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Job outlook for mechanical design technicians in the United States
Mechanical design technician job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected mechanical design technician job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 6,400 new jobs for mechanical design technicians are projected over the next decade.
Mechanical design technician salaries have increased 7% for mechanical design technicians in the last 5 years.
There are over 16,100 mechanical design technicians currently employed in the United States.
There are 62,685 active mechanical design technician job openings in the US.
The average mechanical design technician salary is $60,714.
Are mechanical design technician jobs in demand?
Mechanical design technician job and salary trends over time
Mechanical design technician jobs over time
Mechanical design technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,100 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 17,063 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 17,879 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 17,746 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 17,232 | 0.01% |
Average mechanical design technician salary over time
Mechanical design technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $60,714 | $29.19 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | $59,549 | $28.63 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $58,835 | $28.29 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $57,832 | $27.80 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $56,694 | $27.26 | +0.7% |
Mechanical design technician jobs by state
Most common states for mechanical design technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 149 | 21% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,203 | 18% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 110 | 18% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 228 | 17% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 758 | 14% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 563 | 14% |
| 7 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 191 | 14% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 133 | 14% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 733 | 12% |
| 10 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 368 | 12% |
| 11 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 89 | 12% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 637 | 11% |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 636 | 11% |
| 14 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 401 | 11% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 343 | 11% |
| 16 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 119 | 11% |
| 17 | Alaska | 739,795 | 85 | 11% |
| 18 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 62 | 11% |
| 19 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,997 | 10% |
| 20 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 757 | 10% |
Most common cities for mechanical design technicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peoria | 1 | 1% | $60,444 |
| 2 | Jacksonville | 1 | 0% | $51,945 |
| 3 | Minneapolis | 1 | 0% | $51,929 |
Mechanical Design Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of mechanical design technician experts
Michigan Technological University
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
Murray State University
Arizona State University
University of Delaware
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of Alaska Fairbanks
ADDA
Jiayue Shen
Mechanical Engineering Technology Program CoordinatorWhat general advice would you give to a Mechanical Design Technician?
Jiayue Shen: To maximize your salary potential when starting your career in Mechanical Engineering Technology, contemplate acquiring certifications like the FE or PE license, or additional training in high-demand specialized areas such as semiconductors. Moreover, gaining practical experience through academic clubs, undergraduate research, internships, or co-op programs can increase your appeal to employers, potentially resulting in higher salary offers.
What will help Mechanical Design Technicians increase their earning potential?
Mohammed Daqaq: It depends on what aspect of the job they are hired to do. Some graduating MEs work in industrial plants where they are expected to deal with and fix engineering related problems, or work on the design and testing of innovative industrial solutions. Many MEs end up in the sales and maintenance departments of companies that manufacture specialized machinery and equipment. Some ME graduates are hired by the research departments of companies and federal labs where they participate in the research and development of new technologies, etc. A recent trend that we have been observing with our graduates is that they are being sought after by major consulting companies especially in business development and finance. Such companies like the versatility of the engineering education, and the logical/structured way of thinking that engineers are trained to follow during their studies.
What general advice would you give to a Mechanical Design Technician?
John Irwin EdD: Engineering technology graduates are masters of technology, gaining a broad and deep understanding of the processes, systems, tools, and techniques necessary to construct, modify, operate, and maintain an engineering design. They act as technological integrators, bridging the gap between the skilled trades and engineering fundamentals. This is a great career path for those who enjoy engineering concepts but would rather spend time working with their hands solving specific technical issues than tackling broader, more complex design challenges.
What Mechanical Design Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
John Irwin EdD: They like that the job market is very strong. Companies that are implementing industry 4.0 technologies are in need of Engineering Technology graduates because they are well prepared to meet these challenges. Employers like their problem-solving and hands-on experience with modern industry tools. ET graduates with 4-yr degrees dislike that some company recruiters do not recognize them as engineers and confuse them with 2-yr associate degree technicians.
Uises Gonzalez-Valle
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
What will help Mechanical Design Technicians increase their earning potential?
Uises Gonzalez-Valle: The beginning of professional life is not simple independent of the career path that you follow and ME and MET can have their own complications. However, some good advice would be to develop independence and adaptability which are key traits of an engineer, and always keep yourself updated with the most recent technological developments. If you are independent and adaptable, you have all the skills to learn and further your professional development. In addition, I would say it is essential to start building a network, including peers and mentors. Having a strong network of peers and mentors helps you significantly to progress in your professional line. From day-to-day to daily changing decisions, having a strong network to support would significantly help in building your professional path. Lastly, I would say that having a good Work-life balance is vital too, since our personal life is as important as our professional life. Remember, we should work to live instead of live to work.
