Machine Engineer Salary in Saint Cloud, MN

How much does a Machine Engineer make in Saint Cloud, MN?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Machine Engineer in Saint Cloud, MN is $82,109 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

However, a Machine Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $98,602
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,469 to $90,742
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $56,049
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View as table View as graph 25% $68,469 10% $56,049 90% $98,602 75% $90,742 $82,109 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Machine Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $90,742 $7,562 $1,745 $44
Average $82,109 $6,842 $1,579 $39
25th Percentile $68,469 $5,706 $1,317 $33
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Key Factors That Influence Machine Engineer Salaries

A Machine Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Machine Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Machine Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $80,215
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $80,783
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $82,678
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $85,542
  • Expert (over 8 years): $87,315
Levels Salary
Entry Level Machine Engineer$80,215
Intermediate Level Machine Engineer$80,783
Senior Level Machine Engineer$82,678
Specialist Level Machine Engineer$85,542
Expert Level Machine Engineer$87,315
$80,215 0 yr
$80,783 < 2 yrs
$82,678 2-4 yrs
$85,542 5-8 yrs
$87,315 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Machine Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $104,977
  • San Francisco: $103,828
  • Oakland: $101,640

What Skills Can Increase a Machine Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 5.7% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Property Management (Mentioned in 3.94% Job Postings): Property management is the operation, control, and oversight of real estate management indicates a need to be cared for, monitored and accountability given for its useful life and condition. This is much akin to the role of management in any business. Property management is also the management of personal property, equipment, tooling, and physical capital assets that are acquired and used to build, repair, and maintain end item deliverables. Property management involves the processes, systems, and manpower required to manage the life cycle of all acquired property as defined above including acquisition, control, accountability, responsibility, maintenance, utilization, and disposition. For example, an owner of a single family may engage the services of a property management company. The company will then advertise the rental property, handle tenant inquiries, screen applicants, select suitable candidates, draw up a lease agreement, conduct a move in inspection, move the tenant(s) into the property and collect rental income. The company will then coordinate any maintenance issues, supply the owner(s) with financial statements and any relevant information regarding the property etc.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.38% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 5.7%
Property Management 3.94%
Continuous Improvement 1.38%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Machine Engineer's salary.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Oral Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Analysis
$87,857
7%
Risk Management
$87,857
7%
Oral Communication
$87,036
6%
Collaboration
$85,394
4%
Project Management
$85,394
4%
Budgeting
$85,394
4%
Get Latest Data

Machine Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Machine Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 35% above the average. In contrast, Machine Engineer positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Machine Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Machine Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$110,848$53.035%
Financial Services$102,637$49.025%
Software & Networking$102,637$49.025%
Energy & Utilities$98,531$47.020%
Aerospace & Defense$94,426$45.015%

Machine Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Machine Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026

Find Your Next Machine Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Machine Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Fleet Farm

    Saint Cloud, MN

    Fleet Farm | Saint Cloud, MN

    Logistics Team Lead. Do you enjoy serving customers, mentoring others, and implementing processes to ensure customers are receiving the best possible exper... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Costco Wholesale Corporation

    Saint Cloud, MN

    Costco Wholesale Corporation | Saint Cloud, MN

    Warehouse Forklift Driver. Stocks and straightens merchandise for sale in the warehouse. Clears and cleans aisles. Provides a high level of member service.... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Border States

    Saint Cloud, MN

    Border States | Saint Cloud, MN

    Warehouse Associate. Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you'r... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Viking Coca-Cola

    Saint Cloud, MN

    Viking Coca-Cola | Saint Cloud, MN

    Small Market Vehicle Route Driver - NO CDL Required. Viking Coca-Cola is a privately held company owned by the Faber Family. Viking Coca-Cola remains a ded... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Metro Bus

    Saint Cloud, MN

    Metro Bus | Saint Cloud, MN

    Dispatcher Position. This position is a full-time, extra board position with one weekday and a second floating day off per week. This is a Union position. ... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Aerotek

    Saint Cloud, MN

    Aerotek | Saint Cloud, MN

    Forklift Operator. Aerotek has a Forklift Operator position available immediately with a premier, manufacturing company. Job duties consist of. Safely oper... more

    3 Days Ago

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Cost of Living In Saint Cloud, MN

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