Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV · CBSA 47900
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Washington, D.C.
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for mechanical engineers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against District of Columbia and the national benchmark.
Mechanical Engineers in Washington, D.C. earn a median of $121,060 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $98,710–$153,340; the top 10% earn $181,540. That is 18% above the national median and 7% below the District of Columbia median. BLS reports 5,080 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$121,060
+18% vs national
Top 10% earn
$181,540
90th percentile
Employed in metro
5,080
Reliability Moderate (13.7% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay — Washington, D.C. vs District of Columbia vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $81,060 | +18% |
| 25th percentile | $98,710 | +21% |
| Median50th percentile | $121,060 | +18% |
| 75th percentile | $153,340 | +18% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $181,540 | +13% |
| Meanaverage | $127,090 | +15% |
How concentrated mechanical engineers are in Washington, D.C.
Location quotient compares local concentration to the national rate. Above 1.00 means this metro employs the occupation more densely than the country overall.
Location quotient
0.88
Jobs per 1,000
1.63
Metro rank (pay)
#17 of 342
All engineering roles
$144,482
Washington, D.C. employs mechanical engineers at close to the national rate (location quotient 0.88).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make in Washington, D.C.?
Does Washington, D.C. pay more than the rest of District of Columbia?
Where does Washington, D.C. rank nationally for mechanical engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →