Senior Mechanical Engineer salary in Raleigh, NC

Based on 10 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Wendell.

Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer

Median salary$109,787
Middle 50%$106.5k–$112.7k
vs. all levels here+11%comparison median $99,000
Filings10FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $102,416 and $122,361.
PercentileSalary
10th$102,936
25th$106,482
50th (median)$109,787
75th$112,745
90th$114,919

Cost of living

Raleigh's median senior Mechanical Engineer salary of $109,787 is worth about $111,800 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Raleigh = 98.2).

Compared with all workers here

All Mechanical Engineers in the Raleigh, NC area earned a median of $100,000 in May 2025 (1,810 employed). The H-1B median here is $109,787, 10% higher.

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
Siemens Medical Solutionstoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $74,000 19
Mid-level · Level II $95,000 31
Senior · Level III $109,787 10
Expert · Level IV $124,051 13

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$70,346$74,00019
Mid-level · Level II$88,587$95,00031
Senior · Level III$101,379$109,78710
Expert · Level IV$116,896$124,05113

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.