Virginia · SOC 17-2141
Mechanical Engineer Salary in Virginia
VerifiedPublished wages for mechanical engineers in Virginia, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Mechanical Engineers in Virginia earn a median of $99,350 per year ($105,240 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $77,770–$125,070; the top 10% earn $155,030. That is 3% below the national median of $102,320, ranking Virginia #29 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$99,350
-3% vs national
Top 10% earn
$155,030
90th percentile
Employed in state
7,960
Reliability Moderate (11.8% RSE)
Mechanical Engineer pay distribution — Virginia 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 | $61,300 | -11% |
| 25th percentile | $77,770 | -5% |
| Median50th percentile | $99,350 | -3% |
| 75th percentile | $125,070 | -4% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $155,030 | -4% |
| Meanaverage | $105,240 | -4% |
Where mechanical engineers earn most in Virginia
Metro areas in Virginia where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2141. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C.Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $121,060 | $181,540 | 5,080 |
| RichmondRichmond, VA | $101,210 | $152,640 | 560 |
| RoanokeRoanoke, VA | $98,920 | $131,130 | 300 |
| KingsportKingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $98,820 | $141,920 | 220 |
| CharlottesvilleCharlottesville, VA | $97,520 | $159,890 | 160 |
| Virginia BeachVirginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $97,470 | $134,370 | 2,200 |
| WinchesterWinchester, VA-WV | $89,360 | $125,820 | 40 |
| LynchburgLynchburg, VA | $83,270 | $129,560 | 250 |
| StauntonStaunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $82,110 | $116,710 | 150 |
| BlacksburgBlacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $81,920 | $113,920 | 170 |
Virginia engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
1.05
Jobs per 1,000
1.96
State rank (pay)
#29 of 51
All engineering roles
$126,416
A location quotient of 1.05 means Virginia 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), Virginia (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →