North Carolina · SOC 17-2141
Mechanical Engineer Salary in North Carolina
VerifiedPublished wages for mechanical engineers in North Carolina, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Mechanical Engineers in North Carolina earn a median of $100,990 per year ($106,210 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $82,110–$124,940; the top 10% earn $157,710. That is 1% below the national median of $102,320, ranking North Carolina #24 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$100,990
-1% vs national
Top 10% earn
$157,710
90th percentile
Employed in state
9,390
Reliability Good (5.9% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay distribution — North Carolina vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $68,340 | -1% |
| 25th percentile | $82,110 | — |
| Median50th percentile | $100,990 | -1% |
| 75th percentile | $124,940 | -4% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $157,710 | -2% |
| Meanaverage | $106,210 | -4% |
Where mechanical engineers earn most in North Carolina
Metro areas in North Carolina where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2141. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| JacksonvilleJacksonville, NC | $106,850 | $154,400 | 40 |
| GreensboroGreensboro-High Point, NC | $106,430 | $136,700 | 1,060 |
| RaleighRaleigh-Cary, NC | $102,750 | $155,460 | 1,270 |
| DurhamDurham-Chapel Hill, NC | $101,560 | $169,540 | 660 |
| CharlotteCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $100,990 | $150,300 | 3,010 |
| WilmingtonWilmington, NC | $100,340 | $169,300 | 180 |
| AshevilleAsheville, NC | $98,350 | $173,410 | 240 |
| GreenvilleGreenville, NC | $97,860 | $129,260 | 130 |
| Virginia BeachVirginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $97,470 | $134,370 | 2,200 |
| Rocky MountRocky Mount, NC | $96,380 | $126,840 | 250 |
| FayettevilleFayetteville, NC | $93,230 | $135,600 | 70 |
| GoldsboroGoldsboro, NC | $89,880 | $125,100 | 40 |
| WinstonWinston-Salem, NC | $87,970 | $135,230 | 400 |
| BurlingtonBurlington, NC | $85,960 | $129,900 | 90 |
| HickoryHickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $84,450 | $137,280 | 240 |
North Carolina engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
1.03
Jobs per 1,000
1.92
State rank (pay)
#24 of 51
All engineering roles
$116,968
A location quotient of 1.03 means North Carolina employs mechanical engineers at roughly the national rate.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), North Carolina (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →