Mechanical Engineers: H-1B wage levels by area (2026-27)
For Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141), the salary that reaches H-1B wage Level II ranges from $81,661 in Grand Rapids, MI to $145,704 in Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area among the 60 areas with the most jobs in the occupation (Department of Labor wage file for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, read on 7 November 2026). Level II gives 2 lottery entries, Level IV gives 4.
US mean wage (OEWS May 2025): $113,610
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
Not legal or immigration advice. This page reports the Department of Labor wage file and the DHS rule as we read them. The level on a registration also depends on the job duties, the SOC code and the place of work chosen for the job, and the employer attests to it. Check with USCIS and the Department of Labor, and ask an immigration lawyer about your own case.
Wage levels in the 60 areas with the most jobs
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 22,500 | $84,864 | $100,672 | $116,459 | $132,267 | 1 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 8,780 | $82,618 | $103,168 | $123,739 | $144,290 | 1 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 8,310 | $86,029 | $109,408 | $132,808 | $156,187 | 1 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,960 | $83,200 | $100,256 | $117,333 | $134,389 | 1 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 6,900 | $74,298 | $91,853 | $109,387 | $126,942 | 1 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 6,890 | $86,091 | $104,042 | $121,971 | $139,922 | 1 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,600 | $78,250 | $96,304 | $114,358 | $132,413 | 1 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 5,540 | $117,998 | $141,835 | $165,693 | $189,530 | 1 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,390 | $91,166 | $112,174 | $133,162 | $154,170 | 1 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,150 | $110,510 | $134,493 | $158,454 | $182,437 | 1 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,850 | $77,168 | $94,515 | $111,842 | $129,189 | 1 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 4,530 | $85,010 | $105,477 | $125,923 | $146,390 | 1 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 4,500 | $88,026 | $108,222 | $128,398 | $148,595 | 1 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,450 | $77,688 | $93,434 | $109,158 | $124,904 | 1 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 4,330 | $77,771 | $89,960 | $102,170 | $114,358 | 1 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 3,660 | $74,298 | $90,854 | $107,390 | $123,947 | 1 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 3,470 | $70,699 | $86,694 | $102,710 | $118,706 | 1 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,370 | $86,154 | $105,186 | $124,238 | $143,270 | 1 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 3,310 | $75,234 | $92,477 | $109,741 | $126,984 | 1 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 3,170 | $67,538 | $81,661 | $95,805 | $109,928 | 1 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 3,070 | $72,010 | $92,893 | $113,776 | $134,659 | 1 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 3,050 | $82,243 | $102,648 | $123,032 | $143,437 | 1 |
| Columbus, OH | 2,630 | $73,029 | $86,362 | $99,715 | $113,048 | 1 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2,520 | $83,970 | $100,173 | $116,376 | $132,579 | 1 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2,470 | $77,771 | $93,850 | $109,949 | $126,027 | 1 |
| Cleveland, OH | 2,300 | $71,157 | $84,594 | $98,051 | $111,488 | 1 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 2,280 | $82,493 | $101,088 | $119,704 | $138,299 | 1 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 2,210 | $76,315 | $89,357 | $102,419 | $115,461 | 1 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 2,200 | $71,427 | $84,802 | $98,155 | $111,530 | 1 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,190 | $70,928 | $86,674 | $102,419 | $118,165 | 1 |
| Huntsville, AL | 2,150 | $82,638 | $98,800 | $114,941 | $131,102 | 1 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 2,140 | $73,070 | $89,045 | $105,040 | $121,014 | 1 |
| Peoria, IL | 2,120 | $94,224 | $112,299 | $130,354 | $148,429 | 1 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,000 | $69,285 | $87,069 | $104,874 | $122,658 | 1 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 1,810 | $69,805 | $87,298 | $104,770 | $122,262 | 1 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 1,800 | $78,416 | $95,056 | $111,675 | $128,315 | 1 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,790 | $77,314 | $97,885 | $118,435 | $139,006 | 1 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 1,750 | $80,808 | $100,152 | $119,475 | $138,819 | 1 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,720 | $74,963 | $91,478 | $108,014 | $124,530 | 1 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1,690 | $79,040 | $95,326 | $111,613 | $127,899 | 1 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 1,600 | $71,427 | $88,837 | $106,267 | $123,677 | 1 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,480 | $88,691 | $106,122 | $123,531 | $140,962 | 1 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,480 | $80,787 | $98,821 | $116,875 | $134,909 | 1 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 1,440 | $75,878 | $92,373 | $108,888 | $125,382 | 1 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 1,420 | $74,339 | $91,541 | $108,722 | $125,923 | 1 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1,320 | $68,058 | $84,594 | $101,150 | $117,686 | 1 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 1,260 | $82,534 | $96,450 | $110,365 | $124,280 | 1 |
| West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | 1,230 | $71,739 | $83,990 | $96,242 | $108,493 | 1 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,220 | $74,818 | $91,853 | $108,888 | $125,923 | 1 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1,210 | $67,870 | $86,611 | $105,373 | $124,114 | 1 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | 1,180 | $73,133 | $89,170 | $105,186 | $121,222 | 1 |
| Boulder, CO | 1,130 | $85,925 | $108,846 | $131,747 | $154,669 | 1 |
| Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 1,130 | $80,205 | $95,347 | $110,469 | $125,611 | 1 |
| Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 1,120 | $132,163 | $145,704 | $159,224 | $172,765 | 1 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 1,080 | $79,747 | $97,594 | $115,419 | $133,266 | 1 |
| Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 1,060 | $81,661 | $97,822 | $113,963 | $130,125 | 1 |
| Tulsa, OK | 1,060 | $75,962 | $92,726 | $109,470 | $126,235 | 1 |
| Rochester, NY | 1,040 | $73,528 | $87,714 | $101,920 | $116,106 | 1 |
| Ogden, UT | 1,030 | $77,002 | $91,104 | $105,206 | $119,309 | 1 |
| Akron, OH | 1,000 | $70,304 | $83,762 | $97,219 | $110,677 | 1 |
Yearly salary from which each level starts. Jobs: people employed in the occupation in the area (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Geo level 1 = wage computed from the area itself; 2 = area plus contiguous areas; 3 = statewide; 4 = national (OFLC). Tap a column heading to sort.
The US mean wage for mechanical engineers is $113,610 (median $104,110). In 3 of these 60 areas Level II starts above the US mean.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
Area pages
- Mechanical Engineers in Detroit, MI: Level II from $100,672
- Mechanical Engineers in Los Angeles, CA: Level II from $103,168
- Mechanical Engineers in Houston, TX: Level II from $109,408
- Mechanical Engineers in New York, NY: Level II from $100,256
- Mechanical Engineers in Chicago, IL: Level II from $91,853
- Mechanical Engineers in Boston, MA: Level II from $104,042
- Mechanical Engineers in Dallas, TX: Level II from $96,304
- Mechanical Engineers in San Jose, CA: Level II from $141,835
- Mechanical Engineers in Washington, DC: Level II from $112,174
- Mechanical Engineers in San Francisco, CA: Level II from $134,493
Lottery entries
Level I = 1 entry, Level II = 2, Level III = 3, Level IV = 4 (90 FR 60864). DHS estimated a 15.29% chance at Level I and 61.16% at Level IV for its assumed pool: how the odds work.
Questions people ask
What are the H-1B wage level salary ranges for mechanical engineers?
They depend on the area. Among the 60 areas with the most jobs, Level I starts between $67,538 and $132,163 a year, and Level IV between $108,493 and $189,530.
What is the H-1B Level II salary for mechanical engineers?
From $81,661 in Grand Rapids, MI to $145,704 in Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area among the main areas; in 3 of the 60 areas it is above the US mean wage of the occupation ($113,610).
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