Mechanical Engineers Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $85,490/year ($41.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $71K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $93,228 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 24.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for mechanical engineers in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $104K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,318/month, 24.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Des Moines-West Des Moines can be a reasonable trade-off for mechanical engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineers in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $104K | $117K |
| Cedar Rapids | $85K | $95K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $89K | $102K |
| Ames | $99K | $111K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $71K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $63K 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 24.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $71K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,246/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $85K here vs. $104K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $85,490 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $70,770, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $133,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,340/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 24.7% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $93,228 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.