SOC 17-2141 · Architecture and engineering
Mechanical Engineers prevailing wage by area
At Level II this ranges from $141,835 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA down to $79,310 in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR, a spread of $62,525 on the same job.
What this occupation covers
Perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.
Occupation definition from oes_soc_occs.csv, OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip.
Every area with a surveyed figure
| Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $117,998 | $141,835 | $165,693 | $189,530 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $110,510 | $134,493 | $158,454 | $182,437 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $91,166 | $112,174 | $133,162 | $154,170 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $86,029 | $109,408 | $132,808 | $156,187 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $88,026 | $108,222 | $128,398 | $148,595 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $88,691 | $106,122 | $123,531 | $140,962 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $85,010 | $105,477 | $125,923 | $146,390 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $86,154 | $105,186 | $124,238 | $143,270 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,618 | $103,168 | $123,739 | $144,290 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $82,243 | $102,648 | $123,032 | $143,437 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $84,864 | $100,672 | $116,459 | $132,267 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $83,200 | $100,256 | $117,333 | $134,389 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $83,970 | $100,173 | $116,376 | $132,579 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $80,787 | $98,821 | $116,875 | $134,909 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $77,314 | $97,885 | $118,435 | $139,006 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $78,250 | $96,304 | $114,358 | $132,413 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $78,437 | $94,910 | $111,384 | $127,858 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $77,168 | $94,515 | $111,842 | $129,189 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $79,227 | $94,224 | $109,242 | $124,238 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $77,771 | $93,850 | $109,949 | $126,027 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $77,688 | $93,434 | $109,158 | $124,904 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $72,010 | $92,893 | $113,776 | $134,659 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $75,234 | $92,477 | $109,741 | $126,984 |
| Richmond, VA | $77,563 | $92,186 | $106,808 | $121,430 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $74,298 | $91,853 | $109,387 | $126,942 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $74,818 | $91,853 | $108,888 | $125,923 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $74,963 | $91,478 | $108,014 | $124,530 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $75,546 | $90,938 | $106,330 | $121,722 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $74,298 | $90,854 | $107,390 | $123,947 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $73,070 | $89,045 | $105,040 | $121,014 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $71,427 | $88,837 | $106,267 | $123,677 |
| Rochester, NY | $73,528 | $87,714 | $101,920 | $116,106 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $69,805 | $87,298 | $104,770 | $122,262 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $69,285 | $87,069 | $104,874 | $122,658 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $70,699 | $86,694 | $102,710 | $118,706 |
| Columbus, OH | $73,029 | $86,362 | $99,715 | $113,048 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $71,427 | $84,802 | $98,155 | $111,530 |
| Cleveland, OH | $71,157 | $84,594 | $98,051 | $111,488 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $66,310 | $84,469 | $102,648 | $120,806 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $66,414 | $79,310 | $92,227 | $105,123 |
40 areas, all surveyed for that metropolitan area rather than imputed from a broader geography. 3 of them carry a full breakdown page, selected by filing volume; the rest show their figures here. ALC_Export.csv, wage year 2026-27.
How employers filed for this occupation
Across 1,755 certified H-1B filings in FY2025 Q1 to Q4 that recorded a level, the plurality landed on Level II. The median wage actually offered was $110,240 a year, from 1,843 filings.
| Level | Filings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | 251 | 14.3% |
| Level II | 673 | 38.3% |
| Level III | 425 | 24.2% |
| Level IV | 406 | 23.1% |
LCA disclosure data, FY2025 Q1 to Q4. Certified H-1B filings only.
Work out a specific determination
The level depends on the requirements in the job description rather than the title. Run the worksheet for Mechanical Engineers with a specific area, experience requirement and education level.