Mechanical Engineer Salary Wichita KS 2026: $94,610 BLS Median
Wichita mechanical engineer salary: BLS May 2025 median $94,610, $45.49/hr, 800 local jobs, aerospace market context, range, and take-home pay.
The latest BLS OEWS data puts mechanical engineer salary in Wichita, Kansas at $94,610 median pay ($7,884/month, $45.49/hr). Wichita's official 2025 BLS range runs from $65,840 at the 10th percentile to $139,660 at the 90th percentile, with aerospace and manufacturing roles driving local demand.
Quick answer: mechanical engineer salary in Wichita, KS
In Wichita, Kansas, BLS OEWS May 2025 reports $94,610 median annual pay for mechanical engineers, or $45.49/hr. The 10th-to-90th percentile range is $65,840-$139,660, and the mean is $100,140. After estimated 2026 federal tax, Kansas income tax, and FICA, the median leaves about $70,397 per year, or $5,866 per month.
Wichita is an aerospace and manufacturing-heavy engineering market. The latest BLS OEWS release puts local mechanical engineers at a $94,610 annual median and 800 employed jobs, with a 1.36 location quotient. That makes the Wichita-specific benchmark more useful than a national-only mechanical engineer salary number, especially for aircraft systems, tooling, production support, CAD, SolidWorks, FEA, quality, test, and process engineering roles.
Wichita mechanical engineer BLS source check
The current local benchmark is the BLS OEWS May 2025 Wichita, KS estimate for Mechanical Engineers, SOC 17-2141. The page now uses that local BLS distribution for the salary cards and take-home estimate, then adds Wichita's aerospace and manufacturing context.
| Wichita benchmark | Annual pay | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $65,840 | Entry or limited local experience, before specialized aerospace responsibility. |
| 25th percentile | $77,580 | Early-career engineer with CAD, production, quality, or tooling exposure. |
| Median | $94,610 | Best single answer for Wichita mechanical engineer salary searches. |
| 75th percentile | $115,990 | Senior design, test, manufacturing, systems, or lead-project responsibility. |
| 90th percentile | $139,660 | Lead/principal engineer, scarce aerospace skills, or management-adjacent work. |
Source check reviewed May 24, 2026. BLS OEWS May 2025 was released on May 15, 2026. OEWS estimates cover wage and salary workers and do not guarantee a specific employer offer, bonus, clearance premium, overtime, or benefits package.
All four figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 percentiles for Mechanical Engineers in the Wichita, KS MSA.
Mechanical Engineer Take-Home Pay in Wichita
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $94,610 |
| Federal Tax | -$11,984 |
| State Tax (5.3% eff.) | -$4,991 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$7,238 |
| Annual Take-Home | $70,397 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $5,866 |
Living Cost Comparison
Mechanical Engineer Requirements
Key Skills
Wichita Job Market Overview
Wichita, Kansas has a population of 397,532 and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. The top industries are Aerospace, Manufacturing, Healthcare. The local job growth rate is 1.2%, and the average commute time is 20minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
Related Engineering Salaries in Wichita
Salary Percentile Breakdown: Mechanical Engineer in Wichita
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Mechanical Engineer in Wichita, KS, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $65,840 | $32/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $80,225 | $39/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $94,610 | $45/hr | Mid-career, 1-3 years |
| 75th | $115,990 | $56/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $139,660 | $67/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
Percentiles are approximations, not measured local percentiles: P10, P50, P75, and P90 map to Salario's entry, median, senior, and top salary tiers scaled by the local cost-of-living index, and P25 is interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Wichita's Aerospace sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 15.0% salary growth for Mechanical Engineers over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Wichita estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Mechanical Engineer can expect a 12.0% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 5 years in Wichita. Negotiation, certifications (PE License, FE Exam), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Wichita vs National Average
The national median Mechanical Engineer salary is $104,110 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Mechanical Engineers). In Wichita, the cost-of-living-adjusted median of $94,610 is 9.1% below the national figure. This reflects Wichita's cost of living index of 86 (lower than the national average of 100).
For Mechanical Engineers, this means: rent typically consumes 15.3% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered affordable), and a median home in Wichita costs about 2.6× annual take-home. Homeownership is relatively attainable on this salary in Wichita.
