Mechanical Engineers salary in Chattanooga, TN
Median pay for mechanical engineers in Chattanooga, TN: $101,190/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $61,770 – $145,810 · about 360 employed locally
Above the typical metro median ($95,605) by +$5,585 (+6%).
What it's really worth in Chattanooga
With Chattanooga's cost of living at 92 (US=100), that $101,190 has the buying power of about $109,572 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $65,387 · median home $326,370 · median rent $1,530/mo.
How Chattanooga ranks for this job
On raw pay, Chattanooga, TN is 46th of the 180 metros we hold mechanical engineers wages for. Once Chattanooga's cost of living is applied, it ranks 26th.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga
A median home in Chattanooga, TN costs $326,370 — about 3.2× 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 $1,530/mo works out at 18% 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 Chattanooga.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chattanooga | Rent vs Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $153,520 | +52% | 2.4× |
| San Francisco, CA | $136,970 | +35% | 2.1× |
| Albuquerque, NM | $133,660 | +32% | 1× |
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +29% | 0.9× |
Same job elsewhere in TN
| Metro | Median pay | vs Chattanooga | Rent vs Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN | $102,140 | +1% | 0.9× |
| Kingsport, TN | $101,380 | +0% | 0.9× |
| Memphis, TN | $99,990 | −1% | 0.9× |
| Nashville, TN | $96,680 | −4% | 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 Chattanooga
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Volkswagen Group of America · Manufacturing
- McKee Foods · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Chattanooga
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.