Mechanical Engineers Salary
The median pay for a mechanical engineers in Merced, CA is $79,600/year ($38.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $80,993 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 28.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Merced?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Merced’s Regional Price Parity (98.28). 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 Merced
Pay for mechanical engineers in Merced runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $104K. Rent runs $1,503/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.28) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mechanical engineers in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $124K | $109K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $168K | $152K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $161K | $140K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $122K | $109K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Merced, CA
Entry-level mechanical engineers (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $89K 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 Merced numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a mechanical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 29.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,503/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for mechanical engineers in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mechanical engineers typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,599/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Merced?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $80K here vs. $104K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for mechanical engineers?
Merced pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $104K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — below the national median.
How much do mechanical engineers make in Merced, CA?
The median is $79,600 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,990, and experienced mechanical engineers can clear $149,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,070/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 29.6% 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 Merced?
Merced has a Regional Price Parity of 98.28 (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 $80,993 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.