Mechanical Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 131 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Manassas, Herndon, College Park, Arlington, Rockville.
Also listed as: Mechanical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $85,072 |
| 25th | $93,850 |
| 50th (median) | $110,500 |
| 75th | $139,518 |
| 90th | $158,891 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $82,500 | $76,294 | $92,501 | 48 |
| FY2021 | $95,965 | $80,625 | $100,000 | 66 |
| FY2022 | $98,072 | $86,000 | $117,403 | 69 |
| FY2023 | $99,828 | $91,419 | $115,652 | 50 |
| FY2024 | $104,207 | $94,173 | $130,250 | 62 |
| FY2025 | $110,804 | $93,701 | $142,200 | 79 |
| FY2026 | $109,000 | $94,425 | $127,927 | 52 |
Cost of living
Washington's median Mechanical Engineer salary of $110,500 is worth about $101,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Mechanical Engineers in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $126,990 in May 2025 (5,390 employed). The H-1B median here is $110,500, 13% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Micron | $110,500 | 23 |
| University of Maryland College Park | too few | 7 |
| Amazon | too few | 5 |
| M.C. Dean | too few | 5 |
| WSP | too few | 2 |
| Affiliated Engineers Metro DC | too few | 2 |
| Airbus Americas Customer Services | too few | 2 |
| Intellectt | too few | 2 |
| Intellian Technologies | too few | 2 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group | 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 | $87,549 | 47 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $110,500 | 36 |
| Senior · Level III | $130,000 | 26 |
| Expert · Level IV | $160,300 | 15 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $87,194 | $87,549 | 47 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $107,037 | $110,500 | 36 |
| Senior · Level III | $126,901 | $130,000 | 26 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,874 | $160,300 | 15 |
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.