Mechanical Design Project Engineer Salary in the United States
How much does a Mechanical Design Project Engineer make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Mechanical Design Project Engineer in the United States is $56,624 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.
However, a Mechanical Design Project Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $73,008
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,763 to $65,200
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $49,248
10%$49,248
50% (Median)$56,624
90%$73,008
Mechanical Design Project Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Mechanical Design Project Engineer Salaries
A Mechanical Design Project Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Mechanical Design Project Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Mechanical Design Project Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $62,694.
California: $62,456.
Massachusetts: $61,623.
District of Columbia$62,694
California$62,456
Massachusetts$61,623
Washington$61,397
New Jersey$61,374
Alaska$61,295
Connecticut$60,514
New York$60,197
Hawaii$59,183
Rhode Island$58,707
Maryland$58,385
Minnesota$57,943
Colorado$57,773
Illinois$57,716
Oregon$57,501
Delaware$57,343
New Hampshire$57,243
Virginia$57,020
Pennsylvania$56,369
Nevada$56,040
North Dakota$55,933
Michigan$55,763
Wisconsin$55,701
Vermont$55,576
Texas$55,231
Maine$55,208
Arizona$55,174
Ohio$55,134
Georgia$54,613
Indiana$54,353
Wyoming$54,302
Utah$54,223
Iowa$54,189
Kansas$53,917
Louisiana$53,838
North Carolina$53,809
Missouri$53,798
Florida$53,577
Montana$53,458
Nebraska$53,345
Kentucky$53,283
South Carolina$53,056
Tennessee$52,915
Idaho$52,858
New Mexico$52,445
Oklahoma$52,354
Alabama$52,020
South Dakota$51,460
Arkansas$51,154
West Virginia$50,990
Mississippi$50,497
Top Paying Cities for Mechanical Design Project 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: $71,419
San Francisco: $70,637
Oakland: $69,149
San Jose, CA$71,419
San Francisco, CA$70,637
Oakland, CA$69,149
New York, NY$65,196
Paramus, NJ$64,403
Queens Village, NY$64,400
Passaic, NJ$64,346
Bergenfield, NJ$64,341
Stamford, CT$64,217
Huntington, NY$64,194
Newark, NJ$63,775
Bridgeport, CT$63,656
Vallejo, CA$63,543
New Brunswick, NJ$63,520
Petaluma, CA$63,486
Middlesex, NJ$63,379
Somerset, NJ$63,339
Santa Cruz, CA$63,266
Boston, MA$62,920
Monterey, CA$62,721
Seattle, WA$62,592
Santa Rosa, CA$62,580
Los Angeles, CA$62,563
Juneau, AK$62,416
Washington, DC$62,354
Orange, CA$62,152
Santa Ana, CA$62,003
Long Beach, CA$61,946
Anaheim, CA$61,935
Anchorage, AK$61,907
Santa Maria, CA$61,737
Everett, WA$61,725
Danbury, CT$61,526
Bremerton, WA$61,448
Tacoma, WA$61,244
New Suffolk, NY$61,243
Sacramento, CA$61,227
Santa Barbara, CA$61,165
Trenton, NJ$61,103
San Diego, CA$61,103
Brockton, MA$61,040
Fairbanks, AK$60,902
Lompoc, CA$60,757
Lowell, MA$60,711
Ventura, CA$60,700
Nashua, NH$60,689
Stockton, CA$60,684
Modesto, CA$60,270
Poughkeepsie, NY$60,146
Olympia, WA$60,038
Kennewick, WA$60,038
New Haven, CT$60,015
Lawrence, MA$59,812
Hartford, CT$59,755
Riverside, CA$59,744
New Bedford, MA$59,687
Richland, WA$59,687
Bakersfield, CA$59,608
San Bernardino, CA$59,585
New Britain, CT$59,579
Atlantic City, NJ$59,579
New London, CT$59,557
Norwich, CT$59,540
Portsmouth, NH$59,528
Boulder, CO$59,408
Portland, OR$59,330
Worcester, MA$59,325
Minneapolis, MN$59,149
Philadelphia, PA$59,070
Honolulu, HI$58,883
Saint Paul, MN$58,856
Vineland, NJ$58,843
Providence, RI$58,679
Chicago, IL$58,515
Bellingham, WA$58,447
Springfield, MA$58,402
Baltimore, MD$58,385
Chico, CA$58,243
Pittsfield, MA$58,090
Manchester, NH$57,983
Spokane, WA$57,733
Denver, CO$57,728
Albany, NY$57,462
Troy, NY$57,439
Nassau, NY$57,378
Schenectady, NY$57,320
Wilmington, DE$57,275
Burlington, VT$57,195
Salem, OR$57,173
Portland, ME$56,997
Yakima, WA$56,941
Rochester, MN$56,765
Reno, NV$56,737
Fresno, CA$56,737
Milwaukee, WI$56,686
Detroit, MI$56,629
Ann Arbor, MI$56,620
Allentown, PA$56,612
Colorado Springs, CO$56,516
Syracuse, NY$56,488
Carson City, NV$56,488
Houston, TX$56,408
Eugene, OR$56,380
Gary, IN$56,312
Springfield, OR$56,267
Bismarck, ND$56,256
Galveston, TX$56,216
Medford, OR$56,131
Fort Collins, CO$56,108
Concord, NH$56,080
Austin, TX$56,063
Mesa, AZ$55,944
Reading, PA$55,938
Phoenix, AZ$55,933
Dallas, TX$55,916
Saint Cloud, MN$55,861
Madison, WI$55,786
Utica, NY$55,633
Rochester, NY$55,542
Des Moines, IA$55,536
Raleigh, NC$55,531
Atlanta, GA$55,446
Battle Creek, MI$55,429
Salt Lake City, UT$55,412
Lancaster, PA$55,327
Harrisburg, PA$55,248
Kansas City, MO$55,191
Champaign, IL$55,180
Kansas City, KS$55,180
Fort Worth, TX$55,174
Columbus, OH$55,164
Boca Raton, FL$55,151
Pittsburgh, PA$55,129
Richmond, VA$55,106
Indianapolis, IN$55,095
Cleveland, OH$55,089
Las Vegas, NV$55,021
Cincinnati, OH$55,021
Petersburg, VA$54,936
Huntsville, AL$54,851
Lansing, MI$54,813
Lebanon, PA$54,806
Pueblo, CO$54,800
Appleton, WI$54,783
Buffalo, NY$54,761
Dayton, OH$54,744
Racine, WI$54,732
Charlotte, NC$54,727
Saint Louis, MO$54,710
York, PA$54,676
Elkhart, IN$54,676
Gastonia, NC$54,665
Billings, MT$54,651
Beaumont, TX$54,636
Lorain, OH$54,625
Benton Harbor, MI$54,613
Toledo, OH$54,602
Binghamton, NY$54,574
Rock Hill, SC$54,568
Rockford, IL$54,540
Springfield, IL$54,517
Elyria, OH$54,512
Fargo, ND$54,512
Flagstaff, AZ$54,472
Fort Lauderdale, FL$54,438
Duluth, MN$54,404
Miami, FL$54,404
Cheyenne, WY$54,364
Grand Forks, ND$54,364
Bangor, ME$54,240
Cedar Rapids, IA$54,177
Durham, NC$54,154
Louisville, KY$54,149
Grand Rapids, MI$54,138
Hialeah, FL$54,132
Casper, WY$54,053
Scranton, PA$53,985
New Orleans, LA$53,968
Virginia Beach, VA$53,962
Akron, OH$53,934
Peoria, IL$53,860
Sarasota, FL$53,849
Nashville, TN$53,809
Omaha, NE$53,809
Green Bay, WI$53,809
Baton Rouge, LA$53,781
Charleston, SC$53,770
Jamestown, NY$53,741
Davenport, IA$53,741
Tucson, AZ$53,713
Saint Petersburg, FL$53,679
Tampa, FL$53,668
Evansville, IN$53,634
Port Arthur, TX$53,634
Bradenton, FL$53,611
Santa Fe, NM$53,509
Orlando, FL$53,407
Clearwater, FL$53,390
Canton, OH$53,271
La Crosse, WI$53,271
Albuquerque, NM$53,238
Newport News, VA$53,232
High Point, NC$53,215
Ogden, UT$53,192
Corpus Christi, TX$53,147
Norfolk, VA$53,113
Laramie, WY$53,113
Rock Island, IL$53,079
Saginaw, MI$53,068
Jacksonville, FL$53,062
Salisbury, NC$53,051
Boise, ID$53,039
Moline, IL$53,011
Fort Myers, FL$52,994
Memphis, TN$52,983
Tulsa, OK$52,954
Waterloo, IA$52,920
Spartanburg, SC$52,864
Lincoln, NE$52,835
Fort Wayne, IN$52,824
Provo, UT$52,818
Cedar Falls, IA$52,751
San Antonio, TX$52,728
Greensboro, NC$52,705
South Bend, IN$52,700
Savannah, GA$52,637
Muskegon, MI$52,615
Birmingham, AL$52,609
Winston Salem, NC$52,581
Lake Charles, LA$52,445
Anderson, IN$52,433
Lexington, KY$52,416
Augusta, GA$52,399
Greenville, SC$52,399
Lima, OH$52,354
Wichita, KS$52,349
Tuscaloosa, AL$52,349
Columbia, SC$52,298
Springfield, OH$52,286
Asheville, NC$52,196
Bloomington, IN$52,156
Knoxville, TN$51,952
Shreveport, LA$51,946
Wilmington, NC$51,873
Roanoke, VA$51,873
Topeka, KS$51,771
Frankfort, KY$51,765
Oklahoma City, OK$51,726
Chillicothe, OH$51,703
Longview, TX$51,697
Melbourne, FL$51,692
Sioux Falls, SD$51,601
Mobile, AL$51,595
Terre Haute, IN$51,573
Altoona, PA$51,539
Amarillo, TX$51,499
Killeen, TX$51,482
Fayetteville, AR$51,437
Chattanooga, TN$51,420
Sioux City, IA$51,369
Idaho Falls, ID$51,358
Lynchburg, VA$51,312
Gainesville, FL$51,239
Portsmouth, OH$51,210
Little Rock, AR$51,199
Lafayette, LA$51,176
Youngstown, OH$51,176
Daytona Beach, FL$51,142
Clarksville, TN$51,137
Pensacola, FL$51,131
Temple, TX$51,127
Hopkinsville, KY$50,961
Erie, PA$50,950
Florence, SC$50,927
Charleston, WV$50,837
Great Falls, MT$50,808
Macon, GA$50,729
Tallahassee, FL$50,723
Fayetteville, NC$50,712
Waco, TX$50,701
Helena, MT$50,661
Pine Bluff, AR$50,640
Vincennes, IN$50,571
Lubbock, TX$50,548
Alamogordo, NM$50,514
Twin Falls, ID$50,463
Rapid City, SD$50,446
Jackson, MS$50,344
Huntington, WV$50,340
Greenville, MS$50,338
Parkersburg, WV$50,281
Montgomery, AL$50,270
Wichita Falls, TX$50,214
Springfield, MO$50,214
Biloxi, MS$50,185
Monroe, LA$50,129
Johnstown, PA$50,089
Sumter, SC$50,067
Columbus, GA$50,061
Pascagoula, MS$49,953
Abilene, TX$49,953
Kingsport, TN$49,806
Albany, GA$49,806
Gulfport, MS$49,789
Alexandria, LA$49,602
Fort Smith, AR$49,461
El Paso, TX$49,308
Las Cruces, NM$49,053
Harlingen, TX$48,909
Pocatello, ID$48,900
Florence, AL$48,827
Brownsville, TX$48,815
Mcallen, TX$48,696
Dothan, AL$48,617
Columbus, MS$48,281
Altus, OK$48,017
Lawton, OK$47,909
Pierre, SD$47,705
