SOC 17-2141 · Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro

Mechanical Engineers Salary in Trenton, NJ

The average salary for mechanical engineers in Trenton, New Jersey is $109,380 a year ($52.59 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $101,470: half of the 200 people in this job in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 5% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($114,695).

$109,380average per year

$52.59 / hourMedian $101,470Take-home ≈ $81,001

  • $78K10th
  • $85K25th
  • $101KMedian
  • $130K75th
  • $156K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

200people in this job
-5%vs U.S. metro average
#1 of 3New Jersey metros
103cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Mechanical Engineers pay range in Trenton

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,580 a year or less, while the top 10% make $155,500 or more. The middle half of mechanical engineers in Trenton earn between $85,300 and $129,580.

  • $78K10th
  • $85K25th
  • $101KMedian
  • $130K75th
  • $156K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$109,380$9,115$52.59
Median$101,470$8,456$48.78
Entry level (25th percentile)$85,300$7,108$41.01
Experienced (75th percentile)$129,580$10,798$62.30

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

Mechanical Engineers salary after taxes in Trenton

On the average salary of $109,380, a single filer in Trenton takes home about $81,001 a year, or $6,750 a month and $3,115 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.

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

Prices in the Trenton area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.2), so the average $109,380 buys what about $106,009 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Trenton ($63,490). A typical home costs $446,377, or 4.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $109,380 is worth in another city

Mechanical Engineers salary in other New Jersey cities

Trenton ranks 1st of 3 New Jersey metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Mechanical Engineers salaries in New Jersey

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

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Reviewed before it counts. Mechanical Engineers in Trenton, NJ.

Mechanical Engineers salary in Trenton: questions

How much do mechanical engineers make an hour in Trenton?

$52.59 an hour on average, and $48.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level mechanical engineers salary in Trenton?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,580 a year and the 25th percentile is $85,300, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the mechanical engineers take-home pay in Trenton?

About $81,001 a year ($6,750 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $109,380. New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.

Do mechanical engineers earn more in Trenton than elsewhere?

The average here is 5% 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ (45940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.7%.
  • 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). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.43, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.43).

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