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.