For those of you who want to know the best states for mechanical engineers, we did our research and brought you just that.
Let’s first get familiar with the overall situation in the occupation in the United States. Statistics from Bureau of Labor tell us that there were 277,500 mechanical engineers employed across the nation in 2014. From 2014 to 2024 there is a projected growth of employment by 5% which means that there will be 14,600 newly employed within the occupation. The job outlook for mechanical engineers depends mostly on the industry they are employed in. Currently architectural, engineering, and related services employ the most mechanical engineers, while their highest concentration is in industrial machinery manufacturing. Those mechanical engineers that follow the latest technological advancements and are familiar with new software are more likely to be employed. Michigan employs the most mechanical engineers, followed by California and Texas.
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When it comes to the financial benefit of being a mechanical engineer, on average they earn $84,190 aannually (median wage) or $40.48 per hour. The 10% of the lowest paid earned $54,420 while the 10% of highest paid earned $131,350 in 2016. This puts mechanical engineers on a similar earning track like industrial engineers. You can get familiar with this occupation more on our list of 25 Best States for Industrial Engineers.
You must be wondering how we managed to get our list of best states for mechanical engineers? Well, we decided that the best factors for determining the best states would be annual median wage (Bureau of Labor Statistics), projected job growth rates (Projections Central) and costs of living (Missouri Economy). We ranked the states on three separate rankings according to each of these factors and then combined the rankings into our IM Score. Keen to check it out?
25. Kansas
IM Score: 76
Annual median wage: $73,270
Job growth: 10.5%
Cost of living index: 90.4
Kansas may have the low cost of living index, but you will also have one of the lowest wages in the state within the occupation on a national level. The number of those who are employed in the occupation is likely to increase from 2,260 to 2,500 in the future, with 100 average annual openings. According to BLS the state has an overall unemployment rate of 3.8%.
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24. Delaware
IM Score: 78
Annual median wage: $95,330
Job growth: 5.9%
Cost of living index: 102.6
There is plenty of money to be made in Delaware, but the state only expects a 40 more mechanical engineers to be employed in the future. The cost of living is close to the nation’s average, while the unemployment rate was 4.5%.
23. Missouri
IM Score: 78
Annual median wage: $79,340
Job growth: 8.2%
Cost of living index: 90.8
Missouri is likely to have 310 more employed mechanical engineers in the future, which will see the current number of 3,680 rising to 3,990. The state’s unemployment rate is 3.9%.
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22. California
IM Score: 81
Annual median wage: $98,190
Job growth: 12.0%
Cost of living index: 134.8
Being the nation’s 4th most expensive state to live in, the big wage in California shouldn’t come as surprise. The number of employed mechanical engineers will increase from 24,100 to 29,000 with more than a thousand average annual job openings.
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21. Washington
IM Score: 82
Annual median wage: $88,570
Job growth: 11.6%
Cost of living index: 107.1
Washington will likely be a home to 820 newly employed mechanical engineers in the future. The average annual job openings figure is 320. Also, the state’s unemployment rate is 4.7%.
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20. Virginia
IM Score: 83
Annual median wage: $89,950
Job growth: 7.0%
Cost of living index: 100.2
Similar to the previous entry on our list of best states for mechanical engineers, Virginia’s number of 8,280 employed mechanical engineers will increase for 320. The state has a rather low unemployment rate of 3.8%.
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19. Oregon
IM Score: 84
Annual median wage: $83,760
Job growth: 18.0%
Cost of living index: 115.4
The state is expected to have 500 more employed mechanical engineers in the future, which will increase the current number of 2,730 to 3,230. There will be 140 average annual job openings. Although the cost of living is above the U.S. average, the unemployment rate is small, being 3.8%.
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18. Georgia
IM Score: 86
Annual median wage: $78,100
Job growth: 14.2%
Cost of living index: 91.4
Low wage and high unemployment rate of 5.1% may turn you off from Georgia, but the state has a low cost of living and there will be plenty of job openings in the future, with expected 730 newly employed mechanical engineers.
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17. Indiana
IM Score: 88
Annual median wage: $72,600
Job growth: 13.3%
Cost of living index: 87.9
Although you won’t get rich in Indiana, since the state offers one the lowest annual median wages for mechanical engineers on our list, at least there will be 480 average annual job openings in the future. The current number of 10,620 employed within the occupation will rise for 1,420.
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16. Nevada
IM Score: 89
Annual median wage: $81,580
Job growth: 60.0%
Cost of living index: 104.5
Nevada has the highest percentage of job growth in the future in the nation. This shouldn’t come as a surprise since the state also has the fewest employed mechanical engineers with the current figure being 550. There will be 50 average annual job openings in the future.
15. Maryland
IM Score: 90
Annual median wage: $94,940
Job growth: 14.7%
Cost of living index: 125.0
As you probably know, Maryland is in the top 10 of states with the highest cost of living index in the nation. But, if you chose this state as your next destination, there will be 740 newly employed mechanical engineers in the future with 250 average annual job openings.
