Mechanical Engineers pay range in Memphis
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $70,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $150,400 or more. The middle half of mechanical engineers in Memphis earn between $81,840 and $122,750.
- $71K10th
- $82K25th
- $104KMedian
- $123K75th
- $150K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $106,490 | $8,874 | $51.20 |
| Median | $104,110 | $8,676 | $50.05 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $81,840 | $6,820 | $39.35 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $122,750 | $10,229 | $59.01 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Mechanical Engineers salary after taxes in Memphis
On the average salary of $106,490, a single filer in Memphis takes home about $83,746 a year, or $6,979 a month and $3,221 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $83,746 | $6,979 |
| Working in MS | $80,218 | $6,685 |
| Working in AR | $80,006 | $6,667 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Memphis a good place for mechanical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Memphis area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $106,490 buys what about $115,525 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Memphis ($46,890). A typical home costs $247,229, or 2.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Mechanical Engineers salary in other Tennessee cities
Memphis ranks 3rd of 9 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Chattanooga pays the most ($111,520).
- Chattanooga$111,520
- Jackson$111,450
- Memphis$106,490
- Kingsport$106,330
- Nashville$102,820
- Knoxville$102,210
- Johnson City$100,020
- Morristown$93,230
- Clarksville$92,040
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 Memphis: questions
How much do mechanical engineers make an hour in Memphis?
$51.20 an hour on average, and $50.05 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level mechanical engineers salary in Memphis?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $70,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $81,840, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the mechanical engineers take-home pay in Memphis?
About $83,746 a year ($6,979 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $106,490. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do mechanical engineers earn more in Memphis than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR (32820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.1%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.33, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.33).
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