Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI is $61,860/year ($29.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.84), which stretches that salary to about $65,226 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,162/month, or 28.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K get you in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kalamazoo-Portage’s Regional Price Parity (94.84). 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 Kalamazoo-Portage
Pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Kalamazoo-Portage runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,162/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $69K | $69K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $60K | $63K |
| Ann Arbor | $84K | $83K |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $74K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Entry-level mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $65K 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 Kalamazoo-Portage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,162/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Kalamazoo-Portage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,769/month. At HUD’s $1,162/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Kalamazoo-Portage?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $62K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kalamazoo-Portage compare to the national average for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians?
Kalamazoo-Portage pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians make in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?
The median is $61,860 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,150, and experienced mechanical engineering technologists and technicians can clear $111,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Kalamazoo-Portage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,093/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,162/month, which eats 28.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a mechanical engineering technologists and technicians salary go in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Kalamazoo-Portage has a Regional Price Parity of 94.84 (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 $65,226 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.