Entry-level Mechanical Engineer salary in Philadelphia, PA

Based on 24 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Newark, Camden, West Chester, Fort Washington, New Castle.

Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer

Median salary$78,475
Middle 50%$75.9k–$86.5k
vs. all levels here−29%comparison median $109,866
Filings24FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $74,818 and $117,792.
PercentileSalary
10th$75,525
25th$75,887
50th (median)$78,475
75th$86,455
90th$93,816

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $70k $90k FY2020: median $63,003 (49 filings) FY2021: median $67,000 (20 filings) FY2022: median $65,000 (13 filings) FY2023: median $73,902 (19 filings) FY2024: median $75,000 (25 filings) FY2025: median $76,960 (19 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 49 filings FY20 FY2021: 20 filings FY21 FY2022: 13 filings FY22 FY2023: 19 filings FY23 FY2024: 25 filings FY24 FY2025: 19 filings FY25 FY2026: 5 filings FY26 49
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$63,003$61,422$66,66449
FY2021$67,000$62,317$72,85020
FY2022$65,000$64,480$66,56013
FY2023$73,902$69,500$79,76619
FY2024$75,000$73,902$83,23025
FY2025$76,960$75,773$85,63019
FY2026–––5

Cost of living

Philadelphia's median entry-level Mechanical Engineer salary of $78,475 is worth about $76,500 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Mechanical Engineers in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $104,410 in May 2025 (4,850 employed). The H-1B median here is $78,475, 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.

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
Holtec Internationaltoo few2
NovintiXtoo few2
Vadilal Industries(Usa)too few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $78,475 24
Mid-level · Level II $95,077 46
Senior · Level III $115,566 37
Expert · Level IV $140,845 20

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$75,525$78,47524
Mid-level · Level II$92,352$95,07746
Senior · Level III$109,866$115,56637
Expert · Level IV$127,400$140,84520

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.