Mechanical Engineers salary in Memphis, TN
Median pay for mechanical engineers in Memphis, TN: $99,990/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $63,470 – $132,250 · about 390 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($95,605) by +$4,385 (+5%).
What it's really worth in Memphis
With Memphis's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $99,990 has the buying power of about $108,747 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $62,178 · median home $247,229 · median rent $1,441/mo.
How Memphis ranks for this job
On raw pay, Memphis, TN is 54th of the 180 metros we hold mechanical engineers wages for. Once Memphis's cost of living is applied, it ranks 28th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Memphis 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 Memphis
A median home in Memphis, TN costs $247,229 — about 2.5× 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 $1,441/mo works out at 17% 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 Memphis.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Memphis | Rent vs Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $153,520 | +54% | 2.5× |
| San Francisco, CA | $136,970 | +37% | 2.3× |
| Albuquerque, NM | $133,660 | +34% | 1× |
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +31% | 1× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Memphis | Rent vs Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN | $102,140 | +2% | 0.9× |
| Kingsport, TN | $101,380 | +1% | 0.9× |
| Chattanooga, TN | $101,190 | +1% | 1.1× |
| Nashville, TN | $96,680 | −3% | 1.2× |
Staying in TN keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires mechanical engineers around Memphis
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Smith & Nephew · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Memphis
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.