How much does a mechanical engineering technologists and technician make?

The median pay is $35.82 per hour — roughly $74,500 a year, with the real range running from about $23.27/hr (10th percentile) to $50.99/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a mechanical engineering technologists and technician?

The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

Engineering & Architecture◆ PROMISING

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians

Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.

What it pays
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians earn a median of $35.82/hr — about $74,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $23.27/hr; the top 10% earn $50.99/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems.
Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings.
Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval.
Review project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications, procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical problems such as redesign.
Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation.
Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Associate degree. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 1.5% of mechanical engineering technologists and technicians are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, analytical and organized and detail-focused.

Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.

Related careers

Quick questions

How much does a mechanical engineering technologists and technician make?: The median pay is $35.82 per hour — roughly $74,500 a year, with the real range running from about $23.27/hr (10th percentile) to $50.99/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a mechanical engineering technologists and technician?: The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
What does a mechanical engineering technologists and technician actually do all day?: Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems. Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings. Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.