PublicPay

Mechanical Engineering federal salary series 0830

Full-time federal employees in the Mechanical Engineering series earned a median of $128,572 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 17% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $104,890 and $154,668.

Median pay
$128,572
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$104,890–$154,668
25th–75th percentile
Employees
13,279
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
-3.3%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Mechanical Engineering
All federal (full-time)

What shapes mechanical engineering pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-12 (2,063 employees, median $105,203). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (290 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in District of Columbia ($163,104) and lowest in Florida ($97,688), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 91% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Mechanical Engineering pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Mechanical Engineering pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-9 321 $72,065 $68,549–$77,339
GS-11 681 $84,638 $80,250–$108,462
GS-12 2,063 $105,203 $96,185–$122,032
GS-13 1,801 $138,024 $127,685–$148,711
GS-14 388 $163,514 $147,832–$177,497
GS-15 90 $184,600 $168,918–$196,819
ZP-3 49 $116,362 $100,150–$133,142
ZP-4 60 $177,782 $157,864–$187,093

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Mechanical Engineering pay by agency

Mechanical Engineering pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 290 $107,228 $90,173–$138,370
Department of Transportation 245 $108,995 $98,437–$129,083
Department of Commerce 136 $158,320 $125,817–$187,093
Department of the Interior 94 $124,962 $112,574–$135,415
Department of Health and Human Services 86 $146,143 $129,904–$164,724
Department of Homeland Security 71 $137,495 $121,785–$158,306
Department of Energy 61 $142,452 $122,345–$154,012

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Mechanical Engineering pay by state

The 8 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Mechanical Engineering pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Maryland 232 $158,306 $133,142–$187,093
Florida 228 $97,688 $84,013–$130,935
Texas 76 $104,890 $98,437–$110,300
District of Columbia 66 $163,104 $146,785–$182,295
Washington 64 $127,443 $113,272–$145,483
Colorado 61 $129,992 $111,652–$146,998
California 59 $129,538 $120,086–$141,554
Ohio 39 $140,430 $111,783–$170,624

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare mechanical engineering pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved −3.3% from $132,974 in September 2025 to $128,572 in September 2026. Headcount went from 14,307 to 13,279 (−7.2%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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