Mechanical Engineer Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Fort Collins, CO is $102,820/year ($49.43/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.13), that's roughly $101,671 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,759/month, or 26.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $103K actually covers in Fort Collins-Loveland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Collins-Loveland’s Regional Price Parity (101.13). 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 Fort Collins-Loveland
Mechanical engineers pay in Fort Collins-Loveland tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $104K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,759/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 101.13) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineers in metros near Fort Collins-Loveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $128K | $121K |
| Boulder | $124K | $118K |
| Colorado Springs | $109K | $109K |
| Greeley | $109K | $108K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $85K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,759/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers in Fort Collins-Loveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,770/month. At HUD’s $1,759/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Fort Collins-Loveland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $104K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Fort Collins-Loveland compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Fort Collins-Loveland pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?
The median is $102,820 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,070, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $158,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Fort Collins-Loveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,350/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,759/month, which eats 27.7% 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 Fort Collins-Loveland?
Fort Collins-Loveland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.13 (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 $101,671 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.