Mechanical Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 19 certified H-1B filings in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Research Triangle Park.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $83,059 |
| 25th | $88,566 |
| 50th (median) | $95,000 |
| 75th | $120,524 |
| 90th | $128,544 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2021 | $90,398 | $86,000 | $104,229 | 17 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2023 | $95,971 | $90,000 | $110,490 | 17 |
| FY2024 | $95,909 | $83,470 | $114,000 | 13 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2026 | $120,524 | $93,985 | $127,658 | 10 |
Cost of living
Durham's median Mechanical Engineer salary of $95,000 is worth about $97,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $101,650 in May 2025 (620 employed). The H-1B median here is $95,000, 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | too few | 2 |
| Asensus Surgical | too few | 2 |
| Becton, Dickinson and Company | too few | 2 |
| Intellectt | too few | 2 |
| Smart Wires | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 4 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.