Senior Mechanical Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 26 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $124,369 |
| 25th | $126,901 |
| 50th (median) | $130,000 |
| 75th | $144,663 |
| 90th | $153,200 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 1 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 0 |
| FY2022 | $124,800 | $120,000 | $131,000 | 11 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2025 | $131,446 | $124,650 | $144,518 | 15 |
| FY2026 | $130,000 | $126,951 | $143,108 | 11 |
Cost of living
Washington's median senior Mechanical Engineer salary of $130,000 is worth about $119,400 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 $130,000, 2% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | too few | 2 |
| Intellian Technologies | 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.