Mechanical Engineer Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Dalton, GA is $90,940/year ($43.72/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $138K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.84), which stretches that salary to about $101,224 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,009/month, or 17.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $91K actually covers in Dalton, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dalton’s Regional Price Parity (89.84). 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 engineers
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What this looks like in Dalton
Pay for mechanical engineers in Dalton runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $104K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,009/month, 17.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Dalton can be a reasonable trade-off for mechanical engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineers in metros near Dalton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $102K | $102K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $129K | $140K |
| Warner Robins | $101K | $108K |
| Gainesville | $93K | $97K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dalton, GA
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $91K. Top earners bring in $138K or more, a $66K 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 Dalton?
Yes — at the median salary of $91K, rent takes 17.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,009/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers in Dalton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,646/month. At HUD’s $1,009/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is mechanical engineer a high-paying job in Dalton?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $91K here vs. $104K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Dalton compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Dalton pays $91K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Dalton, GA?
The median is $90,940 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,340, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $138,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $91K enough to live in Dalton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,652/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,009/month, which eats 17.9% 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 Dalton?
Dalton has a Regional Price Parity of 89.84 (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 engineers salary is worth about $101,224 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.