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Top 15 cities for mechanical engineers
Full ranking
| # | Metro area | Price-adjusted median | Median salary | Price parity | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $152,169 | $168,030 | 110.4 | 5,540 |
| 2 | Baton Rouge, LA | $149,295 | $135,530 | 90.8 | 540 |
| 3 | Lake Charles, LA | $146,869 | $126,090 | 85.9 | 110 |
| 4 | Peoria, IL | $141,081 | $128,710 | 91.2 | 2,120 |
| 5 | Augusta, GA | $140,082 | $128,740 | 91.9 | 980 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $139,578 | $161,370 | 115.6 | 5,150 |
| 7 | Columbus, IN | $137,307 | $127,700 | 93.0 | 1,000 |
| 8 | Beaumont, TX | $135,797 | $122,280 | 90.0 | 470 |
| 9 | Corpus Christi, TX | $134,174 | $124,340 | 92.7 | 280 |
| 10 | Decatur, AL | $132,723 | $115,750 | 87.2 | 310 |
| 11 | Midland, TX | $130,712 | $125,200 | 95.8 | 250 |
| 12 | Slidell, LA | $128,249 | $118,920 | 92.7 | 100 |
| 13 | New Orleans, LA | $127,423 | $117,990 | 92.6 | 530 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $127,092 | $125,350 | 98.6 | 8,310 |
| 15 | Lexington Park, MD | $126,687 | $127,650 | 100.8 | 670 |
| 16 | Ann Arbor, MI | $126,199 | $127,310 | 100.9 | 2,280 |
| 17 | Kennewick, WA | $124,682 | $124,780 | 100.1 | 570 |
| 18 | Greenville, NC | $122,554 | $108,340 | 88.4 | 120 |
| 19 | Logan, UT | $121,634 | $116,680 | 95.9 | 210 |
| 20 | Denver, CO | $121,174 | $128,180 | 105.8 | 4,530 |
| 21 | Santa Cruz, CA | $120,951 | $132,920 | 109.9 | 190 |
| 22 | Tulsa, OK | $120,430 | $107,440 | 89.2 | 1,060 |
| 23 | Mobile, AL | $119,946 | $105,670 | 88.1 | 510 |
| 24 | Florence, SC | $119,621 | $103,800 | 86.8 | 130 |
| 25 | Brownsville, TX | $119,046 | $102,350 | 86.0 | 230 |
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Highest raw pay for mechanical engineers, before cost of living
More rankings
Sources and how to read this page
- Ranking: median annual wage of Mechanical Engineers (BLS OEWS May 2025; the average where BLS publishes no median) divided by the BEA price parity x 100. Only metros where BLS counts at least 100 of these jobs with a reliable estimate.
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
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