Check my payMechanical Engineer salary by level
Mechanical Engineering pay in 2026, from entry level to VP, in the highest-paying US markets.
Modeled estimate · Updated October 2026Median base salary, Senior Mechanical Engineer, top-tier markets
From entry level to VP, medians run from $91k to $363k.
Individual contributor track
Median base salary in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Seattle.
| Title | Median base |
|---|---|
| Associate Mechanical EngineerIC1 Associate / Entry | $91k |
| Mechanical EngineerIC2 Mid-level | $126k |
| Senior Mechanical EngineerIC3 Senior | $165k |
| Staff Mechanical EngineerIC4 Staff / Lead | $202k |
| Principal Mechanical EngineerIC5 Senior Staff / Principal | $235k |
| Distinguished Mechanical EngineerIC6 Distinguished | $273k |
Management track
| Title | Median base |
|---|---|
| Associate Manager, Mechanical EngineeringM2 Associate Manager | $174k |
| Manager, Mechanical EngineeringM3 Manager | $202k |
| Senior Manager, Mechanical EngineeringM4 Senior Manager | $235k |
| Director, Mechanical EngineeringM5 Director | $277k |
| Senior Director, Mechanical EngineeringM6 Senior Director | $314k |
| VP, Mechanical EngineeringE1 Vice President | $363k |
The full range
Every market, the 10th to 90th percentiles, bonus, equity, and new hire grants, adjusted for your industry and company size.
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Where do these numbers come from?
They are modeled estimates built by compensation practitioners from publicly discussed pay and from how companies typically structure salary ranges by level and location. They are not survey results and not any company's actual ranges. Use them to get oriented before a pay conversation, not as an exact offer number.