Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

17-3027 Mechanical Engineering Technicians

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


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
44,760 2.0 % $25.39 $52,810 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.83 $19.53 $24.69 $30.42 $36.11
Annual Wage (2) $32,930 $40,630 $51,350 $63,270 $75,110


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 10,570 0.82 $25.65 $53,350
Scientific Research and Development Services 3,350 0.53 $25.81 $53,690
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 2,460 0.65 $24.22 $50,380
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing 2,300 0.53 $25.20 $52,410
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 1,850 0.45 $25.99 $54,050

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing 990 1.04 $23.17 $48,180
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 10,570 0.82 $25.65 $53,350
Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing 1,750 0.75 $24.95 $51,900
Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 230 0.72 $23.87 $49,640
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 2,460 0.65 $24.22 $50,380

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 130 0.08 $33.94 $70,600
Basic Chemical Manufacturing 140 0.10 $30.99 $64,470
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing 50 0.09 $30.70 $63,850
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 260 0.24 $30.69 $63,830
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 50 0.01 $29.74 $61,870


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 4,480 1.17 3.36 $25.90 $53,870
California 4,070 0.29 0.83 $27.93 $58,090
Texas 3,720 0.36 1.03 $26.80 $55,750
Ohio 2,640 0.53 1.52 $23.58 $49,050
Illinois 2,120 0.38 1.09 $25.81 $53,680




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Michigan 4,480 1.17 3.36 $25.90 $53,870
Idaho 560 0.95 2.71 $24.73 $51,430
North Dakota 290 0.79 2.26 $22.21 $46,190
Connecticut 1,030 0.64 1.84 $26.34 $54,790
New Hampshire 380 0.62 1.77 $24.40 $50,760




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 40 0.12 0.36 $31.43 $65,370
Nevada 180 0.16 0.45 $28.93 $60,170
California 4,070 0.29 0.83 $27.93 $58,090
Washington 1,060 0.39 1.12 $27.49 $57,180
Missouri 410 0.16 0.46 $27.07 $56,300





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 1,960 1.89 5.41 $26.44 $55,000
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 1,620 0.64 1.82 $31.21 $64,920
Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Division 1,410 2.08 5.95 $28.73 $59,760
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 1,190 0.33 0.95 $26.09 $54,270
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,090 0.64 1.83 $27.41 $57,020
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 960 0.47 1.35 $23.10 $48,040
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 910 1.04 2.98 $26.43 $54,970
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 910 0.39 1.13 $26.70 $55,530
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 840 0.22 0.63 $28.94 $60,200
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 650 0.47 1.36 $27.89 $58,020




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kokomo, IN 170 4.50 12.90 $33.55 $69,790
Holland-Grand Haven, MI 220 2.16 6.18 $17.84 $37,100
Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Division 1,410 2.08 5.95 $28.73 $59,760
Boise City-Nampa, ID 530 2.06 5.90 (8) (8)
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 1,960 1.89 5.41 $26.44 $55,000
Bloomington, IN 120 1.67 4.79 $22.31 $46,400
Huntsville, AL 280 1.40 4.02 $22.88 $47,600
Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC 400 1.34 3.84 $26.26 $54,620
Dayton, OH 450 1.23 3.54 $24.33 $50,600
Racine, WI 90 1.19 3.41 $21.68 $45,080




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 200 0.21 0.61 $35.92 $74,710
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA (8) (8) (8) $35.73 $74,310
Kokomo, IN 170 4.50 12.90 $33.55 $69,790
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA 280 0.34 0.99 $32.61 $67,820
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 80 0.77 2.22 $32.37 $67,330
Anchorage, AK 30 0.19 0.55 $31.39 $65,300
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 80 0.10 0.28 $31.26 $65,020
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 1,620 0.64 1.82 $31.21 $64,920
St. Cloud, MN (8) (8) (8) $31.16 $64,800
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 150 0.53 1.52 $30.92 $64,320

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 250 1.15 3.30 $20.80 $43,270
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 170 0.86 2.48 $21.17 $44,030
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 160 0.90 2.58 $21.66 $45,050
Other Ohio nonmetropolitan area 150 0.58 1.66 $25.33 $52,680
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 150 0.81 2.32 $24.33 $50,600

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern Utah nonmetropolitan area 90 5.28 15.14 $27.59 $57,390
Western New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 110 1.72 4.94 $24.20 $50,340
Southeast Arizona nonmetropolitan area 70 1.21 3.47 $21.72 $45,190
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 250 1.15 3.30 $20.80 $43,270
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 120 1.06 3.04 $25.26 $52,550

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $29.00 $60,320
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 40 0.20 0.56 $28.91 $60,130
East Central North Dakota 40 0.88 2.51 $27.79 $57,800
Northern Utah nonmetropolitan area 90 5.28 15.14 $27.59 $57,390
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 30 0.21 0.59 $26.00 $54,090


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012