In the US, the mechanical engineer salary is $68,909 per year, with an hourly rate of $26.59. While in Canada the salary for the same job stands at C$64,018 ($51,163). In the UK the median yearly pay for a mechanical engineer is barely at £29,995 ($39,506), while Australian professionals see a higher salary of AU$72,459 ($56,763) per year.
Naturally, the mechanical engineer salary can vary from place to place, and according to experience and other factors. That is why in Switzerland the yearly median salary for this professional goes up to CHF 85,329 ($86,857). While in Norway is similar, at NOK689,493 ($86,598) per year. Find out what can influence the potential mechanical engineering salary below.
Mechanical Engineer Salary Influencers
The salary information provided here is mainly from Payscale.com, and from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
1. Industry
Industry is one of the most relevant aspects that can have an impact on the mechanical engineer salary. Here are a few of the industries that are of interest for mechanical engineers in the U.S.:
- Scientific Research and Development Services – $99,180
- Industry Machinery manufacturing – $78,350
- Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services – $95,270
- Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance – $116,440
- Aerospace product and parts manufacturing – $98,230
The average salary for a mechanical engineer can also depend on the specific company they work for. These are a few examples of top companies that have mechanical engineer employees:
- The Boeing Company – $66,000 – $94,000
- General Motors Corporation – $71,000 – $102,000
- General Electric Co (GE) – $70,000 – $88,000
- Ford Motor Company – $71,000 – $89,000
- Chrysler Group LLC. – $68,000 – $88,000
2. Geographical Area
| Mechanical Engineer Salary | Hourly Wage | Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| US | $26.59 | $68,909 |
| Canada | C$27.54 ($22.01) | C$64,018 ($51,163) |
| UK | £11.34 ($14.94) | £29,995 ($39,506) |
| Australia | AU$31.49 ($24.67) | AU$72,459 ($56,763) |
| Switzerland | CHF 41.02 ($41.75) | CHF 85,329 ($86,857) |
| Norway | NOK331.46 ($41.63) | NOK689,493 ($86,598) |
Mechanical Engineer Salary in the US
The average salary mechanical engineer professionals get in the U.S. is also strongly connected to the place they live in. To be more precise, the state one works in can have a powerful influence on the starting or senior salary for a mechanical engineer. To get a better idea about the differences from state to state, we will provide some salary statistics below:
- New Mexico mechanical engineer salary – $108,140
- Mechanical engineer technologist salary in Texas – $103,060
- Delaware mechanical engineer salary – $101,450
- District of Columbia junior and senior mechanical engineer salary – $108,340
- Mechanical engineer jobs salary in California – $102,650
If you’re looking for an attractive entry-level mechanical engineer salary, you might want to avoid these states:
- Arkansas – $75,120
- North Dakota – $74,950
- Kansas – $74,320
- Wisconsin –$75,870
- South Dakota – $70,860
| State | Annual mean wage ($) |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 87990 |
| Alaska | 130420 |
| Arizona | 89860 |
| Arkansas | 75120 |
| California | 102650 |
| Colorado | 89860 |
| Connecticut | 84520 |
| Delaware | 101450 |
| District of Columbia | 108340 |
| Florida | 84430 |
| Georgia | 81470 |
| Guam | 65570 |
| Hawaii | 80450 |
| Idaho | 81240 |
| Illinois | 89280 |
| Indiana | 77160 |
| Iowa | 76180 |
| Kansas | 74320 |
| Kentucky | 78920 |
| Louisiana | 98310 |
| Maine | 83430 |
| Maryland | 98370 |
| Massachusetts | 91270 |
| Michigan | 89160 |
| Minnesota | 81670 |
| Mississippi | 84320 |
| Missouri | 81310 |
| Montana | 80290 |
| Nebraska | 77420 |
| Nevada | 88180 |
| New Hampshire | 87750 |
| New Jersey | 91360 |
| New Mexico | 108140 |
| New York | 85840 |
| North Carolina | 82670 |
| North Dakota | 74950 |
| Ohio | 75910 |
| Oklahoma | 84850 |
| Oregon | 86620 |
| Pennsylvania | 86100 |
| Puerto Rico | 49690 |
| Rhode Island | 92580 |
| South Carolina | 89310 |
| South Dakota | 70860 |
| Tennessee | 83590 |
| Texas | 103060 |
| Utah | 78710 |
| Vermont | 83070 |
| Virginia | 97390 |
| Washington | 91690 |
| West Virginia | 81580 |
| Wisconsin | 75870 |
| Wyoming | 86500 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Canada
In Canada, the median annual pay for the mechanical engineer stands at C$64,018, with an hourly rate of C$27.54. With bonuses and all, the total pay situates between C$44,572 and C$97,244.
