Mechanical Engineer salary in Columbus, IN
Based on 438 certified H-1B filings in the Columbus, IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Walesboro.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $83,408 |
| 25th | $92,230 |
| 50th (median) | $96,000 |
| 75th | $116,938 |
| 90th | $121,181 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $71,950 | $66,000 | $80,160 | 244 |
| FY2021 | $80,642 | $80,642 | $82,077 | 253 |
| FY2022 | $80,000 | $78,520 | $89,120 | 307 |
| FY2023 | $89,120 | $80,000 | $96,304 | 259 |
| FY2024 | $96,304 | $96,304 | $103,438 | 209 |
| FY2025 | $92,922 | $92,230 | $116,938 | 252 |
| FY2026 | $101,058 | $95,847 | $121,181 | 186 |
Cost of living
Columbus's median Mechanical Engineer salary of $96,000 is worth about $103,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Columbus = 93.0).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the Columbus, IN area earned a median of $127,700 in May 2025 (1,000 employed). The H-1B median here is $96,000, 25% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Cummins | $95,847 | 378 |
| LER TechForce | $106,000 | 35 |
| KPIT Technologies | too few | 8 |
| Toyota Material Handling | too few | 5 |
| Pentangle Tech Services | too few | 4 |
| Tek Labs | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $92,581 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,891 | 63 |
| Senior · Level III | $121,181 | 91 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,491 | 28 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $89,960 | $92,581 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $103,438 | $106,891 | 63 |
| Senior · Level III | $121,181 | $121,181 | 91 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,491 | $135,491 | 28 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.