Career profile · 17-3027
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.
What the work can involve
- Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems.
- Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings.
- Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval.
- Review project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications, procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical problems such as redesign.
- Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation.
- Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Writing
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Engineering and Technology
- Mechanical
- Design
- Mathematics
- English Language
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Getting Information
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 63.5%08/2022 · sample 33 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Every day | 27.6%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 85.8%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Every day | 27.9%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Less than half the time | 39.6%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 30.9%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 35.6%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 42.4%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 69.6%08/2022 · sample 34 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 84.1%08/2022 · sample 34 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Analytical or scientific software: ANSYS Mechanical, ANSYS simulation software, Ansys Fluent, Data acquisition software
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Mechanical, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Revit
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software: CNC Mastercam, Stereolithography SLA rapid prototyping systems, TekSoft CAMWorks, Three-dimensional 3D solid modeling software
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access
- Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic, National Instruments LabVIEW
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software
- Industrial control software: Computerized numerical control CNC programming software, Robotic control software, Soft Servo Systems LadderWorks PLC
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
- Object or component oriented development software: C++
- Office suite software: Corel WordPerfect Office Suite, Microsoft Office software
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 45 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $60,350 | $29.01 | 400 |
| Alaska | Not published | Not published | 70 |
| Arizona | $72,090 | $34.66 | 730 |
| California | $87,390 | $42.02 | 3,660 |
| Colorado | $77,090 | $37.06 | 330 |
| Connecticut | $82,660 | $39.74 | 350 |
| Delaware | $77,820 | $37.41 | 50 |
| Florida | $59,720 | $28.71 | 540 |
| Georgia | $73,870 | $35.51 | 560 |
| Idaho | $68,310 | $32.84 | 30 |
| Illinois | $77,020 | $37.03 | 1,170 |
| Indiana | $77,220 | $37.13 | 1,500 |
| Iowa | $71,670 | $34.46 | 500 |
| Kansas | $55,390 | $26.63 | 410 |
| Kentucky | $77,990 | $37.49 | 520 |
| Louisiana | $102,800 | $49.42 | 270 |
| Maine | $76,790 | $36.92 | 220 |
| Maryland | $79,180 | $38.07 | 640 |
| Massachusetts | $62,390 | $30.00 | 1,310 |
| Michigan | $68,170 | $32.77 | 4,930 |
| Minnesota | $63,990 | $30.77 | 400 |
| Mississippi | $70,570 | $33.93 | 220 |
| Missouri | $92,150 | $44.30 | 800 |
| Nebraska | $80,050 | $38.49 | 250 |
| Nevada | $72,950 | $35.07 | 420 |
| New Hampshire | $66,740 | $32.09 | 570 |
| New Jersey | $65,180 | $31.34 | 260 |
| New Mexico | $97,560 | $46.90 | 320 |
| New York | $78,210 | $37.60 | 1,140 |
| North Carolina | $62,360 | $29.98 | 1,190 |
| North Dakota | $76,440 | $36.75 | 90 |
| Ohio | $78,500 | $37.74 | 1,800 |
| Oklahoma | $61,480 | $29.56 | 490 |
| Oregon | $80,840 | $38.86 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,820 | $34.05 | 1,620 |
| Rhode Island | $81,600 | $39.23 | 30 |
| South Carolina | $69,580 | $33.45 | 1,290 |
| South Dakota | $53,670 | $25.80 | 110 |
| Tennessee | $62,270 | $29.94 | 580 |
| Texas | $76,610 | $36.83 | 2,140 |
| Utah | $61,870 | $29.74 | 900 |
| Virginia | $75,650 | $36.37 | 670 |
| Washington | $79,410 | $38.18 | 890 |
| West Virginia | $47,660 | $22.91 | 200 |
| Wisconsin | $67,850 | $32.62 | 900 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 181 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
- Automotive Engineering Technicians→
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics→
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians→
- Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other→
- Mechanical Drafters→
- Non-Destructive Testing Specialists→
- Photonics Technicians→
- Robotics Technicians→
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 17-3027.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.