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.
- O*NET-SOC code
17-3027.00 - Preparation Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$74,510
Employment, U.S.36,190
Median hourly wage$35.82
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $48,400 | $59,510 | $74,510 | $88,110 | $106,050 |
By state (45)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 400 | $60,350 | 0.82 |
| Alaska | 70 | Not available | 0.93 |
| Arizona | 730 | $72,090 | 0.97 |
| California | 3,660 | $87,390 | 0.86 |
| Colorado | 330 | $77,090 | 0.50 |
| Connecticut | 350 | $82,660 | 0.88 |
| Delaware | 50 | $77,820 | 0.43 |
| Florida | 540 | $59,720 | 0.24 |
| Georgia | 560 | $73,870 | 0.50 |
| Idaho | 30 | $68,310 | 0.16 |
| Illinois | 1,170 | $77,020 | 0.82 |
| Indiana | 1,500 | $77,220 | 2.01 |
| Iowa | 500 | $71,670 | 1.37 |
| Kansas | 410 | $55,390 | 1.24 |
| Kentucky | 520 | $77,990 | 1.12 |
| Louisiana | 270 | $102,800 | 0.59 |
| Maine | 220 | $76,790 | 1.45 |
| Maryland | 640 | $79,180 | 1.00 |
| Massachusetts | 1,310 | $62,390 | 1.55 |
| Michigan | 4,930 | $68,170 | 4.81 |
| Minnesota | 400 | $63,990 | 0.58 |
| Mississippi | 220 | $70,570 | 0.81 |
| Missouri | 800 | $92,150 | 1.17 |
| Nebraska | 250 | $80,050 | 1.06 |
| Nevada | 420 | $72,950 | 1.17 |
| New Hampshire | 570 | $66,740 | 3.58 |
| New Jersey | 260 | $65,180 | 0.26 |
| New Mexico | 320 | $97,560 | 1.57 |
| New York | 1,140 | $78,210 | 0.51 |
| North Carolina | 1,190 | $62,360 | 1.03 |
| North Dakota | 90 | $76,440 | 0.91 |
| Ohio | 1,800 | $78,500 | 1.39 |
| Oklahoma | 490 | $61,480 | 1.24 |
| Oregon | 260 | $80,840 | 0.56 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,620 | $70,820 | 1.15 |
| Rhode Island | 30 | $81,600 | 0.27 |
| South Carolina | 1,290 | $69,580 | 2.40 |
| South Dakota | 110 | $53,670 | 1.04 |
| Tennessee | 580 | $62,270 | 0.76 |
| Texas | 2,140 | $76,610 | 0.65 |
| Utah | 900 | $61,870 | 2.24 |
| Virginia | 670 | $75,650 | 0.71 |
| Washington | 890 | $79,410 | 1.07 |
| West Virginia | 200 | $47,660 | 1.20 |
| Wisconsin | 900 | $67,850 | 1.31 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive Engineering Technicians | 3 | 0.971 |
| 2 | Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | 3 | 0.970 |
| 3 | Robotics Engineers | 4 | 0.970 |
| 4 | Photonics Technicians | 3 | 0.968 |
| 5 | Manufacturing Engineers | 4 | 0.967 |
| 6 | Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 4 | 0.966 |
| 7 | Robotics Technicians | 3 | 0.966 |
| 8 | Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 4 | 0.963 |
| 9 | Marine Engineers and Naval Architects | 4 | 0.961 |
| 10 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | 1-2 | 0.961 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Technicians | Operations Monitoring | 0.87 | 0.950 |
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | Monitoring | 0.88 | 0.944 |
| Geothermal Technicians | Installation | 3.12 | 0.939 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | Operation and Control | 0.88 | 0.938 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians, excluding software Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Simulation software | 7 of 20 | 24.9x |
| MathWorks Simulink | 7 of 20 | 17.0x |
| Programmable logic controller PLC software | 7 of 20 | 15.4x |
| Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software | 9 of 20 | 6.7x |
| AVEVA InTouch HMI | 5 of 20 | 25.6x |
| C | 9 of 20 | 6.0x |
| Human machine interface HMI software | 5 of 20 | 23.1x |
| Python | 10 of 20 | 3.5x |
| Siemens NX | 4 of 20 | 18.5x |
| Computer numerical control CNC software | 3 of 20 | 34.6x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.75 | 4.25 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.88 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.62 | 3.50 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.50 | 3.62 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.25 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Science | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.25 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 3.25 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 3.00 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.75 | 3.00 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 3.00 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.88 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.88 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.38 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering and Technology | 4.15 | 4.92 |
| Mechanical | 4.14 | 5.19 |
| Design | 4.01 | 4.80 |
| Mathematics | 3.66 | 4.14 |
| English Language | 3.49 | 3.69 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.37 | 4.02 |
| Production and Processing | 3.30 | 3.36 |
