Mechanical Engineer Salary 2026 — Take-Home Pay by State
Mechanical engineers design, build, and test mechanical and thermal systems — from EV powertrains and rocket engines to consumer device thermal management, HVAC, manufacturing automation, and medical devices. Spans aerospace/defense, EV/space, FAANG hardware, medical devices, and HVAC/building systems.
US Average
$113,610
BLS, May 2025
Best State (Net)
$109,314
New Mexico
Take-Home TX
$94,312
on $121,510 · No state tax
Job Growth
10%
Source: BLS, May 2025 · Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141)
Key Facts — Mechanical Engineer 2026
BLS median: $99,510 for mechanical engineers (BLS May 2023 OES); CA + WA Bay Area cluster runs 30-50% above
PE license matters less than in civil/structural — most product-company ME jobs don't require it (HVAC consulting + fire-protection are exceptions)
FAANG-tier hardware ME (Apple, Google, Meta hardware teams) clears $250K-$450K with equity at senior/principal levels
Tesla / SpaceX pay below market on base, make it up with equity + OT-heavy culture
Defense primes (Lockheed, Northrop, Boeing, Raytheon) add 15-25% premium for TS/SCI clearance work
US Pay Range
Pay percentiles for Mechanical Engineers across the US (BLS, May 2025), with the estimated take-home in Texas.
Bottom 10%
$73,990
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$60,882
25th percentile
$84,130
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$68,015
Median
$104,110
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$82,071
75th percentile
$132,590
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$101,891
Top 10%
$164,340
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$123,592
Best States for Mechanical Engineers — Real Take-Home Pay
Ranked by estimated take-home pay (single filer, no additional deductions). The highest gross salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
▲Top 5 — Highest Take-Home
Mechanical Engineer Salary by State — All 50 States
BLS average pay in each state (BLS, May 2025) and the estimated take-home for a single filer with no additional deductions. Click any state for the full breakdown.
| State | Average Pay (BLS) | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| $152,430 | $109,314 | |
| $126,160 | $97,496 | |
| $136,660 | $94,432 | |
| $121,510 | $94,312 | |
| $121,370 | $94,214 | |
| $124,410 | $91,535 | |
| $117,060 | $91,182 | |
| $124,290 | $90,816 | |
| $120,520 | $90,375 | |
10Maryland | $125,850 | $88,764 |
| $121,430 | $88,405 | |
| $110,940 | $86,876 | |
| $110,180 | $86,342 | |
14Delaware | $117,710 | $85,211 |
| $116,640 | $85,156 | |
| $113,690 | $83,854 | |
17Virginia | $114,770 | $83,786 |
18Michigan | $112,320 | $83,324 |
| $105,800 | $83,260 | |
20Vermont | $112,260 | $82,920 |
| $104,790 | $82,550 | |
22Arizona | $107,220 | $81,981 |
23Illinois | $111,380 | $81,817 |
| $111,530 | $81,550 | |
25Alabama | $109,330 | $81,278 |
26Georgia | $109,650 | $81,246 |
27Oregon | $115,090 | $81,064 |
| $107,350 | $80,576 | |
29New York | $110,270 | $80,466 |
30Utah | $107,410 | $79,613 |
31Indiana | $104,670 | $79,407 |
32Oklahoma | $105,410 | $78,788 |
| $103,740 | $78,626 | |
34Maine | $107,220 | $78,540 |
35Kentucky | $103,320 | $78,017 |
36Ohio | $101,320 | $77,758 |
| $106,060 | $77,755 | |
| $100,690 | $76,370 | |
| $101,310 | $76,351 | |
40Missouri | $101,340 | $76,329 |
| $96,400 | $76,048 | |
| $95,080 | $75,719 | |
43Iowa | $99,230 | $75,519 |
44Hawaii | $103,410 | $75,134 |
45Montana | $98,660 | $74,024 |
46Idaho | $98,430 | $73,967 |
47Nebraska | $96,820 | $73,417 |
48Kansas | $97,840 | $73,001 |
| $96,750 | $72,659 | |
50Arkansas | $88,340 | $68,196 |
Job Market Outlook
10% growth projected 2022–2032 — faster than average. EV, aerospace, defense, and consumer hardware drive the strongest demand; manufacturing slower.
Fastest-growing states:
Maximize Your Take-Home
401(k) — $24,500 max
Reduces taxable income dollar-for-dollar
HSA — $4,400 single
Triple tax advantage — deductible, grows tax-free, tax-free withdrawals
FSA — $3,300 max
Medical expenses with pre-tax dollars
State consideration
Moving to TX, FL, WA can save $5,000–$15,000/year in taxes
Mechanical Engineer pay by state
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about your taxes and our calculator.
Mechanical Engineer Salary by State — Detailed Pages
Alabama
$81,278
net
AlaskaNo state tax
$97,496
net
Arizona
$81,981
net
Arkansas
$68,196
net
California
$94,432
net
Colorado
$91,535
net
Connecticut
$81,550
net
Delaware
$85,211
net
FloridaNo state tax
$83,260
net
Georgia
$81,246
net
Hawaii
$75,134
net
Idaho
$73,967
net
Illinois
$81,817
net
Indiana
$79,407
net
Iowa
$75,519
net
Kansas
$73,001
net
Kentucky
$78,017
net
Louisiana
$90,375
net
Maine
$78,540
net
Maryland
$88,764
net
Massachusetts
$88,405
net
Michigan
$83,324
net
Minnesota
$77,755
net
Mississippi
$76,370
net
Missouri
$76,329
net
Montana
$74,024
net
Nebraska
$73,417
net
NevadaNo state tax
$86,342
net
New HampshireNo state tax
$86,876
net
New Jersey
$85,156
net
New Mexico
$109,314
net
New York
$80,466
net
North Carolina
$80,576
net
North Dakota
$76,048
net
Ohio
$77,758
net
Oklahoma
$78,788
net
Oregon
$81,064
net
Pennsylvania
$78,626
net
Rhode Island
$90,816
net
South Carolina
$83,854
net
South DakotaNo state tax
$75,719
net
TennesseeNo state tax
$82,550
net
TexasNo state tax
$94,312
net
Utah
$79,613
net
Vermont
$82,920
net
Virginia
$83,786
net
WashingtonNo state tax
$94,214
net
West Virginia
$76,351
net
Wisconsin
$72,659
net
WyomingNo state tax
$91,182
net