Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| North Carolina | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $100,720 | $107,639 | -6% |
| Median hourly wage | $48.42 | $51.75 | -6% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $106,808.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | $104,486 | $73,500 | $136,500 | 101 |
| Charlotte | $101,500 | $71,400 | $132,600 | 100 |
The median annual salary for a Mechanical Engineer in North Carolina is $100,720, or about $48.42 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Mechanical Engineers is $107,639. North Carolina is -6% below the national median.
Entry-level mechanical engineers in North Carolina typically earn from $73,500 depending on the city and employer.
With 9,560 mechanical engineer jobs on record and a median salary of $100,720, North Carolina offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, mechanical engineers rank 100 of the 745 occupations reported in North Carolina — higher than 87% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Computer Hardware Engineers at $134,670, Nuclear Engineers at $131,850, Aerospace Engineers at $122,930 — all figures are median annual wages for North Carolina.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. North Carolina levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 95.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, mechanical engineers rank 100 of the 745 occupations reported in North Carolina — higher than 87% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in North Carolina | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $134,670 | $1,340 |
| Nuclear Engineers | $131,850 | $460 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $122,930 | $650 |
| Chemical Engineers | $117,410 | $380 |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | $115,920 | $2,090 |
| Engineers, All Other | $112,450 | $4,270 |
North Carolina levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 95.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 745 occupations in North Carolina.