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Best states for a mechanical design engineer
Quoted expert
Andy Gerrick
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to mechanical design engineer jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. In fact, our research shows that Washington is the best state for mechanical design engineers in America. The best city in America for mechanical design engineers with the highest pay is San Francisco, CA.
Washington is the best state for jobs for mechanical design engineers, and South Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in Washington is $90,735, while the median pay in South Dakota is $57,744.Washington is the best state, and Pacifica is the city with the highest pay for mechanical design engineers.
10 best states for mechanical design engineers in 2025
1. Washington
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 1,789 Average annual salary: $90,735 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location Quotient: 1.49
2. California
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 9,915 Average annual salary: $98,731 Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location Quotient: 2.06
3. Arizona
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 1,300 Average annual salary: $82,258 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
4. Massachusetts
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 1,745 Average annual salary: $85,746 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
5. Oregon
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 999 Average annual salary: $81,532 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
6. New Hampshire
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 302 Average annual salary: $79,096 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
7. Alaska
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 109 Average annual salary: $87,539 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
8. Nevada
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 242 Average annual salary: $84,270 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
9. Connecticut
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 599 Average annual salary: $78,911 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
10. District of Columbia
Total mechanical design engineer jobs: 405 Average annual salary: $85,033 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
Mechanical design engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a mechanical design engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a mechanical design engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $90,735 | $71,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,789 |
| 2 | California | $98,731 | $74,000 | 39,536,653 | 9,915 |
| 3 | Arizona | $82,258 | $63,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,300 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $85,746 | $67,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,745 |
| 5 | Oregon | $81,532 | $63,000 | 4,142,776 | 999 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $79,096 | $62,000 | 1,342,795 | 302 |
| 7 | Alaska | $87,539 | $77,000 | 739,795 | 109 |
| 8 | Nevada | $84,270 | $64,000 | 2,998,039 | 242 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $78,911 | $62,000 | 3,588,184 | 599 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $85,033 | $67,000 | 693,972 | 405 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $78,651 | $61,000 | 2,088,070 | 246 |
| 12 | Colorado | $77,267 | $60,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,316 |
| 13 | Delaware | $75,865 | $60,000 | 961,939 | 232 |
| 14 | Texas | $74,419 | $58,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,161 |
| 15 | Michigan | $72,484 | $58,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,249 |
| 16 | Illinois | $76,004 | $61,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,526 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $75,593 | $60,000 | 1,815,857 | 121 |
| 18 | Maine | $75,789 | $60,000 | 1,335,907 | 138 |
| 19 | Utah | $71,832 | $55,000 | 3,101,833 | 586 |
| 20 | Maryland | $77,860 | $62,000 | 6,052,177 | 978 |
| 21 | Idaho | $73,275 | $56,000 | 1,716,943 | 223 |
| 22 | Georgia | $72,903 | $58,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,463 |
| 23 | Montana | $73,977 | $57,000 | 1,050,493 | 143 |
| 24 | Alabama | $69,385 | $55,000 | 4,874,747 | 679 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $72,627 | $57,000 | 1,059,639 | 159 |
| 26 | New York | $75,508 | $59,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,960 |
| 27 | Virginia | $72,662 | $58,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,737 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $71,576 | $57,000 | 6,715,984 | 475 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $67,940 | $53,000 | 579,315 | 103 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $70,259 | $56,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,073 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $73,518 | $57,000 | 4,684,333 | 222 |
| 32 | Vermont | $69,406 | $55,000 | 623,657 | 128 |
| 33 | Ohio | $69,115 | $55,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,178 |
| 34 | Indiana | $68,886 | $55,000 | 6,666,818 | 769 |
| 35 | Florida | $70,121 | $54,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,079 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $68,816 | $55,000 | 5,024,369 | 492 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $73,455 | $58,000 | 9,005,644 | 855 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $66,125 | $53,000 | 5,795,483 | 855 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $72,103 | $61,000 | 1,427,538 | 101 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $67,849 | $53,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,412 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $68,058 | $54,000 | 1,920,076 | 270 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $64,962 | $51,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,269 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $66,002 | $53,000 | 4,454,189 | 295 |
| 44 | Iowa | $64,443 | $51,000 | 3,145,711 | 446 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $66,441 | $53,000 | 3,930,864 | 234 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $63,428 | $51,000 | 755,393 | 116 |
| 47 | Missouri | $67,190 | $53,000 | 6,113,532 | 582 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $65,243 | $51,000 | 2,984,100 | 140 |
| 49 | Kansas | $63,832 | $51,000 | 2,913,123 | 328 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $59,678 | $47,000 | 3,004,279 | 256 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $57,744 | $46,000 | 869,666 | 89 |
Highest paying states for mechanical design engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Mechanical Design Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $90,735 |
| 2 | California | $98,731 |
| 3 | Arizona | $82,258 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $85,746 |
| 5 | Oregon | $81,532 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $79,096 |
| 7 | Alaska | $87,539 |
| 8 | Nevada | $84,270 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $78,911 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $85,033 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $78,651 |
| 12 | Colorado | $77,267 |
| 13 | Delaware | $75,865 |
| 14 | Texas | $74,419 |
| 15 | Michigan | $72,484 |
| 16 | Illinois | $76,004 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $75,593 |
| 18 | Maine | $75,789 |
| 19 | Utah | $71,832 |
| 20 | Maryland | $77,860 |
| 21 | Idaho | $73,275 |
| 22 | Georgia | $72,903 |
| 23 | Montana | $73,977 |
| 24 | Alabama | $69,385 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $72,627 |
| 26 | New York | $75,508 |
| 27 | Virginia | $72,662 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $71,576 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $67,940 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $70,259 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $73,518 |
| 32 | Vermont | $69,406 |
| 33 | Ohio | $69,115 |
| 34 | Indiana | $68,886 |
| 35 | Florida | $70,121 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $68,816 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $73,455 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $66,125 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $72,103 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $67,849 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $68,058 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $64,962 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $66,002 |
| 44 | Iowa | $64,443 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $66,441 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $63,428 |
| 47 | Missouri | $67,190 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $65,243 |
| 49 | Kansas | $63,832 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $59,678 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $57,744 |
Expert opinions on the best states for mechanical design engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for mechanical design engineers to find work opportunities?
Andy Gerrick
Associate Professor and Chair, Embry-Riddle, Prescott
Mechanical engineering is the most general field of engineering. Any industry that designs or produces physical products, from toys to spacecraft, hires mechanical engineers. The aerospace industry, where I spent 35 years as a mechanical engineer, hires many more mechanical engineers than aerospace engineers.
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Updated January 8, 2025