Mechanical Engineer salary in Knoxville, TN
Based on 15 certified H-1B filings in the Knoxville, TN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Oak Ridge, Clinton, Loudon, Louisville.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $77,325 |
| 25th | $95,855 |
| 50th (median) | $108,160 |
| 75th | $118,300 |
| 90th | $133,467 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,176 | $82,534 | $109,550 | 19 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2022 | $95,630 | $69,160 | $137,209 | 14 |
| FY2023 | $88,000 | $77,174 | $110,100 | 11 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 6 |
Cost of living
Knoxville's median Mechanical Engineer salary of $108,160 is worth about $116,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Knoxville = 92.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the Knoxville, TN area earned a median of $99,070 in May 2025 (760 employed). The H-1B median here is $108,160, 9% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Type One Energy Group | too few | 4 |
| Ut-Battelle, Llc (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) | too few | 3 |
| Sl Tennessee | 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 | too few | 2 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 3 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.