The median annual wage of mechanical engineers was $78,160 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $50,550, and the top 10 percent earned more than $119,480.
The median annual wages in selected industries employing mechanical engineers in May 2010 were as follows:
| Federal government, excluding postal service | $91,910 |
| Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences | 88,190 |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 83,870 |
| Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing | 83,310 |
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | 82,210 |
Most mechanical engineers work full time, with some working as many as 60 hours or more per week.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition