Best cities for a mechanical designer
The best cities for mechanical designers are Toledo, OH, Cleveland, OH, and Pittsburgh, PA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for mechanical designers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for mechanical designers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a mechanical designer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for mechanical designers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for mechanical designers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a mechanical designer. While the absolute best city for mechanical designers is Toledo, OH, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for mechanical designers in 2024.
If you're looking for a mechanical designer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for mechanical designers in 2026
1. Toledo, OH
Total mechanical designer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $61,949 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location quotient: 5.59 2. Cleveland, OH
Total mechanical designer jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $62,411 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location quotient: 2.15 3. Pittsburgh, PA
Total mechanical designer jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $61,540 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location quotient: 1.13 4. Lubbock, TX
Total mechanical designer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $62,746 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location quotient: 2.08 5. Madison, WI
Total mechanical designer jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $62,141 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location quotient: 2.06 6. Detroit, MI
Total mechanical designer jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $68,632 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location quotient: 0.88 7. Columbus, OH
Total mechanical designer jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $61,564 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location quotient: 0.70 8. Oakland, CA
Total mechanical designer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $77,751 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location quotient: 2.60 9. Houston, TX
Total mechanical designer jobs: 63 Average annual salary: $62,759 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location quotient: 1.75 10. Wichita, KS
Total mechanical designer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $60,631 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location quotient: 1.10
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Best cities for mechanical designers
- Toledo, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Lubbock, TX
- Madison, WI
- Detroit, MI
- Columbus, OH
- Oakland, CA
- Houston, TX
- Wichita, KS
- (8 mechanical designer jobs)
- (11 mechanical designer jobs)
- (11 mechanical designer jobs)
- (2 mechanical designer jobs)
- (12 mechanical designer jobs)
- (6 mechanical designer jobs)
- (10 mechanical designer jobs)
- (8 mechanical designer jobs)
- (63 mechanical designer jobs)
- (3 mechanical designer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a mechanical designer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toledo, OH | $61,949 | $46,000 | 278,508 | 8 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $62,411 | $46,000 | 385,809 | 11 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,540 | $45,000 | 303,625 | 11 |
| 4 | Lubbock, TX | $62,746 | $45,000 | 252,506 | 2 |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $62,141 | $47,000 | 252,551 | 12 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $68,632 | $51,000 | 672,795 | 6 |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $61,564 | $45,000 | 860,090 | 10 |
| 8 | Oakland, CA | $77,751 | $54,000 | 420,005 | 8 |
| 9 | Houston, TX | $62,759 | $43,000 | 2,303,482 | 63 |
| 10 | Wichita, KS | $60,631 | $45,000 | 389,902 | 3 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $63,055 | $46,000 | 842,051 | 14 |
| 12 | Corpus Christi, TX | $62,414 | $42,000 | 325,733 | 3 |
| 13 | Fort Worth, TX | $62,621 | $45,000 | 854,113 | 4 |
| 14 | Lexington, KY | $62,869 | $46,000 | 318,449 | 1 |
| 15 | Memphis, TN | $62,601 | $46,000 | 652,717 | 3 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $64,668 | $47,000 | 458,880 | 5 |
| 17 | Albuquerque, NM | $63,509 | $46,000 | 559,277 | 3 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $59,818 | $44,000 | 855,164 | 10 |
| 19 | Nashville, TN | $63,324 | $46,000 | 660,388 | 3 |
| 20 | Milwaukee, WI | $62,509 | $47,000 | 595,047 | 4 |
| 21 | Saint Louis, MO | $60,718 | $45,000 | 311,404 | 15 |
| 22 | Boston, MA | $74,562 | $56,000 | 673,184 | 11 |
| 23 | Seattle, WA | $72,236 | $54,000 | 704,352 | 14 |
| 24 | Chandler, AZ | $60,966 | $44,000 | 247,477 | 7 |
| 25 | Gilbert, AZ | $60,953 | $44,000 | 237,133 | 2 |
| 26 | Cincinnati, OH | $60,326 | $44,000 | 298,800 | 3 |
| 27 | San Antonio, TX | $62,862 | $43,000 | 1,492,510 | 6 |
| 28 | Dallas, TX | $62,597 | $45,000 | 1,317,929 | 11 |
| 29 | San Francisco, CA | $77,989 | $54,000 | 870,887 | 20 |
| 30 | Irving, TX | $62,594 | $45,000 | 238,289 | 7 |
| 31 | Durham, NC | $64,674 | $47,000 | 263,016 | 1 |
| 32 | New Orleans, LA | $61,514 | $43,000 | 391,495 | 3 |
| 33 | Fort Wayne, IN | $60,975 | $45,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 34 | Virginia Beach, VA | $69,776 | $51,000 | 452,602 | 2 |
| 35 | Louisville, KY | $62,540 | $46,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 36 | Tucson, AZ | $60,830 | $43,000 | 530,706 | 7 |
| 37 | Kansas City, MO | $60,108 | $45,000 | 481,420 | 7 |
| 38 | Norfolk, VA | $69,694 | $51,000 | 245,115 | 2 |
| 39 | El Paso, TX | $63,308 | $45,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 40 | Philadelphia, PA | $62,753 | $46,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 41 | Minneapolis, MN | $59,095 | $45,000 | 413,651 | 16 |
| 42 | Greensboro, NC | $64,292 | $47,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 43 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,001 | $44,000 | 1,615,017 | 20 |
| 44 | Atlanta, GA | $59,195 | $43,000 | 472,522 | 38 |
| 45 | Winston-Salem, NC | $64,075 | $47,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 46 | Austin, TX | $62,890 | $43,000 | 947,890 | 8 |
| 47 | Tulsa, OK | $59,389 | $44,000 | 403,090 | 2 |
| 48 | Chicago, IL | $67,028 | $50,000 | 2,704,958 | 11 |
| 49 | Anaheim, CA | $67,408 | $48,000 | 351,043 | 7 |
| 50 | Arlington, TX | $62,616 | $45,000 | 392,772 | - |
Highest paying cities for mechanical designers
| Rank | City | Avg. mechanical designer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $77,989 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $74,562 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $72,236 |
| 4 | Dearborn, MI | $68,611 |
| 5 | Greenville, SC | $68,096 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $67,028 |
| 7 | Raleigh, NC | $64,668 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $64,391 |
| 9 | Oak Ridge, TN | $63,719 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $62,890 |
| 11 | Oshkosh, WI | $62,652 |
| 12 | York, PA | $62,371 |
| 13 | Toledo, OH | $61,949 |
| 14 | Kansas City, KS | $61,094 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,001 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $60,745 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $60,718 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $59,818 |
| 19 | Dalton, GA | $59,558 |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN | $59,095 |
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Updated January 8, 2025