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VP, Mechanical Engineering salary

What a VP, Mechanical Engineering (level E1, Vice President) is paid in 2026 in the highest-paying US markets.

Modeled estimate · Updated October 2026

Median base salary, San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Seattle

$363,000

Most companies pay between $276,000 and $450,000.

Median $363k $276k25th$450k75th

The shaded middle is where most companies aim. Anything inside it is normal pay for this level and market.

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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Mechanical Engineer pay by level

Median base salary, top-tier markets.

TitleMedian 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

All Mechanical Engineer levels

Related roles at E1

Questions

How much does a VP, Mechanical Engineering make?

In the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Seattle, the modeled median base salary for a VP, Mechanical Engineering is $363,000, with most companies paying between $276,000 and $450,000. Pay in other cities, bonus, and equity are in the full range on Benchmarked.

How do I know if I am underpaid?

Pay below the 25th percentile for your level and market is below what most companies target. Check your salary against this range to see your percentile, then use that number in a conversation with your manager.

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.