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A Senior Mechanical Project Engineer typically earns an average salary of $84,631 annually, which translates to about $41 per hour. This figure can vary based on factors such as location, experience, and industry. For instance, engineers in metropolitan areas often have higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living.
When examining salaries by state, areas with a robust engineering industry, such as California and Texas, tend to offer higher compensation. Additionally, the highest paying cities for this role include San Francisco, New York, and Seattle, where the average salaries can exceed $100,000.
With experience, a Senior Mechanical Project Engineer can advance to managerial positions or specialize in high-demand sectors, which can significantly increase earning potential. Engaging in continuous professional development and networking within the industry can also open doors to lucrative opportunities.
Overall, pursuing a career as a Senior Mechanical Project Engineer offers not only a competitive salary but also a variety of pathways for growth and advancement in the engineering field.
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The average senior mechanical project engineer salary in Texas, New Mexico, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior mechanical project engineer salary states are Vermont, Mississippi, and North Dakota.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $107,365 | $51.62 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $105,024 | $50.49 |
| 3 | California | $103,384 | $49.70 |
| 4 | Arizona | $94,754 | $45.55 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $104,594 | $50.29 |
| 6 | Idaho | $93,088 | $44.75 |
| 7 | Iowa | $94,878 | $45.61 |
| 8 | Nevada | $89,445 | $43.00 |
| 9 | Delaware | $98,290 | $47.25 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $93,104 | $44.76 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $96,054 | $46.18 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $84,181 | $40.47 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $97,643 | $46.94 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $84,225 | $40.49 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $87,292 | $41.97 |
| 16 | Kansas | $84,889 | $40.81 |
| 17 | Colorado | $89,322 | $42.94 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $83,396 | $40.09 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $81,766 | $39.31 |
| 20 | Washington | $86,984 | $41.82 |
| 21 | Virginia | $89,006 | $42.79 |
| 22 | Indiana | $82,586 | $39.70 |
| 23 | Michigan | $81,103 | $38.99 |
| 24 | Illinois | $89,292 | $42.93 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $81,359 | $39.11 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $83,780 | $40.28 |
| 27 | Georgia | $81,185 | $39.03 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $85,593 | $41.15 |
| 29 | New York | $89,472 | $43.02 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $77,107 | $37.07 |
| 31 | Maryland | $89,374 | $42.97 |
| 32 | Alabama | $76,904 | $36.97 |
| 33 | Alaska | $87,407 | $42.02 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $76,160 | $36.62 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $81,041 | $38.96 |
| 36 | Ohio | $75,760 | $36.42 |
| 37 | Missouri | $79,846 | $38.39 |
| 38 | Oregon | $80,208 | $38.56 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $78,208 | $37.60 |
| 40 | Maine | $78,791 | $37.88 |
| 41 | Vermont | $73,660 | $35.41 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $72,855 | $35.03 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $71,289 | $34.27 |
| 44 | Montana | $74,224 | $35.68 |
| 45 | Utah | $77,922 | $37.46 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $75,662 | $36.38 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $72,459 | $34.84 |
| 48 | Florida | $77,525 | $37.27 |
| 49 | New Jersey | $78,818 | $37.89 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $70,535 | $33.91 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $73,404 | $35.29 |
The highest-paying cities for senior mechanical project engineers are San Francisco, CA, Houston, TX, and New Haven, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $111,746 | $53.72 |
| 2 | Houston, TX | $106,881 | $51.39 |
| 3 | New Haven, CT | $104,772 | $50.37 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $95,911 | $46.11 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $89,647 | $43.10 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $89,414 | $42.99 |
| 7 | Westminster, CO | $89,179 | $42.87 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $87,535 | $42.08 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge, LA | $85,630 | $41.17 |
| 10 | Greenville, NC | $85,315 | $41.02 |
| 11 | Spartanburg, SC | $84,336 | $40.55 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $82,545 | $39.69 |
| 13 | Dearborn, MI | $81,250 | $39.06 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, FL | $80,822 | $38.86 |
| 15 | Saint Louis, MO | $80,659 | $38.78 |
| 16 | Portland, OR | $80,073 | $38.50 |
| 17 | Ogden, UT | $77,006 | $37.02 |
| 18 | Milwaukee, WI | $76,310 | $36.69 |
| 19 | Sioux Falls, SD | $75,781 | $36.43 |
| 20 | Dayton, OH | $75,145 | $36.13 |
A senior mechanical project engineer's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $107,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| 75th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| Average | $84,631 | $7,053 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
The highest paying types of senior mechanical project engineers are senior principal engineer, principal engineer, and team lead engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design Engineer | $77,134 | $6,428 | $37.08 | 138,173 |
| Staff Engineer | $107,530 | $8,961 | $51.70 | 277,011 |
| Lead Engineer | $84,927 | $7,077 | $40.83 | 301,777 |
| Tool Engineer | $101,135 | $8,428 | $48.62 | 98,936 |
| Principal Engineer | $130,213 | $10,851 | $62.60 | 312,683 |
| Team Lead Engineer | $114,867 | $9,572 | $55.22 | 235,155 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior mechanical project engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Rudisill
Department Head and Professor of Engineering Technology, Northern Michigan University
Top companies hiring senior mechanical project engineers now:
Senior mechanical project engineer salaries at Amazon and Randstad North America, Inc. are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior mechanical project engineer salary at companies like DRS and Sargent & Lundy are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon | $128,266 | $61.67 |
| 2 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $104,421 | $50.20 |
| 3 | DRS | $101,576 | $48.83 |
| 4 | Sargent & Lundy | $98,507 | $47.36 |
| 5 | Fletcher Thompson | $97,963 | $47.10 |
| 6 | Weatherford International | $97,832 | $47.03 |
| 7 | Urban Engineers | $97,243 | $46.75 |
| 8 | Raven Industries | $95,481 | $45.90 |
| 9 | Neptune Technology Group | $95,321 | $45.83 |
| 10 | P2S | $95,220 | $45.78 |
| 11 | PEAK Technical Staffing USA | $95,153 | $45.75 |
| 12 | Rain Bird | $94,140 | $45.26 |
| 13 | Ball | $94,139 | $45.26 |
| 14 | Westinghouse Appliances Australia | $94,034 | $45.21 |
| 15 | Wacker Chemie | $93,868 | $45.13 |
| 16 | Johnson Mirmiran & Thompson Inc | $93,823 | $45.11 |
| 17 | Allison Transmission | $93,578 | $44.99 |
| 18 | System One | $92,757 | $44.59 |
| 19 | Hunter | $92,501 | $44.47 |
| 20 | EN Engineering | $92,462 | $44.45 |
The average senior mechanical project engineer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $93,208 | $44.81 |
| 2 | Professional | $92,444 | $44.44 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $89,181 | $42.88 |
| 4 | Construction | $88,524 | $42.56 |
The average senior mechanical project engineer salary has risen by $10,260 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior mechanical project engineer earned $74,371 annually, but today, they earn $84,631 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for senior mechanical project engineers over the last decade.
Compare senior mechanical project engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare senior mechanical project engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $84,600 | $40.69 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | $83,000 | $39.91 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $82,000 | $39.43 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $80,600 | $38.76 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $79,000 | $37.99 | +0.7% |
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