The salary of a Mechanical Engineer I in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average hourly pay of Mechanical Engineer I in the United States is $38. While Salary.com is seeing that Mechanical Engineer I salary in the US can go up to $43 or down to $31, but most earn between $35 and $41. Salary.com shows the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Mechanical Engineer I in the United States.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $41 | $3 | $1 | $0 |
| Average | $38 | $3 | $1 | $0 |
| 25th Percentile | $35 | $3 | $1 | $0 |
As of April 01, 2025, Salary.com is seeing that an entry-level Mechanical Engineer I with under 1 year experience makes about $78,970. With less than 2 years of experience, a mid-level Mechanical Engineer I makes around $79,521. After 2-4 years, the Mechanical Engineer I pay rises to about $80,468. Those senior Mechanical Engineer I with 5-8 years of experience earn roughly $81,099, and those Mechanical Engineer I having 8 years or more experience is expected to earn about $81,257 on average.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Mechanical Engineer I | $78,970 |
| Intermediate Level Mechanical Engineer I | $79,521 |
| Senior Level Mechanical Engineer I | $80,468 |
| Specialist Level Mechanical Engineer I | $81,099 |
| Expert Level Mechanical Engineer I | $81,257 |
| Entry Level | 1% |
| Mid Level | 0% |
| Senior Level | 1% |
| Top Level | 2% |
| Experienced | 2% |
Salaries in the United States can vary significantly from state to state due to a multitude of factors, including cost of living, local economic conditions, and industry presence.
For example, as of April 01, 2025, the average yearly salary of Mechanical Engineer I is $87,712 in California and in Massachusetts, the average annual salary goes to $86,543. While in New Jersey, a Mechanical Engineer I earns $86,193 per year.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary significantly from city to city due to a multitude of factors, including cost of living, local economic conditions, and industry presence.
For example, as of April 01, 2025, the average yearly salary of Mechanical Engineer I in San Francisco, CA is $99,314 and in New York, NY, the average annual salary goes to $92,157. While a Mechanical Engineer I earns $88,690 per year in Boston, MA.
For those exploring the changing dynamics of Mechanical Engineer I salaries, Salary.com offers detailed insights through our Job Trending in CA Labor Market analysis. As of April 01, 2025, our research highlights a notable shift in Mechanical Engineer I compensation over the past six years. For instance, the median salary has moved from $83,477 in 2023 to about $80,287 in 2024 (for a comprehensive analysis of Mechanical Engineer I salary trends, click here). It's crucial to consider several elements, including geographical location, experience level, industry demand, and economic development, as they play a significant role in influencing salary variations.
