Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Lansing-East Lansing, MI is $51,620/year ($24.82/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.99), which stretches that salary to about $54,343 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,268/month, about 37.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $52K get you in Lansing-East Lansing?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lansing-East Lansing’s Regional Price Parity (94.99). 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 Lansing-East Lansing
Pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Lansing-East Lansing runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,268/month, which is 36.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.99 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for mechanical engineering technologists and technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in metros near Lansing-East Lansing, 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 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $62K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Entry-level mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $56K 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 Lansing-East Lansing numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lansing-East Lansing?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 36.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,268/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Lansing-East Lansing?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,329/month. At HUD’s $1,268/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $52K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lansing-East Lansing compare to the national average for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians?
Lansing-East Lansing pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.99), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
The median is $51,620 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,820, and experienced mechanical engineering technologists and technicians can clear $95,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Lansing-East Lansing?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,444/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 36.8% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Lansing-East Lansing has a Regional Price Parity of 94.99 (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 $54,343 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.