Architecture and Engineering
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.
MAY 2025 · OCCUPATIONAL WAGES
A wage reference for United States.
Published wage percentiles describe a distribution within the source occupation group. They provide context for a career decision; employer packages and job offers have their own terms.
Source wage group: Mechanical Engineers
This wage group may include multiple detailed occupations. The figures are for the source group, which may be broader than Mechanical Engineers. They are not an exact-title, employer, experience or seniority match.
May 2025 · USD · United States. Annual and hourly figures are shown only when the source publishes them; neither is calculated from the other.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data, distributed through the O*NET® OnLine service.
Median annual wage$104,110USD per year · Published 50th percentile
Median hourly wage$50.05USD per hour · Published 50th percentile
Annual wage thresholds
USD per year
Hourly wage thresholds
USD per hour
| Percentile | Annual wage (USD/year) | Hourly wage (USD/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $73,990 | $35.57 |
| 25th | $84,130 | $40.45 |
| 50th · Median | $104,110 | $50.05 |
| 75th | $132,590 | $63.75 |
| 90th | $164,340 | $79.01 |
“≥” means at least the published amount; “≤” means at most that amount. These are bounds, not exact values. “Not published” means the source did not provide that figure. Occupational wages follow the source definition and do not establish an employer’s base salary, equity or total compensation.
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THE WORK BEHIND THE TITLE
What this career involves.
Occupation definitions describe common work. Responsibilities and requirements vary by employer and specific job.
Selected title examples
Air Conditioning Engineer (AC Engineer)Application EngineerAutomation EngineerBody EngineerBrake EngineerCar DesignerCombustion EngineerCooling and Heating Systems Design EngineerCryogenics EngineerDesign EngineerDiesel EngineerDiesel Retrofit Designer
Expand more title examples (48)
Distribution EngineerDust Control EngineerElectromechanical EngineerEngine DesignerEngineerEquipment EngineerErecting EngineerFacilities Mechanical Design EngineerField Service EngineerGeothermal Power Generation Mechanical EngineerHeating and Cooling Systems EngineerHeating EngineerHVAC Design Mechanical Engineer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Design Mechanical Engineer)HVAC Engineer (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning Engineer)HVAC Engineer (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Engineer)HVAC Sensor and Digital Control Designer (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Sensor and Digital Control Designer)Hydraulic EngineerHydroelectric Plant Mechanical EngineerIndustrial Green Systems DesignerIndustrial Retrofit DesignerInstallation EngineerInternal Combustion EngineerMachine Design EngineerMachine Tool DesignerMechanical Design EngineerMechanical Design Facilities EngineerMechanical DesignerMechanical Development EngineerMechanical EngineerMechanical Engineering InternMechanical Equipment Test EngineerMechanical HVAC Engineer (Mechanical Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Engineer)Mechanical Project EngineerMechanical Research EngineerMotorcycle DesignerPlant EngineerPlant Equipment EngineerProduct Development EngineerProduct EngineerProducts EngineerProducts Mechanical Design EngineerProject EngineerRefrigeration EngineerReliability EngineerResearch and Development Engineer (R&D Engineer)Roller Coaster DesignerRoller Coaster EngineerServomechanism Designer
Typical tasks
- Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
- Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
- Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
- Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
- Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and recommend remedial actions.
- Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
Expand more tasks (22)
- Research and analyze customer design proposals, specifications, manuals, or other data to evaluate the feasibility, cost, or maintenance requirements of designs or applications.
- Provide technical customer service.
- Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, or repair to ensure that machines or equipment are installed and functioning according to specifications.
- Assist drafters in developing the structural design of products, using drafting tools or computer-assisted drafting equipment or software.
- Conduct research that tests or analyzes the feasibility, design, operation, or performance of equipment, components, or systems.
- Develop or test models of alternate designs or processing methods to assess feasibility, sustainability, operating condition effects, potential new applications, or necessity of modification.
- Provide feedback to design engineers on customer problems or needs.
- Write performance requirements for product development or engineering projects.
- Estimate costs or submit bids for engineering, construction, or extraction projects.
- Develop, coordinate, or monitor all aspects of production, including selection of manufacturing methods, fabrication, or operation of product designs.
- Design integrated mechanical or alternative systems, such as mechanical cooling systems with natural ventilation systems, to improve energy efficiency.
- Calculate energy losses for buildings, using equipment such as computers, combustion analyzers, or pressure gauges.
- Recommend the use of utility or energy services that minimize carbon footprints.
- Perform personnel functions, such as supervision of production workers, technicians, technologists, or other engineers.
- Apply engineering principles or practices to emerging fields, such as robotics, waste management, or biomedical engineering.
- Direct the installation, operation, maintenance, or repair of renewable energy equipment, such as heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) or water systems.
- Select or install combined heat units, power units, cogeneration equipment, or trigeneration equipment that reduces energy use or pollution.
- Evaluate mechanical designs or prototypes for energy performance or environmental impact.
- Study industrial processes to maximize the efficiency of equipment applications, including equipment placement.
- Design test control apparatus or equipment or develop procedures for testing products.
- Establish or coordinate the maintenance or safety procedures, service schedule, or supply of materials required to maintain machines or equipment in the prescribed condition.
- Solicit new business.
Skills used in this work
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
Expand more skills (29)
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Technology Design
- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Management of Financial Resources
- Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
- Management of Material Resources
- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
- Programming
- Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
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