[ Introduction |
COECS |
Salary by Major |
Salary by Occupation |
Help |
Comments ]
Mechanical Engineering
The tables below present the occupations that are most commonly associated
with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. We have separated the tables
depending on whether we examine graduates who stop their education with the
bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, and those who get either a masters
in Mechanical Engineering, a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering.
While the list above describes the occupations of students with advanced degrees in
Mechanical Engineering some students with a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering will get advanced
degrees in other fields. The tables listed below descibe the types of advanced degrees
that were chosen by students with a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.
Since all of the above tables present information on the average salary,
it is possible to lose sight of the fact that some majors place students
in jobs with a narrow range of salaries near to the mean while others
place students in many different income categories. For this reason,
we have drawn two frequency distributions (histograms) of Mechanical Engineering Salaries.
Histogram of Mechanical Engineering Salaries: Bachelors Degree Only
The diagram below includes all students with a major in Mechanical Engineering who received no degree beyond the bachelors.
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Histogram of Mechanical Engineering Salaries: Bachelors and Beyond
The diagram below includes all students with a major in Mechanical Engineering while an undergraduate.
The data includes students who subsequently earned degrees beyond the bachelors.
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Bachelors Degree
The information in the table below is based on data from people of all sexes and ages whose most recent college degree was a bachelors degree majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$51,771 1604 53.75 Engineers: Mechanical
$67,221 317 10.62 Top and mid-level managers, executives, administrators (people who manage other managers)
$53,669 153 5.13 Engineers: Aeronautical, aerospace, astronautical
$49,247 90 3.02 Other engineers
$49,359 64 2.14 Engineers: Industrial
$54,917 53 1.78 OTHER management related occupations
$54,312 52 1.74 Engineers: Sales
$41,848 44 1.47 Engineers: Civil, including architectural and sanitary
$52,793 43 1.44 Engineers: Electrical, electronic
$59,773 38 1.27 Sales Occupations - Commodities Except Retail (e.g., industrial machinery/equipment/supplies, medical and dental equiptment/supplies)
$49,851 36 1.21 Engineers: Environmental
$47,394 27 .90 Engineers: Electrical, electronic, industrial, mechanical
$40,458 26 .87 Drafting occupations, including computer drafting
$56,049 26 .87 Engineers: Nuclear
$43,469 25 .84 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed)
$43,813 23 .77 Computer programmers (business, scientific, process control)
$51,370 23 .77 Computer engineer - software
$55,491 22 .74 Computer system analysts
$42,198 19 .64 Mechanics and repairers
$57,822 18 .60 Transportation/material moving occupations
$65,340 18 .60 Engineers: Petroleum
$54,338 17 .57 OTHER marketing and sales occupations
$35,790 17 .57 Sales Occupations - Retail (e.g., furnishings, clothing, motor vehicles, cosmetics)
$48,204 16 .54 Insurance, securities, real estate, and business services
$55,225 15 .50 Computer engineer - hardware
$46,069 14 .47 Accountants, auditors, and other financial specialists
$47,470 14 .47 OTHER computer, information science Occupations
$40,569 13 .44 OTHER engineering technologists and technicians
$60,109 13 .44 Engineers: Marine engineer or naval architect
$51,562 12 .40 Construction trades, miners and well drillers
$55,209 12 .40 Engineers: Bioengineering and biomedical
$30,243 12 .40 Operators and related occupations (e.g., machine set-up, machine operators and tenders, fabricators, assemblers)
$31,911 11 .37 OTHER administrative (e.g., record clerks, telephone operators)
$36,593 10 .34 OTHER service occupations, except health
$47,801 10 .34 Engineers: Materials or metallurgical
$73,298 9 .30 Information systems scientists or analysts
$56,179 9 .30 Engineers: Chemical
$33,818 8 .27 Farmers, Foresters and Fishermen
$45,369 8 .27 Personnel, training, and labor relations specialists
$55,500 4 .13 Professors: Engineering
$29,667 3 .10 Protective services (e.g., fire fighters, police, guards)
$47,333 3 .10 Unknown
$43,423 3 .10 Teachers: Secondary - computer, math or sciences
$63,566 2 .07 Mathematicians
$71,560 2 .07 Engineers: Agricultural
$61,500 2 .07 OTHER biological/life scientists
$85,993 2 .07 Precision/production occupations (e.g., workers, woodworkers, butchers, bakers, printing occupations, tailors, shoemakers, photographic process)
$101,000 2 .07 Engineers: Mining or geological
$37,641 2 .07 Surveying and mapping
$40,462 2 .07 Artists, Broadcasters, Editors, Entertainers, Public Relations Specialists, Writers
$10,400 1 .03 Agricultural and food scientists
$14,400 1 .03 Food Preparation and Service (e.g., cooks, waitresses, bartenders)
$16,370 1 .03 Librarians, Archivists, Curators Managers, Executives, Administrators (Also see 151-153)
$18,000 1 .03 Social Workers
$21,000 1 .03 Professors: Mathematical Sciences
$26,000 1 .03 Teachers: Pre-Kindergarten and kindergarten
$30,000 1 .03 Technologists and technicians in the physical sciences
$54,000 1 .03 Operations research analysts, modelling
$38,400 1 .03 Registered nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, therapists, physician assistants
$60,000 1 .03 Physicists
$40,000 1 .03 Professors: Computer Science
$42,000 1 .03 Architects Engineers (Also see 101-103)
$42,000 1 .03 Clergy and Other Religious Workers
$52,000 1 .03 Biological scientists (e.g., botanists, ecologists, zoologists)
$52,000 1 .03 Professors: Trade and Industrial
$53,000 1 .03 Accounting clerks, bookkeepers
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Masters
The information in the table below is based on data from people of all
sexes and ages whose most recent college degree was a masters degree
in Mechanical Engineering.
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$56,799 366 52.59 Engineers: Mechanical
$71,195 78 11.21 Top and mid-level managers, executives, administrators (people who manage other managers)
$58,639 73 10.49 Engineers: Aeronautical, aerospace, astronautical
$64,777 18 2.59 Computer engineer - software
$55,631 18 2.59 Other engineers
$41,449 13 1.87 Professors: Engineering
$55,750 12 1.72 OTHER management related occupations
$62,520 10 1.44 Computer programmers (business, scientific, process control)
$63,585 9 1.29 Engineers: Electrical, electronic
$51,678 8 1.15 Engineers: Industrial
$56,291 7 1.01 Engineers: Materials or metallurgical
$46,701 6 .86 Engineers: Environmental
$60,363 6 .86 Engineers: Nuclear
$52,108 6 .86 Engineers: Chemical
$60,008 5 .72 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed)
$67,920 5 .72 Insurance, securities, real estate, and business services
$39,001 5 .72 Mechanics and repairers
$40,300 4 .57 OTHER computer, information science Occupations
$44,350 4 .57 Engineers: Sales
$60,038 4 .57 Computer system analysts
$72,500 4 .57 Engineers: Petroleum
$65,167 3 .43 Information systems scientists or analysts
$54,380 3 .43 Sales Occupations - Commodities Except Retail (e.g., industrial machinery/equipment/supplies, medical and dental equiptment/supplies)
$39,520 3 .43 Drafting occupations, including computer drafting
$70,500 2 .29 Computer engineer - hardware
$25,700 2 .29 Transportation/material moving occupations
$40,700 2 .29 Engineers: Electrical, electronic, industrial, mechanical
$32,502 2 .29 OTHER service occupations, except health
$100,000 1 .14 Diagnosing Treating Practitioners (e.g., dentists, optometrists, physicians, psychiatrists, podiatrists, surgeons, veterinarians)
$104,000 1 .14 Engineers: Marine engineer or naval architect
$65,000 1 .14 Physicists
$140,000 1 .14 Engineers: Civil, including architectural and sanitary
$70,000 1 .14 Food Preparation and Service (e.g., cooks, waitresses, bartenders)
$15,000 1 .14 Professors: Mathematical Sciences
$62,400 1 .14 OTHER marketing and sales occupations
$60,000 1 .14 Construction trades, miners and well drillers
$59,800 1 .14 Artists, Broadcasters, Editors, Entertainers, Public Relations Specialists, Writers
$50,000 1 .14 OTHER engineering technologists and technicians
$45,600 1 .14 OTHER administrative (e.g., record clerks, telephone operators)
$36,000 1 .14 Engineers: Agricultural
$32,400 1 .14 Professors: Trade and Industrial
$31,558 1 .14 Teachers: Secondary - computer, math or sciences
$26,500 1 .14 Technologists and technicians in the physical sciences
$24,000 1 .14 Accounting clerks, bookkeepers
$21,700 1 .14 Farmers, Foresters and Fishermen
$16,800 1 .14 OTHER physical scientists
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Ph.D.
The information in the table below is based on data from people of all
sexes and ages whose most recent college degree was a Ph.D. degree in
Mechanical Engineering.
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Occupation
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$62,497 52 38.24 Engineers: Mechanical
$59,544 27 19.85 Professors: Engineering
$89,062 13 9.56 Top and mid-level managers, executives, administrators (people who manage other managers)
$63,038 10 7.35 Engineers: Aeronautical, aerospace, astronautical
$59,800 3 2.21 Computer engineer - software
$62,000 3 2.21 Computer programmers (business, scientific, process control)
$79,600 3 2.21 Engineers: Civil, including architectural and sanitary
$106,250 2 1.47 Engineers: Marine engineer or naval architect
$57,150 2 1.47 Professors: Trade and Industrial
$68,444 2 1.47 Engineers: Electrical, electronic
$120,000 1 .74 Technologists and technicians in the physical sciences
$140,000 1 .74 Diagnosing Treating Practitioners (e.g., dentists, optometrists, physicians, psychiatrists, podiatrists, surgeons, veterinarians)
$100,000 1 .74 Professors: English
$93,800 1 .74 OTHER management related occupations
$92,900 1 .74 OTHER OCCUPATIONS (Not Listed)
$150,000 1 .74 Geologists, including earth scientists
$80,000 1 .74 OTHER mathematical scientists
$80,000 1 .74 Engineers: Nuclear
$30,000 1 .74 Farmers, Foresters and Fishermen
$80,000 1 .74 Atmospheric and space scientists
$78,000 1 .74 Computer engineer - hardware
$75,489 1 .74 Other engineers
$75,000 1 .74 Operations research analysts, modelling
$66,067 1 .74 Engineers: Environmental
$65,000 1 .74 Computer scientists, except system analysts
$60,000 1 .74 OTHER engineering technologists and technicians
$55,000 1 .74 Engineers: Sales
$50,000 1 .74 Insurance, securities, real estate, and business services
$50,000 1 .74 Engineers: Bioengineering and biomedical
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Masters Degrees earned by students with a Bachelors
degree in Mechanical Engineering
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$58,161 465 42.47 Engineering: Mechanical
$63,303 189 17.26 Business administration and management
$62,142 46 4.20 Engineering: Industrial
$58,345 36 3.29 Mechanical engineering-related technologies
$60,445 35 3.20 OTHER business management/administrative services
$58,473 30 2.74 Engineering: Aerospace, aeronautical, astronautical
$54,071 29 2.65 Computer science
$63,306 27 2.47 Business, general
$74,038 26 2.37 Financial management
$58,994 20 1.83 Engineering sciences, mechanics, physics
$61,963 19 1.74 Engineering: Electrical, electronics, communications
$69,535 13 1.19 OTHER engineering
$60,431 12 1.10 Engineering: Civil
$66,992 11 1.00 Business marketing/marketing management
$66,355 11 1.00 Engineering: Nuclear
$55,225 11 1.00 Engineering: Materials, including ceramics and textiles
$59,860 10 .91 Operations research
$63,400 7 .64 Engineering: Metallurgical
$57,754 7 .64 Engineering: Environmental
$50,916 6 .55 Engineering: Computer/systems
$41,189 6 .55 Engineering: Bioengineering and biomedical
$52,855 5 .46 Physics
$67,120 5 .46 OTHER FIELDS (Not Listed)
$63,000 4 .37 Engineering: Industrial production technologies
$58,925 4 .37 Engineering: General
$43,037 4 .37 Education: OTHER education
$55,223 3 .27 Computer systems analysis
$39,500 3 .27 Education: Administration
$72,133 3 .27 Mathematics, general
$83,333 3 .27 Marketing research
$44,133 3 .27 OTHER philosophy, religion, theology
$67,447 2 .18 Statistics
$62,000 2 .18 Economics
$66,000 2 .18 Engineering: Architectural
$70,000 2 .18 Biology, general
$45,900 2 .18 Computer/information sciences, general
$59,378 2 .18 Engineering: Naval architecture and marine
$47,500 2 .18 Accounting
$84,000 1 .09 Political science and government
$86,300 1 .09 Public policy studies
$106,000 1 .09 Engineering: Geophysical
$70,000 1 .09 Education: Special education
$150,000 1 .09 Plant sciences
$150,000 1 .09 Health services administration
$71,000 1 .09 Engineering: Agricultural
$67,899 1 .09 OTHER engineering-related technologies
$30,000 1 .09 Psychology: Counseling
$53,620 1 .09 Business/managerial economics
$39,520 1 .09 Engineering: Electrical and electronic technologies
$40,000 1 .09 English Language and Literature/Letters
$40,000 1 .09 Public health (including environmental health and epidemiology)
$42,100 1 .09 Mathematics: Applied
$44,400 1 .09 Education: Counselor education/guidance services
$48,000 1 .09 Education: Secondary teacher education
$50,000 1 .09 Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies
$52,520 1 .09 Criminal Justice/Protective Services
$65,664 1 .09 Public administration
$54,000 1 .09 Agriculture, economics
$58,800 1 .09 Communications, general
$60,000 1 .09 Biochemistry
$60,000 1 .09 Biochemistry and biophysics
$60,000 1 .09 Information services and systems
$60,000 1 .09 Oceanography
$62,000 1 .09 Food sciences and technology
$65,000 1 .09 Liberal Arts/General Studies
[ Return to Top of Page ]
PhD's earned by students with a Bachelors
degree in Mechanical Engineering
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$67,939 85 56.67 Engineering: Mechanical
$80,159 8 5.33 Engineering sciences, mechanics, physics
$59,131 6 4.00 Engineering: Industrial
$64,633 6 4.00 Mechanical engineering-related technologies
$88,455 5 3.33 Engineering: Aerospace, aeronautical, astronautical
$85,960 5 3.33 Engineering: Metallurgical
$116,000 3 2.00 Financial management
$49,833 3 2.00 Business administration and management
$60,053 3 2.00 Engineering: Electrical, electronics, communications
$75,467 3 2.00 Mathematics: Applied
$72,500 2 1.33 Physics
$106,000 2 1.33 Engineering: Bioengineering and biomedical
$87,500 2 1.33 OTHER engineering
$79,000 2 1.33 Computer science
$125,000 2 1.33 Economics
$65,000 2 1.33 Engineering: Materials, including ceramics and textiles
$75,000 1 .67 Computer/information sciences, general
$70,000 1 .67 Education: OTHER education
$65,000 1 .67 Communications, general
$62,400 1 .67 Engineering: Nuclear
$62,000 1 .67 Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies
$60,000 1 .67 Geology
$50,000 1 .67 Operations research
$34,000 1 .67 OTHER engineering-related technologies
$119,000 1 .67 Business/managerial economics
$33,240 1 .67 Engineering: Chemical
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Other Professiona Degrees earned by students with a Bachelors
degree in Mechanical Engineering
Other advanced degrees include: JD, LLB, ThD, MD, and the DDS.
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Avg 1993 Number of Pct of
Salary Observations Majors Description of Field of Study
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$74,217 20 57.14 Law/Prelaw/Legal Studies
$88,256 8 22.86 Medicine (e.g., dentistry, optometry, osteopathic, podiatry, veterinary)
$83,836 3 8.57 Engineering: Mechanical
$33,000 1 2.86 Mechanical engineering-related technologies
$50,712 1 2.86 Engineering: Electrical and electronic technologies
$60,000 1 2.86 Operations research
$87,500 1 2.86 Engineering: Naval architecture and marine
[ Return to Top of Page ]
Prepared by Prof. Ken Chapman: 73122.1717@compuserve.com