Side-by-side distribution
Mechanical Engineer
$134,200
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 43.6%
- Live roles
- 3,573
Structural Engineer
$125,977
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 41.5%
- Live roles
- 824
Highest-paying jobs
Staff Mechanical Engineer - Data Center Cooling
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer, Hardware Systems
Mechanical Engineer, PCBA Test Infrastructure, Robotics
Data Center Mechanical Engineer
Distinguished Technologist Mechanical Engineer (Network Infrastructure)
Senior Mechanical Controls Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Design Engineer, Motor Design & Prototyping
Highest-paying jobs
Project Manager II - Structural Engineer Buildings
Resident Structural Engineer (PHX)
Principal Structural Design Engineer - Data Center Infrastructure
Structural Engineer, Thermofluids
Senior Spacecraft Structural Analysis Engineer II - TS/SCI Clearance
Staff Structural Engineer
Staff Structural Engineer
Senior Principal Engineer, Structural Engineering
Project Manager I - Structural Engineer Buildings
Principal Structural Engineer - Buildings
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$121,650 | 107 |
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 91 |
Blue Origin
|
$145,228 | 54 |
Applied Materials
|
$147,500 | 48 |
Mindrift
|
$76,960 | 46 |
KLA
|
$159,050 | 34 |
Syska Hennessy Group
|
$119,627 | 34 |
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 28 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$123,000 | 44 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$145,228 | 29 |
| PA Parsons | $121,550 | 25 |
Barr Engineering
|
$95,903 | 18 |
AtkinsRéalis
|
$120,000 | 12 |
|
HNTB
|
$169,823 | 9 |
STV
|
$153,681 | 9 |
| WJ Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates | $135,400 | 9 |
Mechanical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $162,275 | 74 |
| Austin | $159,850 | 22 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 64 |
| Boston | $149,250 | 21 |
| Seattle | $145,228 | 64 |
| New York | $128,750 | 34 |
| Denver | $125,500 | 35 |
| Chicago | $119,437 | 18 |
| Atlanta | $111,000 | 10 |
| London | $74,880 | 5 |
Structural Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $185,000 | 7 |
| Austin | $185,000 | 10 |
| New York | $154,300 | 21 |
| Los Angeles | $154,200 | 25 |
| Seattle | $145,228 | 40 |
| Denver | $117,020 | 22 |
| Boston | $112,331 | 6 |
| Chicago | $103,113 | 11 |
| Atlanta | $103,113 | 5 |
| Toronto | $92,900 | 7 |
Mechanical Engineer vs Structural Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Mechanical Engineer is $134,200 per year (typically $107,500–$162,566), versus $125,977 for Structural Engineer ($103,113–$149,250). That puts Mechanical Engineer about 7% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Mechanical Engineer and Structural Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.