SOC 17-2141 · Traverse City, MI metro

Mechanical Engineers Salary in Traverse City, MI

The average salary for mechanical engineers in Traverse City, Michigan is $100,230 a year ($48.19 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $98,900: half of the 140 people in this job in the Traverse City, MI metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 13% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($114,695).

$100,230average per year

$48.19 / hourMedian $98,900Take-home ≈ $75,329

  • $66K10th
  • $78K25th
  • $99KMedian
  • $116K75th
  • $135K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

140people in this job
-13%vs U.S. metro average
#9 of 15Michigan metros
93cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Mechanical Engineers pay range in Traverse City

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,650 a year or less, while the top 10% make $134,620 or more. The middle half of mechanical engineers in Traverse City earn between $78,040 and $116,160.

  • $66K10th
  • $78K25th
  • $99KMedian
  • $116K75th
  • $135K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$100,230$8,352$48.19
Median$98,900$8,242$47.55
Entry level (25th percentile)$78,040$6,503$37.52
Experienced (75th percentile)$116,160$9,680$55.85

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Mechanical Engineers salary after taxes in Traverse City

On the average salary of $100,230, a single filer in Traverse City takes home about $75,329 a year, or $6,277 a month and $2,897 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 (2025 rules).

Advertisement

Is Traverse City a good place for mechanical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Traverse City area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.4), so the average $100,230 buys what about $107,345 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Traverse City ($47,470). A typical home costs $421,806, or 4.2 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $100,230 is worth in another city

Mechanical Engineers salary in other Michigan cities

Traverse City ranks 9th of 15 Michigan metro areas for this job; Ann Arbor pays the most ($119,890).

All Mechanical Engineers salaries in Michigan

Highest-paying cities for mechanical engineers

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($165,920).

Mechanical Engineers salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Mechanical Engineers in Traverse City, MI.

Mechanical Engineers salary in Traverse City: questions

How much do mechanical engineers make an hour in Traverse City?

$48.19 an hour on average, and $47.55 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level mechanical engineers salary in Traverse City?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,650 a year and the 25th percentile is $78,040, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the mechanical engineers take-home pay in Traverse City?

About $75,329 a year ($6,277 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $100,230.

Do mechanical engineers earn more in Traverse City 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 Traverse City, MI (45900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
  • 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 (2025 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.06, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.