 0.92 0.44 $47.15 $98,070
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 8,130 2.72 1.30 $51.61 $107,350
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 6,630 3.39 1.62 $42.78 $88,980
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,350 2.23 1.06 $43.83 $91,170
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,740 1.83 0.87 $56.36 $117,220
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 5,720 1.60 0.76 $53.55 $111,380




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 31,180 15.81 7.54 $46.10 $95,880
Peoria, IL 2,530 14.79 7.05 $52.29 $108,760
California-Lexington Park, MD 660 14.05 6.70 $49.93 $103,850
Jackson, MI 750 13.19 6.29 $38.02 $79,080
Dubuque, IA 590 10.20 4.86 $44.16 $91,850
Monroe, MI 360 9.47 4.52 $40.24 $83,700
Decatur, IL 470 9.27 4.42 $49.28 $102,500
Columbus, IN 460 9.14 4.36 $33.48 $69,630
Sheboygan, WI 510 8.49 4.05 $43.32 $90,110
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 4,650 8.18 3.90 $36.06 $75,010




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Anchorage, AK 250 1.48 0.71 $70.95 $147,570
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 4,700 4.20 2.00 $62.02 $129,000
Tyler, TX 80 0.80 0.38 $58.53 $121,740
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 390 2.45 1.17 $58.33 $121,330
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,200 1.32 0.63 $56.62 $117,770
Albuquerque, NM 1,010 2.61 1.25 $56.42 $117,360
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 5,740 1.83 0.87 $56.36 $117,220
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 770 3.44 1.64 $56.33 $117,160
Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ 50 1.52 0.73 $54.91 $114,210
Barnstable Town, MA 70 0.64 0.30 $54.85 $114,080

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 1,310 5.11 2.44 $33.19 $69,030
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 1,150 4.22 2.01 $38.15 $79,340
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) 1,060 3.17 1.51 $34.47 $71,700
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 900 4.32 2.06 $35.22 $73,250
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 750 3.69 1.76 $33.46 $69,590

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 400 7.99 3.81 $51.93 $108,020
Lower Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area 280 5.22 2.49 $34.74 $72,250
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 1,310 5.11 2.44 $33.19 $69,030
Upper Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area 390 4.86 2.32 $38.57 $80,230
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 290 4.51 2.15 $39.52 $82,200

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 30 0.38 0.18 $60.23 $125,280
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $54.24 $112,810
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 400 7.99 3.81 $51.93 $108,020
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 240 1.22 0.58 $50.70 $105,460
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 410 1.51 0.72 $50.06 $104,130


About May 2018 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019