14. New Mexico
IM Score: 91
Annual median wage: $107,050
Job growth: 5.9%
Cost of living index: 95.7
If you want to earn big as a mechanical engineer, then New Mexico is the state for you. It offers the biggest annual median wage on our list. There are, however, few downsides. The state will see only 40 average annual job openings in the future and has the biggest unemployment rate in the nation with the figure currently standing at 6.7%.
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13. Kentucky
IM Score: 94
Annual median wage: $79,880
Job growth: 14.2%
Cost of living index: 90.8
Although Kentucky has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, there is a projected increase of employed mechanical engineers from 3,030 to 3,470. The state is also in the top 10 of states with the lowest cost of living index.
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12. Oklahoma
IM Score: 98
Annual median wage: $77,780
Job growth: 15.5%
Cost of living index: 88.6
Oklahoma currently employs 2,560 mechanical engineers, but there is a projected increase of 400 newly employed in the future. The average annual job openings figure is 120 while the state has one of the lowest cost of living indexes in the nation.
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11. Tennessee
IM Score: 78
Annual median wage: $85,500
Job growth: 8.0%
Cost of living index: 89.8
Just like Oklahoma, Tennessee offers a low cost of living, but the state has a very high unemployment rate of 5.1%. A current number of 4,660 employed mechanical engineers will increase to 5,030 with 200 average annual job openings.
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10. Florida
IM Score: 101
Annual median wage: $83,950
Job growth: 21.2%
Cost of living index: 99.0
If you want to work in a sunny and warm state, then Florida that ranked 10th on the list of best states for mechanical engineers is the obvious pick. The state will see a respectable increase of 1,450 newly employed mechanical engineers in the future with 360 average annual job openings.
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9. Colorado
IM Score: 102
Annual median wage: $86,520
Job growth: 24.0%
Cost of living index: 102.1
Finding a job in any occupation seems as an easy task in Colorado. The state has the lowest unemployment rate in the United States with the figure currently standing at 2.6%. There will be also a big increase in the number of employed mechanical engineers. The current number of 6,360 will increase to 7,890 with 370 average annual job openings.
8. Idaho
IM Score: 104
Annual median wage: $76,490
Job growth: 22.2%
Cost of living index: 89.6
Besides having a low cost of living index, Idaho, the next one on the list of best states for mechanical engineers also offers 490 average annual job openings. The downside is that you won’t get a lot of money on your bank account.
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7. Louisiana
IM Score: 105
Annual median wage: $90,720
Job growth: 12.1%
Cost of living index: 94.4
Louisiana offers a balance for mechanical engineers. The cost of living is average with a respectable number of 120 average annual job openings and a high wage. Still, the overall unemployment rate of 5.7% is among the highest in the nation.
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6. Utah
IM Score: 106
Annual median wage: $80,460
Job growth: 32.2%
Cost of living index: 92.8
After Nevada, Utah, the number 6 on our list of best states for mechanical engineers will see the biggest percentage of job growth in the nation. There will be more than thousand newly employed mechanical engineers in the state with 200 average annual job openings. The state has a low unemployment rate of 3.1%.
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5. Alabama
IM Score: 114
Annual median wage: $85,090
Job growth: 17.6%
Cost of living index: 91.2
Alabama’s current number of 3,480 employed mechanical engineers will increase to 4,100 in the future. Although the state has a low cost of living index, the unemployment rate is 3rd highest in the nation with 5.8%.
4. Mississippi
IM Score: 126
Annual median wage: $88,210
Job growth: 15.0%
Cost of living index: 86.0
In case you are looking for a state that will offer you a cheap living, you can’t get better than Mississippi that ranked fourt on our list of best states for mechanical engineers since the state has the lowest cost of living index in the United States. The downside of being a mechanical engineer in Mississippi is the fact that there will be only 40 average annual job openings in the future.
3. Arizona
IM Score: 128
Annual median wage: $ 89,760
Job growth: 16.3%
Cost of living index: 98.1
This state, that is one of the best states for mechanical engineers, offers high average annual wages to mechanical engineers with lots of job opportunities. There will be an increase of 650 newly employed within the occupation with close to 200 average annual job openings.
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2. Michigan
IM Score: 128
Annual median wage: $86,550
Job growth: 18.1%
Cost of living index: 88.2
Michigan, the next in line on our list of best states for mechanical engineers may have 5.1% unemployment rate, but the mechanical engineers here have nothing to worry about. As said in the intro, the state employs the highest number of mechanical engineers, 40,060 to be exact. That number will increase to 47,310 with close to 2,000 average annual job openings in the future.
1. Texas
IM Score: 129
Annual median wage: $91,710
Job growth: 17.2%
Cost of living index: 90.7
Texas has narrowly beaten Michigan for the top spot on our list of best states for mechanical engineers. The state offers some of the biggest wages in the nation, while also ranking at the top in other things. Projections are that there will be 3,300 newly employed mechanical engineers in the future, which is a record. Also, there will be 950 average annual job openings. So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and head to Texas.
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