Mechanical Engineers Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Bozeman, MT is $87,840/year ($42.23/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $110K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.51), that's roughly $85,689 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,154/month, about 38.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $88K get you in Bozeman?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bozeman’s Regional Price Parity (102.51). 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 engineers
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What this looks like in Bozeman
Pay for mechanical engineers in Bozeman runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $104K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,154/month, which is 39.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.51) 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 engineerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineers in metros near Bozeman, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | $108K | $115K |
| Missoula | $90K | $93K |
| Boise City | $91K | $93K |
| Fargo | $86K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bozeman, MT
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $110K or more, a $45K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bozeman numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bozeman?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 39.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,154/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers in Bozeman?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,922/month. At HUD’s $2,154/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mechanical engineer a high-paying job in Bozeman?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $88K here vs. $104K nationally.
How does Bozeman compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Bozeman pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Bozeman, MT?
The median is $87,840 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,370, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $110,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Bozeman?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,509/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,154/month, which eats 39.1% 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 engineers salary go in Bozeman?
Bozeman has a Regional Price Parity of 102.51 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median mechanical engineers salary is worth about $85,689 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.