Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $63,590/year ($30.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $69,528 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 31.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Chattanooga runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,390/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $56K | $61K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $71K | $74K |
| Memphis | $65K | $70K |
| Richmond | $71K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $103K | +38% | 270 |
| New Mexico | $98K | +31% | 320 |
| Missouri | $92K | +24% | 800 |
| California | $87K | +17% | 3,660 |
| Connecticut | $83K | +11% | 350 |
| Rhode Island | $82K | +10% | 30 |
| Oregon | $81K | +8% | 260 |
| Nebraska | $80K | +7% | 250 |
| Washington | $79K | +7% | 890 |
| Maryland | $79K | +6% | 640 |
| Ohio | $79K | +5% | 1,800 |
| New York | $78K | +5% | 1,140 |
| Kentucky | $78K | +5% | 520 |
| Delaware | $78K | +4% | 50 |
| Indiana | $77K | +4% | 1,500 |
| Colorado | $77K | +3% | 330 |
| Illinois | $77K | +3% | 1,170 |
| Maine | $77K | +3% | 220 |
| Texas | $77K | +3% | 2,140 |
| North Dakota | $76K | +3% | 90 |
| Virginia | $76K | +2% | 670 |
| Georgia | $74K | -1% | 560 |
| Nevada | $73K | -2% | 420 |
| Arizona | $72K | -3% | 730 |
| Iowa | $72K | -4% | 500 |
| Pennsylvania | $71K | -5% | 1,620 |
| Mississippi | $71K | -5% | 220 |
| South Carolina | $70K | -7% | 1,290 |
| Idaho | $68K | -8% | 30 |
| Michigan | $68K | -9% | 4,930 |
| Wisconsin | $68K | -9% | 900 |
| New Hampshire | $67K | -10% | 570 |
| New Jersey | $65K | -13% | 260 |
| Minnesota | $64K | -14% | 400 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | -16% | 1,310 |
| North Carolina | $62K | -16% | 1,190 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -16% | 580 |
| Utah | $62K | -17% | 900 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | -17% | 490 |
| Alabama | $60K | -19% | 400 |
| Florida | $60K | -20% | 540 |
| Kansas | $55K | -26% | 410 |
| South Dakota | $54K | -28% | 110 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -36% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 31.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,745/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mechanical engineering technologists and technician a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $64K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians?
Chattanooga pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $63,590 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,750, and experienced mechanical engineering technologists and technicians can clear $85,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,427/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 31.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary is worth about $69,528 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.