Durham-Chapel Hill, NC · CBSA 20500
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Durham
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for mechanical engineers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against North Carolina and the national benchmark.
Mechanical Engineers in Durham earn a median of $101,560 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $85,140–$130,430; the top 10% earn $169,540. That is 1% below the national median and 1% above the North Carolina median. BLS reports 660 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$101,560
-1% vs national
Top 10% earn
$169,540
90th percentile
Employed in metro
660
Reliability Moderate (10.6% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay — Durham vs North Carolina vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $75,240 | +9% |
| 25th percentile | $85,140 | +4% |
| Median50th percentile | $101,560 | -1% |
| 75th percentile | $130,430 | — |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $169,540 | +5% |
| Meanaverage | $111,160 | +1% |
How concentrated mechanical engineers are in Durham
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
1.04
Jobs per 1,000
1.94
Metro rank (pay)
#107 of 342
All engineering roles
$122,897
Durham employs mechanical engineers at close to the national rate (location quotient 1.04).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make in Durham?
Does Durham pay more than the rest of North Carolina?
Where does Durham rank nationally for mechanical engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers), Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →