Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $61,200/year ($29.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $62,487 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 42.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 42.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $71K | $72K |
| Roanoke | $59K | $62K |
| Charleston | $48K | $54K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $80K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level mechanical engineering technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $49K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineering technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 42.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineering technologists and technicians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,765/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $61K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineering technologists and technicians make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $61,200 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,080, and experienced mechanical engineering technologists and technicians can clear $94,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,018/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 42.6% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $62,487 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.