Overall, Do Mechanical Engineers Get Paid Well In 2021?

Mommy and daddy told you to work hard, do well in math and science, and be a mechanical engineer because mechanical engineers get paid well. Unfortunately, mommy and daddy’s advice was wrong. If your parents encouraged engineering, it’s because they are still living in the past. Unless they meant software engineering. The world is changing, and now tech is the industry to be in.

Great jobs in tech include:

• Software Developer
• Data Scientist
• IT
• Information Security Analyst
• Computer Systems Analyst
• Web Developer
• Computer Programmer

Updated February 29, 2024 by Kazu Fujimoto

How Does Mechanical Engineering Salaries Compare to Tech?

Let’s take a look at the numbers.

If you compare that to the US Labor Bureau, the number of $90,160 comes close, meaning that the data shows median mechanical engineering salaries at about $88000 – $90000.

Overall, the salary difference doesn’t seem too extreme, right?

However, there is a clear hidden advantage that tech jobs have over mechanical engineering jobs.

The Advantage That Tech Jobs Have Over Engineering Jobs

Tech jobs are very likely to remain working from home unlike mechanical engineering jobs. Mechanical engineering jobs typically require “boots on the floor”. For Mechanical Engineering jobs, they require many in person meetings, reviewing physical parts that come in, and management usually has a traditional mindset. The same could be said about the banking and financial sectors as we consider employers such as Goldman Sachs and J.P Morgan.

Tech jobs adapt a more progressive approach to jobs. They are very aware of mental health and encourage progressive concepts such as diversity and inclusion in the workforce.

Ultimately, working remote is far more advantageous. You save 2 hours of your time each day by not having to commute. You can literally wake up, fall right out of bed, and log in. This is huge in terms of time savings and getting to enjoy your life outside of work. This is extra time to spend with your family, or if you want to work on yourself, develop more skills.

Why is tech a more progressive industry?

Source: Multicam

Relatively speaking, tech is a new industry. Widespread use of the internet only began in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, whereas a discipline such as mechanical engineering has been around since the industrial revolution, during the 1700s. Major products such as boilers , steam turbine engines, and textile mills became prevalent during those times.

When disciplines such as designing steam turbine engines and pressure vessels have been around for so long, there are people that become experts. When people become experts at something, they are less likely to change their views or even change the industries that they work in.

In many cases in the industry, you will come across engineers who have worked 30-40+ years in one industry. You will also find many engineers that are in the 5-10 year range in one industry, that are likely not going to switch. For example, if an engineer had 10 years experience designing pumps, and the engineer applies for a job in the automotive or defense sector, the engineer will not be considered as someone with a few years less experience, but has relevant experience in a bunch of different industries.

Let’s attribute it all to human nature.

Because tech is newer, and newer correlates with progressiveness, tech is progressive. Let’s consider tech being an industry that has been around for 50 years and is constantly changing due to things such as new programming languages and developments in technology. Let’s compare that to something a few hundred years old, such as mechanical engineering. What would be open to change and what would stay the same?

Have mechanical systems such as bridges, dams, pumps, engines changed much throughout the course of history?

Have computers and software changed much in the past 20 years?

How Can Mechanical Engineers Get Paid Well (Better Than Tech)?

Easy!

If you learn to utilize skills that are coming out from tech into mechanical engineering, you will be dangerous. If you’re a mechanical engineer reading this, start learning coding in your spare time.

Learn the following skills and build along with your existing mechanical engineering foundation:

• SQL
• Java
• Statistics
• Python
• Tech Stacks

Mechanical Engineers get paid well in 2021. If you’re a senior mechanical engineer, chances are you’re already making $150,000+. If you’re young? You do need to make yourself marketable and develop skills. Otherwise, you’re going to be left behind in the dust.