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Mechanical Engineers

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $104,110 Median per year · $50.05/hr Most earn $73,990–$164,340

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Write performance requirements for product development or engineering projects.
  • Develop, coordinate, or monitor all aspects of production, including selection of manufacturing methods, fabrication, or operation of product designs.
  • Direct the installation, operation, maintenance, or repair of renewable energy equipment, such as heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) or water systems.
  • Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
  • Provide technical customer service.
  • Calculate energy losses for buildings, using equipment such as computers, combustion analyzers, or pressure gauges.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
11% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 17,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Engineering services18.7%
  • Machinery manufacturing9.8%
  • Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences7.1%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service5.0%
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing4.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Some remote workExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Mechanical engineering is not usually a straight-out-of-school job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree, then spend about 2 to 4 years in an entry-level engineering role before taking on the full Mechanical Engineer title.

  1. High school math and physics, then a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

    4-5 years

    You learn the design, materials, heat, and motion skills the job uses every day, and most employers require this degree.

  2. Junior Mechanical Engineer

    2-4 years

    You work under senior engineers on design, testing, and equipment support, building the hands-on experience employers expect before giving you full responsibility.

  3. Mechanical Engineer

    Ongoing

    You plan and design tools, engines, machines, and building systems, and you oversee their installation, operation, maintenance, and repair.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Mechanical Engineer

    3-5 years of experience first

    You lead larger projects, mentor junior engineers, and make more of the design decisions, which usually comes from a track record of solid independent work.

  2. Engineering Manager

    5+ years of experience first

    You shift from hands-on design toward leading a team, planning budgets and schedules, and making decisions about projects, so strong communication and leadership matter as much as technical skill.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take advanced math and physicsCalculus and physics are the core skills you will use in every mechanical engineering class.
  • Join a robotics, STEM, or science fair clubBuilding and testing real machines teaches design thinking and teamwork, which engineers use all the time.
  • Learn basic CAD or drawing softwareMany schools offer drafting or CAD classes, and early practice makes university engineering courses easier.
  • Get a starter job or volunteer at a workshop, garage, or hardware storeWorking with tools and fixing things builds practical intuition about how machines actually work.
  • Explore engineering summer programs at a local college or community centerHands-on summer activities help you test whether engineering fits you before you commit to a major.

In college

  • Major in mechanical engineering and stay on track with the math sequenceA accredited mechanical engineering degree is the usual entry requirement for this career, so every course in the sequence matters.
  • Get an engineering internship or co-opReal work experience during school is one of the strongest ways to prepare for the 2 to 4 years of entry-level experience employers look for.
  • Join a student engineering club or design teamTeams like Formula-style racing, robotics, or senior design projects let you practice teamwork, budgets, and building real prototypes.
  • Work a campus job in a lab, machine shop, or maker spaceHands-on lab work builds the testing and troubleshooting skills you will use on the job.
  • Learn CAD and basic programming, such as MATLAB or PythonEngineers use these tools for analysis and design, and having them early makes you more competitive for internships.

Tips for getting started

  • Take the hardest math and physics classes your school offers, since they are the foundation for an engineering degree.
  • Look for internships or co-op programs in manufacturing, HVAC, or product design; hands-on experience makes your résumé stand out when you apply for entry-level jobs.
  • Learn CAD software (such as free student versions of common design programs) and practice explaining your projects clearly, because engineers use both every day.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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