| Physics | 3.21 | 4.11 |
| Administrative | 3.02 | 3.26 |
| Administration and Management | 2.84 | 3.04 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.84 | 2.87 |
| Education and Training | 2.63 | 3.47 |
| Building and Construction | 2.51 | 2.08 |
| Law and Government | 2.48 | 2.48 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.47 | 2.54 |
| Chemistry | 2.36 | 2.96 |
| Communications and Media | 2.16 | 1.71 |
| Telecommunications | 2.02 | 1.48 |
| Economics and Accounting | 2.02 | 1.46 |
| Transportation | 1.85 | 1.58 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.79 | 1.41 |
| Food Production | 1.66 | 0.97 |
| Geography | 1.53 | 1.10 |
| Foreign Language | 1.44 | 0.87 |
| Psychology | 1.43 | 1.11 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.40 | 0.68 |
| History and Archeology | 1.36 | 0.62 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.35 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.31 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.28 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.24 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.22 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.03 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Written Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Near Vision | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.75 | 4.12 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Oral Expression | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.50 | 4.25 |
| Number Facility | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Selective Attention | 3.50 | 3.25 |
| Visualization | 3.38 | 3.88 |
| Written Expression | 3.38 | 3.88 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 3.38 | 3.50 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Originality | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Control Precision | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Far Vision | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.00 | 3.25 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Reaction Time | 2.75 | 3.12 |
| Memorization | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Time Sharing | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.38 | 2.62 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.38 | 2.62 |
| Rate Control | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Depth Perception | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Response Orientation | 2.12 | 2.50 |
| Static Strength | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Stamina | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Explosive Strength | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Night Vision | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Sound Localization | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.62 | 1.00 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks in demand
- Microsoft Excel in demand
- Microsoft Office software in demand
- Autodesk AutoCAD hot
- Autodesk Revit hot
- Bentley MicroStation hot
- C++ hot
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft Project hot
- Microsoft SharePoint hot
- Microsoft Visual Basic hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- The MathWorks MATLAB hot
- ANSYS Mechanical
- ANSYS simulation software
- Ansys Fluent
- Autodesk AutoCAD Mechanical
- Autodesk Inventor
- CNC Mastercam
- Computerized numerical control CNC programming software
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Data acquisition software
- Finite element method FEM software
- IBM CATIA
- Intellisense Intellisuite
- MSC Software Adams
All 44
- Mathsoft Mathcad
- National Instruments LabVIEW
- PTC Creo Parametric
- PTC Pro/ENGINEER Mechanica
- ProModel
- Robotic control software
- Soft Servo Systems LadderWorks PLC
- Spectral Dynamics Star Acoustics
- Spectral Dynamics Star Modal
- Stereolithography SLA rapid prototyping systems
- TekSoft CAMWorks
- Three-dimensional 3D solid modeling software
- Web browser software
- Wolfram Research Mathematica
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, IN | 130 | 10.84 | $82,460 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 3,140 | 7.09 | $69,490 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 280 | 5.47 | $84,150 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 200 | 4.86 | $82,220 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 230 | 4.86 | $74,730 |
| Ogden, UT | 300 | 4.69 | $64,130 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 240 | 4.39 | $96,610 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 390 | 3.90 | $69,580 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 100 | 3.24 | $79,570 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 120 | 3.10 | $61,670 |