Mechanical Engineer Salary in the UK
The same professionals living in the UK can win about £29,995 per year, while the hourly pay stands at £11.34. The total salary stands between £19,032 and £46,371 per year.
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Australia
A mechanical engineer in Australia makes about AU$31.49 per hour, meaning around AU$72,459 per year. With a bonus of AU$15,129 yearly, the total yearly pay ranges between AU$50,499 and AU$117,546.
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Switzerland
Switzerland professionals make CHF 85,329 per year. While the total yearly pay ranges between CHF 48,762 and CHF 124,049.
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Norway
The salary for the same job in Norway can go up to $86,598, meaning NOK689,493 per year. While the total yearly pay for the job is between $47,344 and $123,313.
3. Experience
The median entry-level salary in the US is at $65,000 per year, which starts to rise once every 5 years with about $10,000, getting at around $100,000 in their late career. Same thing happens in Canada where beginners get a pay of C$59,000 per year, after 5-10 years they get C$73,000, and after 10-20 years about C$84,000. While in their late career it rises to C$97,000, and more after that.
Something similar happens in Australia where the entry-level salary starts at AU$65,000 then rises to AU$84,000 per year for mid-level professionals. While for experienced professionals that can reach as much as AU$100,000 yearly, late-career professionals of 20 years or more getting a salary of AU$105,000. In the UK, the evolution is different, it starts from a beginner’s salary of ₤28,000 per year, then rises to ₤33,000 for mid-career employees, reaching ₤34,000 after 10-20 years of experience, then it starts to lower reaching ₤32,000 in the late career.
Working Hours
In most cases, mechanical engineers work full time from offices, together with other engineers on their team. However, the mechanical engineer job description also includes traveling to sites if necessary.
Bonuses & Benefit Packages
One of the nice perks of being a mechanical engineer is that they enjoy plenty of benefits. First of all, in the US, Canada, and Norway, between 79 and 90% of mechanical engineers have medical insurance. While in the UK, Australia, and Switzerland between 12 and 41% have medical insurance, according to Payscale.
Mechanical engineers also get a few other benefits, in the US they get commissions of up to $37,095 per year. For instance, in Canada, these professionals can get the most out of bonuses of up to C$9,970 per year. While in the UK they also have bonuses of £4,104 yearly, and profit sharing of up to £2,990 per year.
In Australia, there is a notable profit sharing for this job, of AU$25,000 yearly. Also, Switzerland employees see a bonus of CHF 40,268 per year, and the ones from Norway get a bonus of $5,000, meaning NOK39,810 per annum.
Job Outlook
Even though the job market isn’t technically booming for mechanical engineers, there certainly will be more than enough career opportunities for aspiring professionals. It is expected that there will be a 5% increase in jobs for mechanical engineers until 2024.
This is close to the national average for all occupations of 7%, so the result is pretty neutral. This is good news, however, as many occupations are projected to experience a decline. As long as one is a hardworking professional in a state where this position is sought-after, there shouldn’t be any reason for them not to get a job in the area.
Conclusion
Finally, the mechanical engineer salary is just one of the many reasons why young individuals should consider this career. The work itself is fascinating, and the working environment is also a nice aspect. Job opportunities shouldn’t experience a downfall anytime soon, and since one only needs a Bachelor’s degree to become a mechanical engineer, we warmly encourage anyone interested to continue their higher studies! If interested in other engineering jobs, you can also look at the computer engineer and the chemical engineer salary.
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