Mechanical Engineers pay range in Athens
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $68,820 a year or less, while the top 10% make $128,270 or more. The middle half of mechanical engineers in Athens earn between $76,880 and $120,480.
- $69K10th
- $77K25th
- $99KMedian
- $120K75th
- $128K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $99,330 | $8,278 | $47.75 |
| Median | $98,970 | $8,248 | $47.58 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $76,880 | $6,407 | $36.96 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $120,480 | $10,040 | $57.92 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Mechanical Engineers salary after taxes in Athens
On the average salary of $99,330, a single filer in Athens takes home about $74,501 a year, or $6,208 a month and $2,865 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Athens a good place for mechanical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Athens area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.3), so the average $99,330 buys what about $106,414 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Athens ($41,220). A typical home costs $373,118, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Engineers salary in other Georgia cities
Athens ranks 9th of 10 Georgia metro areas for this job; Augusta pays the most ($137,040).
- Augusta$137,040
- Atlanta$113,990
- Albany$113,220
- Columbus$108,790
- Savannah$106,650
- Warner Robins$105,680
- Dalton$101,790
- Macon$100,780
- Athens$99,330
- Gainesville$93,560
Highest-paying cities for mechanical engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($165,920).
- San Jose, CA$165,920
- San Francisco, CA$158,690
- Santa Cruz, CA$139,810
- Augusta, GA$137,040
- Baton Rouge, LA$136,970
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Mechanical Engineers salary in Athens: questions
How much do mechanical engineers make an hour in Athens?
$47.76 an hour on average, and $47.58 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical engineers salary in Athens?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $68,820 a year and the 25th percentile is $76,880, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical engineers take-home pay in Athens?
About $74,501 a year ($6,208 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $99,330.
Do mechanical engineers earn more in Athens than elsewhere?
The average here is 13% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($114,695).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2141; area Athens-Clarke County, GA (12020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.28, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.28).
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