Mechanical Engineers salary in Amarillo, TX
Median pay for mechanical engineers in Amarillo, TX: $100,200/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $74,440 – $123,400 · about 180 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($95,605) by +$4,595 (+5%).
What it's really worth in Amarillo
With Amarillo's cost of living at 91 (US=100), that $100,200 has the buying power of about $109,658 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $64,147 · median home $219,904 · median rent $1,293/mo.
How Amarillo ranks for this job
On raw pay, Amarillo, TX is 52nd of the 180 metros we hold mechanical engineers wages for. Once Amarillo's cost of living is applied, it ranks 25th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Amarillo is one of the places where mechanical engineers gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Amarillo
A median home in Amarillo, TX costs $219,904 — about 2.2× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,293/mo works out at 15% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where mechanical engineers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Amarillo.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Amarillo | Rent vs Amarillo |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $153,520 | +53% | 2.8× |
| San Francisco, CA | $136,970 | +37% | 2.5× |
| Albuquerque, NM | $133,660 | +33% | 1.2× |
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +30% | 1.1× |
Same job elsewhere in TX
| Metro | Median pay | vs Amarillo | Rent vs Amarillo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +30% | 1.1× |
| Beaumont, TX | $121,470 | +21% | 1× |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $119,770 | +20% | 1.1× |
| Houston, TX | $119,550 | +19% | 1.3× |
Staying in TX keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires mechanical engineers around Amarillo
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Tyson Foods Inc. · Manufacturing
- Pantex · Manufacturing
- Bell Helicopter · Aerospace/Defense
Other jobs in Amarillo
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 180 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.