Mechanical Engineers salary in Grand Rapids, MI
Median pay for mechanical engineers in Grand Rapids, MI: $85,120/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $61,780 – $126,930 · about 2,640 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($95,605) by −$10,485 (-11%).
What it's really worth in Grand Rapids
With Grand Rapids's cost of living at 95 (US=100), that $85,120 has the buying power of about $89,624 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $76,898 · median home $359,923 · median rent $1,623/mo.
How Grand Rapids ranks for this job
On raw pay, Grand Rapids, MI is 133rd of the 180 metros we hold mechanical engineers wages for. Once Grand Rapids's cost of living is applied, it ranks 141st.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Grand Rapids sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Grand Rapids
A median home in Grand Rapids, MI costs $359,923 — about 4.2× 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 $1,623/mo works out at 23% 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 Grand Rapids.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Grand Rapids | Rent vs Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $153,520 | +80% | 2.2× |
| San Francisco, CA | $136,970 | +61% | 2× |
| Albuquerque, NM | $133,660 | +57% | 0.9× |
| Tyler, TX | $130,720 | +54% | 0.9× |
Same job elsewhere in MI
| Metro | Median pay | vs Grand Rapids | Rent vs Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | $102,660 | +21% | 1.3× |
| Detroit, MI | $101,230 | +19% | 0.9× |
| Kalamazoo, MI | $97,650 | +15% | 0.8× |
| Lansing, MI | $97,250 | +14% | 0.8× |
Staying in MI keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires mechanical engineers around Grand Rapids
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Steelcase · Manufacturing
- MillerKnoll · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Grand Rapids
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.