Senior Mechanical Engineer Salary
Senior Mechanical Engineers in the United States with more than 10 years of experience in their profession represent just under three-fifths of Senior Mechanical Engineers. Salaries average out to around $94K annually and spread from $75K to $134K per year. Final cash compensation to Senior Mechanical Engineers varies from around $75K to approximately $134K; choice pay grades include potential for bonuses and profit sharing as high as $15K and $12K, respectively. Geographic location is the main element affecting pay for this group — the specific employer and years of experience are driving factors as well. Nearly all report receiving medical coverage from their employers and most collect dental insurance. Most Senior Mechanical Engineers like their work and job satisfaction is high. Respondents to the PayScale salary survey provided the data for this report.
Job Description for Senior Mechanical Engineer
A senior mechanical engineer creates and improves mechanical and electrical systems for products. The engineer will be present for the planning, design, and development processes until the product is produced. Some parts of the products that are made by a mechanical engineer are the mechanical components, circuit boards, sensors, and electrical parts. Prototypes of designs will be created and tested by the mechanical engineer and the team, in order to make sure that the product operates as it should.
Read More...Senior Mechanical Engineer Tasks
- Estimates time and cost to complete projects.
- Researches designs and makes recommendations based on appearance, safety, budget, and function.
- Performs engineering duties; develops, designs, and tests mechanical devices.
- Writes technical reports, handbooks, and bulletins for use by staff or customers.
Popular Employer Salaries for Senior Mechanical Engineer
Known for taking on a considerable number of Senior Mechanical Engineers, General Electric Co (GE), Northrop Grumman Corporation, Raytheon Co., Bechtel Corporation, and Chrysler Group LLC. are leading firms in the industry. Salary cannot be beat at Schlumberger, where median pay comes to $117K. The range seems somewhat confined, however; the lower end sits at $93K, and the higher end is not far away at $135K. Senior Mechanical Engineers will also find cushy salaries at The Boeing Company (+$115K), Caterpillar, Inc. (+$112K), and Chrysler Group LLC. (+$106K).
Cummins, Inc. offers the lowest pay in the field with a median salary of just $82K. There's also little variation in pay at the company, with pay ranging from $73K to $111K. Northrop Grumman Corporation, Bechtel Bettis, and United Technologies Corporation are a few other employers known for handing out relatively lightweight salaries ($87K, $87K, and $89K respectively).
Common Career Paths for Senior Mechanical Engineer
Add this chart to your site:
640px
300px
Senior Mechanical Engineers' salaries may rise greatly for those who assume a higher-end position such as a VP of Engineering. The average VP of Engineering brings home $157K per year. Becoming a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer is, more often than not, the most common role that Senior Mechanical Engineers move into when they're ready for the next step in their career. A median salary for a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer is $87K. Another frequent advance is for Senior Mechanical Engineers to assume a Design Engineering Manager role; in this role, workers often take home $103K.
Senior Mechanical Engineer Job Listings
Popular Skills for Senior Mechanical Engineer
Survey participants wield an impressively varied skill set on the job. Most notably, skills in Computer Aided Engineering, Simulation, ANSYS Simulation Software, and Technical Analysis are correlated to pay that is above average. Skills that pay less than market rate include SolidWorks, autodesk autocad, and Pro/Engineer. Most people skilled in Engineering Design are similarly competent in Product Development, Computer Aided Design (CAD), and Technical Analysis.
Pay by Experience Level for Senior Mechanical Engineer
Pay by Experience for a Senior Mechanical Engineer has a positive trend. An entry-level Senior Mechanical Engineer with less than 5 years of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of $84,000 based on 674 salaries provided by anonymous users. Average total compensation includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay. A Senior Mechanical Engineer with mid-career experience which includes employees with 5 to 10 years of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of $92,000 based on 1,672 salaries. An experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer which includes employees with 10 to 20 years of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of $102,000 based on 1,465 salaries. A Senior Mechanical Engineer with late-career experience which includes employees with greater than 20 years of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation of $112,000 based on 792 salaries.
Pay Difference by Location
San Francisco is home to an above-average pay rate for Senior Mechanical Engineers, 26 percent higher than the national average. Senior Mechanical Engineers can also look forward to large paychecks in cities like San Jose (+25 percent), Seattle (+16 percent), Houston (+12 percent), and Los Angeles (+8 percent). With compensation 12 percent below the national average, Milwaukee is not known for hefty paychecks and actually represents the lowest-paying market. A couple other locations with smaller-than-average paychecks include Orlando (8 percent lower) and Pittsburgh (6 percent lower).
Senior Mechanical Engineer Reviews
Related Job Salaries
Related Jobs
Key Stats for Senior Mechanical Engineer
Gender
|
Female
7 % |
|
Male
93 % |
|
Job Satisfaction
| Extremely satisfied |
Rated 5 out of 5 based on 1013 votes. |
|
|