Mike DeVore Ph.D.
Professor & Program ChairCincinnati State Technical & Community College
Mechanical Engineering Technology
What hard/technical skills are most important for Mechanical Design Technicians?
Mike DeVore Ph.D.: -Computer-Aided Design
-Knowledge of manufacturing processes
-A good mathematics foundation
-Technical communication
-Problem solving
Bryant Harrison
InstructorMurray State University
Design Engineering Technology
What skills stand out on Mechanical Design Technician resumes?
Bryant Harrison: Design Engineers should be able to think creatively and be prepared to use software to solve problems. Students who have acquired certifications in design software have shown some level of aptitude toward using that software to create and design engineering solutions.
What soft skills should all Mechanical Design Technicians possess?
Bryant Harrison: Engineers are constantly working with a variety of people on a project. These people could be other engineers in the same department or other departments, managers, stakeholders, and customers. The ability to communicate both on a technical and non-technical level with these people is likely the most important soft skill for a design engineer.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Mechanical Design Technicians?
Bryant Harrison: Designing, prototyping, testing, and iterating are likely the most important skills for a design engineer. This is what we strive to teach at Murray State in our Design Engineering Technology program. Many sub-skills would fall into these categories, such as CAD, design for manufacturing, 3D printing, and destructive/non-destructive testing.
What skills will help Mechanical Design Technicians earn the most?
Bryant Harrison: We constantly tell students that they must have the full package of hard and soft skills to succeed. Those students who master their soft skills and are constantly expanding hard skills will be the most capable of getting the pay they seek.
Philip Horton
Interim School Director, Clinical Assistant ProfessorArizona State University
The Design School, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Mechanical Design Technicians?
Philip Horton: I think there will be a few enduring impacts.
One impact is that there has been a bit of a slow down in the market for a number of firms, due to the economic impacts of the pandemic. But an imminent stimulus package will hopefully provide a fairly quick course correction there.
More enduring is that much of the professional world has learned to work remotely -- at-scale -- over the last year. So how we work and collaborate on projects will continue to transform beyond the pandemic.
Also, public spaces, offices, restaurants, and retail have all been impacted by the pandemic. Many have made tactical changes to the designs of their physical environments and to their services. These responses, and uncertainty about future public health concerns, will change the way we design spaces and services going forward.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Mechanical Design Technicians?
Philip Horton: Interdisciplinarity is key. Here at ASU, we are focusing on "architecture plus..." An emerging professional who wants to better understand financing and development should consider getting their professionally accredited architecture degree, plus a degree or certificate in real estate development. The same could be said for architecture plus construction management, public health, sustainability, urban planning, and more. We believe this will not only help position an emerging professional for a job, but position them to advance and transform the future of professional practice.
How have salaries changed over time for Mechanical Design Technicians?
Philip Horton: Like a lot of fields, salaries in architecture had been stagnant for years following the 2008 Great Recession. But like a lot of fields, salaries were rising remarkably in the years running up to the pandemic. And in spite of some of the economic uncertainty of the past year, it appears that salaries will continue to steadily rise as we move forward from this pandemic.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Mechanical Design Technician job market given the pandemic?
Ajay Prasad: Medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and most consumer goods are still strong. The pandemic is also unlikely to slow the demand in areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual reality. While more manufacturing jobs are believed to return to the U.S., this likely will drive innovation for the automation of manufacturing processes. Going forward, demand is likely to be strong in infrastructure, renewable energy, automotive, and aerospace industries.
What experience really stands out on Mechanical Design Technician resumes?
Dr. Mingshao Zhang: Internship and Co-op (Cooperative Education) experiences that related to the industry.
Charles Jenckes
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte
Mechanical Engineering
What skills stand out on Mechanical Design Technician resumes?
Charles Jenckes: For new graduates
1.Where the candidate went to school and what was studied
2.GPA
3.Any successful internships
4.Projects completed by the student
How would you rate the starting salaries for Mechanical Design Technicians, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Daisy Huang: Above average, but you won't be a millionaire easily (you can with some effort, saving, and investing well). It is very unlikely you'll ever be *super* wealthy, but it's also very unlikely you'll ever not find employment in your field. You'll have a solid ticket to a modestly comfortable life, with some luxuries, too.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Mechanical Design Technicians in the next 3-5 years?
Dan Rodenbaugh: Personal computers and internet, better off-site interaction.