Mechanical Engineer Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Boulder, CO is $124,360/year ($59.79/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $197K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $124K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
About mechanical engineers
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineers in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $128K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $109K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $103K | , |
| Greeley | $109K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $124K. Top earners bring in $197K or more, a $117K spread from bottom to top.
Mechanical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Mechanical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $158K | +51% | 2,710 |
| District of Columbia | $133K | +28% | 510 |
| California | $131K | +26% | 30,530 |
| Delaware | $125K | +20% | 610 |
| Colorado | $124K | +20% | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $124K | +19% | 380 |
| Maryland | $123K | +18% | 6,550 |
| Louisiana | $120K | +15% | 1,890 |
| Massachusetts | $119K | +15% | 7,680 |
| Wyoming | $118K | +13% | 230 |
| Rhode Island | $116K | +12% | 1,560 |
| Texas | $112K | +8% | 22,080 |
| New Jersey | $112K | +8% | 4,180 |
| Washington | $110K | +6% | 8,240 |
| Vermont | $107K | +3% | 530 |
| Connecticut | $105K | +1% | 4,600 |
| Michigan | $105K | +1% | 34,630 |
| South Carolina | $105K | +0% | 5,780 |
| Virginia | $104K | +0% | 7,470 |
| New Hampshire | $104K | -0% | 2,760 |
| Oregon | $103K | -1% | 2,920 |
| Illinois | $103K | -1% | 11,790 |
| Nevada | $103K | -1% | 1,410 |
| Utah | $103K | -2% | 3,370 |
| New York | $102K | -2% | 8,590 |
| Maine | $102K | -2% | 890 |
| Oklahoma | $102K | -2% | 2,270 |
| Kentucky | $101K | -3% | 4,170 |
| North Carolina | $101K | -3% | 9,560 |
| Georgia | $101K | -3% | 5,290 |
| Arizona | $100K | -4% | 5,050 |
| Alabama | $100K | -4% | N/A |
| Florida | $100K | -4% | 10,740 |
| Indiana | $100K | -4% | 8,690 |
| Tennessee | $100K | -4% | 3,930 |
| Missouri | $99K | -5% | 4,870 |
| Minnesota | $99K | -5% | 5,890 |
| Ohio | $99K | -5% | 14,390 |
| Hawaii | $99K | -5% | 530 |
| Mississippi | $98K | -6% | 1,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | -6% | 13,550 |
| Iowa | $98K | -6% | 3,470 |
| West Virginia | $97K | -6% | 760 |
| Wisconsin | $96K | -8% | 7,470 |
| Montana | $94K | -10% | 500 |
| Idaho | $93K | -10% | 1,070 |
| South Dakota | $88K | -15% | 560 |
| Nebraska | $88K | -15% | 950 |
| North Dakota | $86K | -17% | 790 |
| Kansas | $86K | -17% | 4,630 |
| Arkansas | $80K | -23% | 1,410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track mechanical engineers salary changes
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Related careers in Engineering
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
Yes — at the median salary of $124K, rent takes 19.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,481/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,067/month.
Is mechanical engineer a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $124K here vs. $104K nationally.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Boulder pays $124K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s +19%.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $124,360 a year, that works out to about $60 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,480, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $196,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $124K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,524/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,481/month, which eats 19.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a mechanical engineers salary go in Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mechanical engineers salary is worth about $124,360 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mechanical engineers 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.