Mechanical engineer demographics and statistics in the US
Mechanical engineer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates mechanical engineer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our mechanical engineer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about mechanical engineers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 128,047 mechanical engineers currently employed in the United States.
- 9.4% of all mechanical engineers are women, while 90.6% are men.
- The average mechanical engineer age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of mechanical engineers is White (68.0%), followed by Asian (16.6%), Hispanic or Latino (7.8%) and Unknown (4.5%).
- In 2022, women earned 102% of what men earned.
- 5% of all mechanical engineers are LGBT.
- Mechanical engineers are 52% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Mechanical engineer demographics by:
Mechanical engineer gender statistics
9.4% of mechanical engineers are women and 90.6% of mechanical engineers are men.
- Male, 90.6%
- Female, 9.4%
Mechanical engineer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 90.6% |
| Female | 9.4% |
Mechanical engineer gender pay gap
Women earn $1.02 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$73,627
Female income
$75,260
Mechanical engineer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in mechanical engineer positions over time. Currently, 9.4% of mechanical engineers are female.
Mechanical engineer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 92.13% | 7.87% |
| 2011 | 94.48% | 5.52% |
| 2012 | 92.88% | 7.12% |
| 2013 | 93.29% | 6.71% |
| 2014 | 92.46% | 7.54% |
| 2015 | 91.82% | 8.18% |
| 2016 | 92.73% | 7.27% |
| 2017 | 91.25% | 8.75% |
| 2018 | 91.72% | 8.28% |
| 2019 | 91.63% | 8.37% |
| 2020 | 89.73% | 10.27% |
| 2021 | 90.56% | 9.44% |
Mechanical engineer related jobs gender ratio
We compared mechanical engineers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, senior electronics design engineer and refrigeration engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Engineer | 11% | 89% |
| Mechanical Engineer | 91% | 9% |
| Machine Tool Designer | 99% | 1% |
| Refrigeration Engineer | 99% | 1% |
| Senior Electronics Design Engineer | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Mechanical engineer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among mechanical engineers is White, which makes up 68.0% of all mechanical engineers. Comparatively, 16.6% of mechanical engineers are Asian and 7.8% of mechanical engineers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 68.0%
- Asian, 16.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- Black or African American, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.0%
Mechanical engineer race
| Mechanical engineer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 68.0% |
| Asian | 16.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| Black or African American | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.0% |
Mechanical engineer race and ethnicity over time
See how mechanical engineer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Mechanical engineer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.19% | 3.14% | 14.45% | 5.42% |
| 2011 | 75.26% | 3.15% | 14.23% | 5.72% |
| 2012 | 75.69% | 3.37% | 13.39% | 6.05% |
| 2013 | 75.26% | 2.62% | 14.89% | 5.47% |
| 2014 | 73.29% | 2.72% | 16.00% | 6.47% |
| 2015 | 73.77% | 2.97% | 14.61% | 7.07% |
| 2016 | 71.79% | 3.17% | 15.70% | 7.66% |
| 2017 | 72.51% | 2.45% | 15.43% | 7.58% |
| 2018 | 73.29% | 2.76% | 15.06% | 6.81% |
| 2019 | 71.75% | 3.00% | 15.57% | 7.09% |
| 2020 | 68.24% | 2.71% | 17.07% | 8.45% |
| 2021 | 67.98% | 3.06% | 16.57% | 7.78% |
Mechanical engineer wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino mechanical engineers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american mechanical engineers have the lowest average salary at $70,571.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $73,705 |
| White | $74,412 |
| Black or African American | $70,571 |
| Asian | $73,958 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $75,584 |
Average mechanical engineer age
See how the average age of mechanical engineers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Mechanical engineer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | 36 |
| White | 40 | 33 |
| Black or African American | 40 | 48 |
| Asian | 38.5 | 34 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 26 |
Mechanical engineer age breakdown
The average age of mechanical engineers is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the mechanical engineer population.
Mechanical engineer age breakdown
| Mechanical Engineer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Mechanical engineer educational attainment
The most common degree for mechanical engineers is bachelor's degree, with 77% of mechanical engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 7%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Mechanical engineers by degree level
| Mechanical engineer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 77% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 7% |
| Diploma | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Mechanical engineer jobs you might like
Mechanical engineer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, mechanical engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $88,203 annually. With a Master's degree, mechanical engineers earn a median annual income of $82,626 compared to $74,718 for mechanical engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $82,626 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $74,718 |
| Doctorate Degree | $88,203 |
Mechanical engineer employment statistics
Most mechanical engineers work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where mechanical engineers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where mechanical engineers work.
Mechanical engineer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 8% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 13% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 41% |
Mechanical engineer jobs by company type
Employees with the mechanical engineer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most mechanical engineers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Mechanical engineer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 43% |
| Private | 52% |
| Government | 2% |
Mechanical engineer jobs by industry
The most common industries for mechanical engineers are technology, manufacturing and professional.
Mechanical engineer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Technology | 21% |
| Manufacturing | 16% |
| Fortune 500 | 16% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Energy | 8% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
Mechanical engineer turnover and employment statistics
Mechanical engineer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for mechanical engineers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Mechanical engineer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Mechanical engineer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.09% |
| 2011 | 4.26% |
| 2012 | 2.86% |
| 2013 | 1.99% |
| 2014 | 1.63% |
| 2015 | 1.74% |
| 2016 | 1.46% |
| 2017 | 1.74% |
| 2018 | 1.20% |
| 2019 | 1.42% |
| 2020 | 2.46% |
| 2021 | 2.18% |
Average mechanical engineer tenure
The average mechanical engineer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 29,639 mechanical engineers resumes in Zippia's database.
Mechanical engineer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Mechanical engineer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of mechanical engineers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Safety Engineer | 3.67% | 24,074 |
| Mechanical Engineer | 4.55% | - |
| Photonics Engineer | 5.25% | 3,393 |
| Electrical Test Engineer | 6.39% | 69,793 |
| Wind Tunnel Engineer | 7.54% | 2,824 |
| Plastics Engineer | 8.92% | 47,267 |
| Senior Materials Engineer | 10.43% | 42,796 |
Similar mechanical engineer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Safety Engineer | 3.67% | 24,074 |
| Photonics Engineer | 5.25% | 3,393 |
| Electrical Test Engineer | 6.39% | 69,793 |
| Wind Tunnel Engineer | 7.54% | 2,824 |
| Plastics Engineer | 8.92% | 47,267 |
| Senior Materials Engineer | 10.43% | 42,796 |
Foreign languages spoken by mechanical engineers
The most common foreign language among mechanical engineers is Spanish at 28.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 9.7% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 9.3%.
- Spanish, 28.0%
- Chinese, 9.7%
- Mandarin, 9.3%
- Carrier, 8.5%
- French, 8.2%
- Other, 36.3%
Mechanical engineer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 28.0% |
| Chinese | 9.7% |
| Mandarin | 9.3% |
| Carrier | 8.5% |
| French | 8.2% |
| Other | 36.3% |
