Mechanical engineer pay in Detroit, MI
Mechanical engineers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a typical $109,470 a year. The middle half earn $98,770 to $133,410, and the top 10% earn more than $161,030. About 22,500 people do this job there.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Mechanical Engineers, SOC 17-2141).
Pay range
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $79,880 |
| 25th percentile | $98,770 |
| Median (typical) | $109,470 |
| 75th percentile | $133,410 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $161,030 |
Typical pay here ranks No. 14 of 50 large metros for mechanical engineers before taxes and prices.
After taxes and cost of living
At the typical $109,470, a single filer keeps about $78,800 a year after federal, Social Security, Medicare, and Michigan state and local (about $2,627) income tax. Prices in Detroit are about the US average, so that take-home buys what $78,600 would in a typical US city. That ranks Detroit No. 25 of 50 large metros for mechanical engineers after cost of living.
Where mechanical engineers’ pay goes furthest
- San Jose, CA$168,030 typical · worth $104k
- Houston, TX$125,350 typical · worth $98.3k
- San Francisco, CA$161,370 typical · worth $95.8k
- Memphis, TN$104,110 typical · worth $89k
All 50 metros for mechanical engineers →
Where does your salary land?
Add your salary and experience to see your percentile among mechanical engineers in Detroit. Free and private. (Different city? Use the main checker.) 6 employers here filed pay above the typical rate in government filings; your check shows how many pay more than you.
Common questions
How much does a mechanical engineer make in Detroit, MI?
The typical (median) mechanical engineer in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earns $109,470 a year. The middle half earn between $98,770 and $133,410, and the top 10% earn more than $161,030. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
What is a good salary for a mechanical engineer in Detroit?
Anything above $109,470 pays more than half of mechanical engineers in Detroit. $133,410 or more puts you in the top quarter, and $161,030 in the top 10%. Experience and employer move where you should be in that range.
How much does a mechanical engineer in Detroit take home after taxes?
At the typical $109,470, a single filer keeps about $78,800 a year ($6,570 a month) after federal, Social Security, Medicare, Michigan state, and local income tax. With local prices about the US average, that buys what $78,600 would in a typical US city.
Where do mechanical engineers get paid the most after cost of living?
Among the 50 largest US metros, typical mechanical engineer pay goes furthest after taxes and prices in San Jose, CA, Houston, TX, San Francisco, CA. Detroit, MI ranks No. 25.
More: Mechanical engineer pay in every large metro · Pay for other jobs in Detroit, MI
Local prices: BEA regional price parities, 2024. Updated November 2026.