Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019
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) |
| 306,990 |
1.3 % |
$44.97 |
$93,540 |
0.3 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$27.47 |
$33.79 |
$42.51 |
$53.84 |
$66.36 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$57,130 |
$70,280 |
$88,430 |
$111,980 |
$138,020 |
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 |
63,120 |
4.21 |
$46.85 |
$97,460 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
29,880 |
3.97 |
$41.16 |
$85,620 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services |
17,250 |
2.44 |
$50.64 |
$105,340 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
15,210 |
2.92 |
$50.08 |
$104,160 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) |
13,180 |
0.66 |
$47.58 |
$98,960 |
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 |
6,040 |
6.19 |
$44.09 |
$91,700 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services |
63,120 |
4.21 |
$46.85 |
$97,460 |
| Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing |
1,390 |
4.05 |
$42.17 |
$87,720 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
29,880 |
3.97 |
$41.16 |
$85,620 |
| Household Appliance Manufacturing |
2,160 |
3.60 |
$41.51 |
$86,330 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
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 |
43,850 |
10.09 |
4.83 |
$44.64 |
$92,850 |
| California |
27,830 |
1.60 |
0.77 |
$51.88 |
$107,920 |
| Texas |
22,020 |
1.77 |
0.85 |
$49.51 |
$102,980 |
| Pennsylvania |
16,930 |
2.87 |
1.37 |
$40.91 |
$85,100 |
| Ohio |
15,300 |
2.81 |
1.34 |
$39.80 |
$82,780 |
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 |
43,850 |
10.09 |
4.83 |
$44.64 |
$92,850 |
| Wisconsin |
12,090 |
4.21 |
2.02 |
$38.77 |
$80,650 |
| New Hampshire |
2,660 |
4.02 |
1.92 |
$46.90 |
$97,560 |
| Pennsylvania |
16,930 |
2.87 |
1.37 |
$40.91 |
$85,100 |
| Ohio |
15,300 |
2.81 |
1.34 |
$39.80 |
$82,780 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New Mexico |
1,250 |
1.52 |
0.73 |
$55.01 |
$114,420 |
| District of Columbia |
580 |
0.80 |
0.38 |
$53.96 |
$112,240 |
| Maryland |
5,800 |
2.15 |
1.03 |
$52.79 |
$109,800 |
| California |
27,830 |
1.60 |
0.77 |
$51.88 |
$107,920 |
| Alaska |
500 |
1.57 |
0.75 |
$49.69 |
$103,360 |
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 |
30,840 |
15.57 |
7.45 |
$46.76 |
$97,260 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
10,070 |
2.15 |
1.03 |
$43.72 |
$90,940 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
9,570 |
1.53 |
0.73 |
$50.79 |
$105,640 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
9,120 |
3.26 |
1.56 |
$49.40 |
$102,740 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
8,760 |
2.87 |
1.37 |
$51.83 |
$107,800 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
8,370 |
0.87 |
0.41 |
$47.44 |
$98,670 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
6,420 |
2.23 |
1.07 |
$44.27 |
$92,090 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
6,030 |
1.65 |
0.79 |
$50.58 |
$105,200 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
5,920 |
3.00 |
1.44 |
$43.11 |
$89,660 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
5,310 |
1.67 |
0.80 |
$56.83 |
$118,200 |
United States Department of Labor
