National Salary Info » Mechanical Engineers

Highest Paying Industries for Mechanical Engineers

The top 100 highest paying industries for mechanical engineers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $137,460, oil and gas extraction is the highest paying industry for mechanical engineers. It is followed by other information services industry (average annual salary $132,560). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of mechanical engineers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Mechanical Engineers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Oil and Gas Extraction	$137,460	$74,320	970
2	Other Information Services	$132,560	$88,160	130
3	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$110,900	$80,990	590
4	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$108,990	$71,280	780
5	Information	$108,090	$66,650	380
6	Mining	$102,160	$57,450	2,310
7	Fabric Mills	$100,700	$62,920	50
8	Other Pipeline Transportation	$99,680	$75,460	60
9	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$99,110	$64,730	1,090
10	Remediation and Other Waste Management Services	$98,330	$65,430	n/a
11	Testing Laboratories	$96,700	$64,450	10,760
12	Natural Gas Distribution	$95,380	$59,510	270
13	Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance	$95,040	$58,180	130
14	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$94,640	$65,350	16,460
15	Scientific Research and Development Services	$94,630	$65,330	16,480
16	Office Administrative Services	$94,300	$63,090	80
17	Federal government, including USPS	$94,030	$68,580	11,460
18	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$94,030	$68,490	11,420
19	Support Activities for Air Transportation	$93,740	$58,310	110
20	Paper and Paper Product Merchant Wholesalers	$93,740	$69,230	30
21	Software Publishers	$93,660	$54,520	100
22	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$93,210	$65,370	13,070
23	Federal, State, and Local Government	$93,210	$65,370	13,070
24	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$92,980	$58,520	120
25	Support Activities for Transportation	$92,350	$57,040	120
26	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$91,650	$63,820	1,230
27	Couriers and Express Delivery Services	$91,610	$66,800	50
28	Couriers and Messengers	$91,610	$66,800	50
29	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$91,560	$56,460	120
30	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$91,450	$61,840	14,170
31	Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)	$91,420	$68,330	40
32	Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers	$91,350	$58,910	30
33	Communications Equipment Manufacturing	$91,290	$56,080	1,580
34	Textile Mills	$91,100	$59,230	80
35	Rental and Leasing Services	$90,170	$65,660	60
36	Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing	$90,130	$65,520	60
37	Utility System Construction	$90,050	$57,950	200
38	Postal Service (federal government)	$89,900	$75,390	n/a
39	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$89,900	$65,400	50
40	Utilities	$89,730	$60,030	1,470
41	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$89,600	$58,740	15,360
42	Pipeline Transportation	$89,480	$59,750	400
43	Spectator Sports	$89,160	$56,100	470
44	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$89,160	$56,000	470
45	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$88,770	$59,710	740
46	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$88,760	$60,530	1,140
47	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$88,670	$63,400	530
48	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$88,610	$55,440	86,530
49	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$88,460	$60,750	5,600
50	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$88,320	$55,040	1,170
51	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$88,190	$60,230	250
52	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$87,950	$61,330	30
53	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$87,850	$56,930	550
54	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$87,530	$57,570	18,700
55	Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing	$87,430	$59,260	70
56	Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing	$87,420	$63,020	160
57	Specialized Design Services	$87,180	$52,780	1,410
58	Nonresidential Building Construction	$87,030	$54,210	570
59	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$86,980	$54,170	64,410
60	Coal Mining	$86,950	$64,460	50
61	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$86,900	$56,700	9,920
62	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$86,870	$56,150	1,710
63	Chemical Manufacturing	$86,630	$57,130	3,830
64	Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing	$86,220	$62,570	110
65	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$86,200	$52,230	7,440
66	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$86,150	$52,320	1,360
67	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$86,080	$55,100	1,010
68	Water, Sewage and Other Systems	$85,930	$56,350	60
69	Construction of Buildings	$85,790	$50,720	590
70	Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	$85,740	$56,850	1,220
71	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$85,330	$58,130	7,760
72	Support Activities for Mining	$84,730	$52,570	1,170
73	Engineering Services	$84,580	$53,060	52,240
74	Temporary Help Services	$84,500	$51,470	5,640
75	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$84,370	$53,010	660
76	Other Food Manufacturing	$84,050	$54,280	50
77	Transportation and Warehousing	$84,040	$57,720	1,160
78	Employment Services	$83,970	$50,910	6,130
79	Other Support Services	$83,900	$54,190	140
80	Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$83,580	$53,750	270
81	Administrative and Support Services	$83,510	$51,270	6,660
82	Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing	$83,240	$45,180	30
83	Clay Product and Refractory Manufacturing	$82,900	$54,210	90
84	Paper Manufacturing	$82,840	$52,670	1,020
85	Beverage Manufacturing	$82,740	$63,600	30
86	Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing	$82,430	$55,980	360
87	Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$82,270	$46,930	350
88	Finance and Insurance	$82,070	$64,510	60
89	Ship and Boat Building	$82,000	$56,200	n/a
90	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$81,990	$53,560	34,500
91	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$81,650	$49,300	n/a
92	Metal Ore Mining	$81,580	$61,710	80
93	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$81,540	$49,240	n/a
94	Educational Services - Local government owned	$81,480	$48,780	n/a
95	Warehousing and Storage	$81,430	$30,620	100
96	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$81,320	$48,630	480
97	Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	$81,210	$50,470	7,350
98	Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors	$81,210	$51,930	2,170
99	Food Manufacturing	$81,010	$53,200	360
100	Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers	$81,000	$57,990	n/a