Industry Context: Aerospace in Wichita
Wichita's economy is anchored by Aerospace, Manufacturing, Healthcare, with 397,532 residents and an unemployment rate of 3.5% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Mechanical Engineers can differ by sector, so compare Aerospace employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.2%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 9.0% growth outlook for Mechanical Engineer roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Mechanical Engineer salaries in Wichita, KS:
- Base salary model starts with Salario occupation data and public wage references, including BLS OEWS and O*NET when a direct or related occupational crosswalk is available (the national median is calibrated to the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for Mechanical Engineers). For niche titles, we do not treat a broader SOC family as an exact job-title wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment applied using the Wichita index of 86 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), KS 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 5.6%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine, occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Wichita QuickFacts, population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary, 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, official local unemployment rates to verify the Wichita figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Mechanical Engineer salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Aerospace vs others in Wichita), specific skill set (CAD, SolidWorks, Thermodynamics), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the latest BLS mechanical engineer salary in Wichita, KS?
What is the entry-level mechanical engineer salary in Wichita?
How much does a $94,610 mechanical engineer salary take home in Wichita?
Why is Wichita a strong mechanical engineering market?
What is the average Mechanical Engineer salary in Wichita, KS?
How much does a Mechanical Engineer take home in Wichita after taxes?
Is Wichita a good city for Mechanical Engineers?
What skills are needed for a Mechanical Engineer in Wichita?
How does Mechanical Engineer salary in Wichita compare to the national average?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the latest BLS mechanical engineer salary in Wichita, KS?
BLS OEWS May 2025 reports mechanical engineers in Wichita, KS at $94,610 median annual pay, or $45.49/hr. The annual mean is $100,140, with 800 estimated local jobs and a 1.36 location quotient.
What is the entry-level mechanical engineer salary in Wichita?
The BLS 10th percentile for Wichita mechanical engineers is $65,840, while the 25th percentile is $77,580. Treat those as local entry and early-career guardrails, then adjust for aerospace experience, CAD/SolidWorks, FEA, manufacturing, quality, test, tooling, and production support responsibilities.
How much does a $94,610 mechanical engineer salary take home in Wichita?
At the BLS Wichita median of $94,610, a single filer would take home about $70,397 per year, or about $5,866 per month, after estimated 2026 federal income tax, Kansas income tax, Social Security, and Medicare. Deductions, filing status, benefits, and local payroll settings can change the result.
Why is Wichita a strong mechanical engineering market?
Wichita has a high concentration of aerospace and manufacturing work. BLS reports a 1.36 location quotient for local mechanical engineers, meaning the occupation is more concentrated in Wichita than in the national labor market. That fits the city's aircraft systems, tooling, production engineering, quality, test, and process-improvement employer base.
What is the average Mechanical Engineer salary in Wichita, KS?
Salario estimates the median Mechanical Engineer salary in Wichita, KS at $94,610 per year for 2026. This is a modeled figure: Salario's national Mechanical Engineer benchmark scaled by the local cost of living index of 86, not a measured local wage survey. The modeled entry-level estimate is around $65,840, and the senior estimate is $115,990 or more.
How much does a Mechanical Engineer take home in Wichita after taxes?
A Mechanical Engineer earning the median salary of $94,610 in Wichita, KS takes home approximately $70,397 per year ($5,866/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 25.6%.
Is Wichita a good city for Mechanical Engineers?
Wichita, KS has a cost of living index of 86 (below national average). Mechanical Engineers here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 3.5% and top industries include Aerospace, Manufacturing, Healthcare.
What skills are needed for a Mechanical Engineer in Wichita?
Key skills for Mechanical Engineers include CAD, SolidWorks, Thermodynamics, FEA, Manufacturing Processes. Typical education requirement is Bachelor's Degree. Valuable certifications include PE License, FE Exam, Six Sigma.
How does Mechanical Engineer salary in Wichita compare to the national average?
Salario's national median benchmark for Mechanical Engineer is $104,110 (calibrated to the BLS OEWS May 2025 national median). In Wichita, the cost-of-living-adjusted estimate is $94,610, which is 14.0% lower than the national average, reflecting the local cost of living.