A PhD in mechanical engineering is a graduate degree that can be earned after a Master’s degree. It is considered to be the most advanced degree level in the discipline. The PhD requires a lot of commitment and can take several years to complete. One of the highest-earning degrees, it is also one of the most difficult to obtain.
Mechanical engineers design, develop, test and supervise the manufacturing of products that move, control and monitor industrial and consumer equipment. Their work is wide ranging and includes the mechanical design of vehicles, aircraft and spacecraft; packaging; heating and cooling systems; robotics; measuring instruments.
For a PhD in mechanical engineering, salaries vary by your personal and professional experience, by where you live and work, by the company that you work for and many other factors. In general, you can expect to earn between $83,000 and $96,000 per year with this degree
Salary For PhD In Mechanical Engineering Overview
That’s according to Glassdoor’s 2019 report on the average salaries of PhD mechanical engineers. The report also includes data on the average salaries of mechanical engineers with less than 5 years of experience, who earn an average of $65k per year.
Another thing to consider is location: where you live makes a difference in how much money you make as well! The cost of living varies from state-to-state and even city-to-city, so if you live somewhere that has lower prices on things like housing or groceries then it might be easier for you to save up some money while still paying off student loans each month!
Mechanical engineering is a challenging field, and PhDs in the field are well-compensated for their expertise. As of April 2019, the average annual salary for a mechanical engineer with 10 to 19 years of experience was $92,923. A mechanical engineer with 20 or more years of experience can expect an average annual salary of $121,813.
PhDs in mechanical engineering can expect to make significantly more than these figures. The average annual salary for a PhD mechanical engineering professor is $147,122, while a professor with 20 or more years of experience earns an average salary of $162,000.
Salary For PhD In Mechanical Engineering
Introduction
It turns out that the average starting salary for a PhD in mechanical engineering is around $90,000, which is much higher than most other positions requiring only a bachelor’s degree. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported that those with a doctoral degree earn an average of 74% more than those with only a high school diploma. The highest-paying industry for mechanical engineers is the federal government at $107,920. The highest-paying occupation within this field is petroleum engineer at $132,280 per year.
Average Full-time Professor: $132,000
The average full-time professor makes $132,000 per year.
In order to calculate this figure, we took the median salary of all professors from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and divided it by 40 hours worked per week, which is the standard workweek for most professors. We also assumed a 9-month work year—which actually works out to 101 weeks of work—a typical length of employment at colleges and universities.
This average includes people with bachelor’s degrees or associate degrees as well as those with PhDs in mechanical engineering; if you’re looking for information about your specific degree level, check out our guides on [salary](#what-is-the-average-salary).
Average Major Corporate Executive or Engineer Manager: $130,000
For this position, the median salary is $130,000 and the average is $130,500. The highest paid major corporate executive or engineer manager make $150,000 while the lowest paid major corporate executive or engineer manager make $100,000.
This information was gathered from Salary Experts’ data on various positions and their respective salaries.
Average College Dean/Vice President: $120,000
A college dean is the chief administrator of a college or university. A vice president, on the other hand, is a member of an institution’s senior management who reports to the CEO or board chair. Vice presidents usually oversee multiple departments within an organization—for example, legal affairs and human resources.
A traditional school system has a principal at the top and then deans to supervise each department below him/her. For example: The football coach may report directly to the principal but basketball coaches will report through their respective deans (athletics).
Average Mid-level Corporate Executive or Division Manager: $99,000
Average Mid-level Corporate Executive or Division Manager: $99,000
As the title suggests, this is the average salary of an entry-level mid-management position for someone with a PhD in mechanical engineering. The lowest paid of these positions are typically found in smaller companies like startups and small businesses. In larger corporations, this role may be one step above entry level but still less than senior management roles.
Average Senior Engineer at Intel Corporation: $93,000
Average salary for a senior engineer at Intel Corporation: $93,000
Senior engineers at Intel have at least 10 years of experience in the field. They typically have a PhD in mechanical engineering, and are responsible for managing a team of engineers who design products.
The average starting salary for a PhD in mechanical engineering is around $90,000
The average starting salary for a PhD in mechanical engineering is around $90,000. The median annual wage for mechanical engineers was $84,190 in May 2015.
Conclusion
If you have a passion for teaching at the college level, then you may want to pursue your PhD in mechanical engineering. There are many reputable schools that offer this degree program and it will be worth your time to look into them further. If you want to work as an engineer or manager within an industry, then this degree program is not necessary. In either case though, having some additional education can help with career advancement opportunities down the road if desired.