What Skills Can Increase a Mechanical Design Project Engineer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 4.85% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.93% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Installation (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): The action or process of installing someone or something, or of being installed. the act of installing the state of being installed, something that is installed for use.
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 Mechanical Design Project Engineer's salary.
Mechanical Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Design Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Mechanical Design Project Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Mechanical Design Project Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Construction and Media
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Mechanical Design Project Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Mechanical Design Project Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Mechanical Design Project Engineer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Construction
$67,948
$33.0
20%
Media
$65,117
$31.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$63,418
$30.0
12%
Energy & Utilities
$62,286
$30.0
10%
MFG Nondurable
$61,153
$29.0
8%
How Education impacts a Mechanical Design Project Engineer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Mechanical Design Project Engineers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Mechanical Design Project Engineer with a Associate's Degree is between
$50,726
and $55,509).
Mechanical Design Project Engineer Salaries by Degree Level
$60,800
$59,400
$57,900
$56,500
$55,100
$53,600
$52,200
$50,800
No Diploma
High School
Associates
Bachelors
Masters
Doctorate
Typical Education for Mechanical Design Project Engineer
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
0.8%
High School
6.1%
Associates
54.2%
Bachelors
31.3%
Masters
7.6%
Doctorate
0.0%
Typical Education for Mechanical Design Project Engineer
Understanding how a Mechanical Design Project 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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$52,763
Average$56,624/year
$65,200
$4,397
Average$4,719/month
$5,433
$1,015
Average$1,089/week
$1,254
$25
Average$27/hour
$31
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$65,200
$5,433
$1,254
$31
Average
$56,624
$4,719
$1,089
$27
25th Percentile
$52,763
$4,397
$1,015
$25
Salaries of Jobs related to Mechanical Design Project Engineer
Expert Mechanical Engineer$148,590
Mechanical Design Engineer V$148,533
Mechanical Engineer V$148,519
Mechanical Design Engineer IV$129,090
Sr Mechanical Engineer$108,401
Senior Mechanical Engineer$108,400
Mechanical Design Engineer III$108,340
Mechanical Design Engineer II$96,720
Mechanical Project Engineer$84,639
Mechanical Design Engineer I$81,050
Mechanical Design Engineer$58,220
Salary Trends for Mechanical Design Project Engineer
Salaries for a Mechanical Design Project Engineer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $50,076 in 2023
to around $49,748 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Mechanical Design Project Engineer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Mechanical Design Project Engineer Over Time
$???
$50,076
$50,341
$49,748
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$50,076
2024
$50,341
2025
$49,748
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Mechanical Design Project Engineer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Mechanical Design Project Engineer
Here are companies hiring for Mechanical Design Project Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Mechanical Design Project Engineer Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Mechanical Design Project Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Get a Salary Increase
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Search Job Openings
For Employers
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Adjust Employee Salary
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Price My Industry Jobs
FAQ about Mechanical Design Project Engineer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Mechanical Design Project Engineer?
The Construction industry offers the highest average compensation for Mechanical Design Project Engineer roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
