Electrical Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer Salary

Side-by-side salary comparison for Electrical Engineer and Mechanical Engineer — national medians, pay ranges, and city-by-city data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Electrical Engineers earn more nationally

$111,910 median vs $102,320 — a $9,590/yr difference (9% lower)

Electrical Engineer →

Median Salary

$111,910

Salary Range

$74,670 – $175,460

10th–90th percentile

Mechanical Engineer →

Median Salary

$102,320

Salary Range

$68,740 – $161,240

10th–90th percentile

-9% difference

Electrical Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer Salary by City

CityElectrical EngineerMechanical Engineer
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$186,920$147,730
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$163,840$145,640
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area$150,670$116,340
New Mexico$143,850$141,490
California$140,360$126,370
Vallejo, CA$139,840$111,540
District of Columbia$138,860$130,000
Kennewick-Richland, WA$138,370$120,260
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$136,820$121,060
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$135,480$117,930
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$134,900$114,290
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$134,620$122,760
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$134,400$110,960
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area$133,950$120,790
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$130,730$116,370
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$128,750$128,660
Barnstable Town, MA$128,730$119,250
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area$128,100$181,480
Boulder, CO$127,670$110,650
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$127,520$124,160
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$127,160$111,270
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$127,050$129,190
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$126,930$112,310
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$126,820$110,300
Baton Rouge, LA$126,580$132,850

Green = higher-paying role in that city. Source: BLS OEWS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Electrical Engineer or Mechanical Engineer pay more?▾

Electrical Engineers earn more nationally, with a median salary of $111,910 versus $102,320 for Mechanical Engineer. That's a difference of about $9,590 per year.

What's the salary range for a Electrical Engineer vs a Mechanical Engineer?▾

Electrical Engineer salaries range from $74,670 (10th percentile) to $175,460 (90th percentile). Mechanical Engineer salaries range from $68,740 to $161,240.

Which career has more growth potential — Electrical Engineer or Mechanical Engineer?▾

Salary growth depends on experience, specialization, location, and industry sector. Both roles show strong upper-quartile earnings. Check city-by-city data above — in some metros one role significantly outpaces the other, which often reflects local industry demand and competition.

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