Entry-level Mechanical Engineer salary in Columbus, IN

Based on 22 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Columbus, IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Walesboro.

Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer

Median salary$92,581
Middle 50%$90k–$93.5k
vs. all levels here−4%comparison median $96,000
Filings22FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $89,960 and $103,740.
PercentileSalary
10th$89,960
25th$89,960
50th (median)$92,581
75th$93,450
90th$96,700

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $75k $100k FY2020: median $60,000 (20 filings) FY2021: median $66,768 (22 filings) FY2022: median $62,400 (31 filings) FY2023: median $83,491 (21 filings) FY2024: median $83,491 (25 filings) FY2025: median $89,960 (11 filings) FY2026: median $92,581 (11 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 20 filings FY20 FY2021: 22 filings FY21 FY2022: 31 filings FY22 FY2023: 21 filings FY23 FY2024: 25 filings FY24 FY2025: 11 filings FY25 FY2026: 11 filings FY26 31
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$60,000$60,000$60,60020
FY2021$66,768$66,768$66,76822
FY2022$62,400$61,859$72,00031
FY2023$83,491$62,400$83,49121
FY2024$83,491$83,491$84,00025
FY2025$89,960$89,960$89,98011
FY2026$92,581$92,581$93,80011

Cost of living

Columbus's median entry-level Mechanical Engineer salary of $92,581 is worth about $99,500 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 $92,581, 28% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
LER TechForce$92,58112
Pentangle Tech Servicestoo few4
Cumminstoo few2
Toyota Material Handlingtoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
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 levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$89,960$92,58122
Mid-level · Level II$103,438$106,89163
Senior · Level III$121,181$121,18191
Expert · Level IV$135,491$135,49128

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.