Senior Mechanical Engineer (R&D) salary in Denver, CO
Based on 13 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Golden, Arvada, Lakewood.
Also listed as: Researcher Iii Mechanical Engineering
Median salary$97,768
Middle 50%$92k–$100.4k
vs. all levels here−1%comparison median $98,313
Filings13FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All levels here
$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k$120k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $88,900 |
| 25th | $92,000 |
| 50th (median) | $97,768 |
| 75th | $100,376 |
| 90th | $102,138 |
Cost of living
Denver's median senior Mechanical Engineer (R&D) salary of $97,768 is worth about $92,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Denver = 105.8).
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance for Energy Innovation | too few | 6 |
| Alliance for Sustainable Energy | too few | 6 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | $97,768 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 4 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior · Level III | $68,058 | $97,768 | 13 |
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.