Mechanical Engineer Salary in Oklahoma City, OK
Mechanical Engineers in Oklahoma City, OK earn a median of $57,000/year, ranging from $43,890 (25th percentile) to $91,200 (90th percentile). After Oklahoma state taxes (4.75%) and cost-of-living adjustments (COL index 86), this is equivalent to $66,279 in purchasing power vs the US average.
On the ground in Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City's Tinker Air Force Base — one of the largest Air Force maintenance depots — is the metro's top mechanical engineering employer, covering aircraft propulsion, structures, and avionics cooling systems. The energy sector's pipeline and refinery operations and Paycom's growing campus add industrial and facilities engineering demand.
1Salary Distribution in Oklahoma City, OK
2Estimated Take-Home & Purchasing Power
* Estimates only. Does not include federal income tax, 401k, health insurance, or local taxes. Use the Salary Calculator for a detailed breakdown.
How Does Oklahoma City, OK Compare?
| City | Median | COL Index | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City, OK (current) | $57,000 | 86 | $66,279 |
| San Francisco, CA | $102,000 | 186 | $54,839 |
| New York, NY | $97,000 | 187 | $51,872 |
| Seattle, WA | $99,000 | 162 | $61,111 |
| Boston, MA | $90,000 | 162 | $55,556 |
| Austin, TX | $81,000 | 124 | $65,323 |
4Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Mechanical Engineer salary in Oklahoma City, OK?
The median Mechanical Engineer salary in Oklahoma City, OK is $57,000 per year, based on 2026 BLS OEWS-calibrated estimates. The 25th percentile is $43,890 and the 90th percentile is $91,200.
Is Oklahoma City, OK a good place to work as a Mechanical Engineer?
Oklahoma City, OK has a cost of living index of 86 (US average = 100). After adjusting for cost of living, a $57,000 Mechanical Engineer salary in Oklahoma City, OK is equivalent to $66,279 in purchasing power compared to the US average.
What is the cost of living adjustment for Oklahoma City, OK?
Oklahoma City, OK has a cost of living index of 86, meaning it is 14% less expensive than the US average. The state income tax rate in Oklahoma is approximately 4.75%.
What is the Mechanical Engineer salary range in Oklahoma City, OK?
In Oklahoma City, OK, Mechanical Engineers earn between $43,890 (25th percentile) and $91,200 (90th percentile), with a median of $57,000 per year.
How many Mechanical Engineer jobs are there in Oklahoma City, OK?
We estimate approximately 13,500 Mechanical Engineer positions in the Oklahoma City, OK metropolitan area. This employment figure is a modeled estimate calibrated to BLS OEWS staffing patterns, not a direct BLS metro count for this occupation.
What do Mechanical Engineers earn in Oklahoma City, OK?
Based on 2026 BLS OEWS-calibrated estimates, Mechanical Engineers in Oklahoma City, OK earn a median annual wage of $57,000. The middle 50% earn between $43,890 and $72,960. The top 10% earn more than $91,200. There are approximately 13,500 Mechanical Engineers employed in the Oklahoma City, OK metro area, with annual job growth estimated at 3.4%.
Is Oklahoma City, OK a good place for a Mechanical Engineer?
Oklahoma City, OK has a cost of living index of 86 (US average = 100), making it 14% less expensive than the national average. After adjusting for cost of living, a Mechanical Engineer in Oklahoma City, OK earning $57,000has the equivalent purchasing power of $66,279 relative to the US median. Oklahoma has a state income tax rate of approximately 4.75%.
What is the cost of living adjustment for Oklahoma City, OK?
Oklahoma City, OK's cost of living index is 86, based on composite data including housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and utilities. This means that $57,000 in Oklahoma City, OKhas the same purchasing power as $66,279 in a city at exactly the US average cost of living. Housing is typically the largest driver of cost of living differences between metros.
Compare Oklahoma City, OK with Another City
See a detailed side-by-side comparison of salary, taxes, and purchasing power.
5Should You Work as a Mechanical Engineer in Oklahoma City, OK?
The headline median of $57,000 is only part of the picture. Oklahoma City, OK's cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), meaning a dollar here goes further than in most of the country. The $57,000 salary has the purchasing power of roughly $66,279 at national-average prices — a real premium for moving to a lower-cost market.
Housing is the single biggest driver of cost-of-living differences between metros. In Oklahoma City, OK, housing costs fall closer to the national average of 25–30% of gross income, leaving more room in the budget for savings, transportation, and discretionary spending. For a $57,000 salary, that translates to roughly $15,960/year on housing alone.
State tax plays a meaningful but smaller role. Oklahoma levies a state income tax of approximately 4.75%, which reduces take-home by roughly $2,708 per year on this salary. States with zero income tax (Texas, Florida, Washington, Tennessee, Nevada) offer a structural advantage, but often offset it with higher sales tax or property tax. After state tax and approximate federal FICA (~7.6%), the estimated take-home is $50,166. This excludes federal income tax, which varies by filing status and deductions.
For comparison, here are nearby alternatives: San Francisco, CA ($102,000 median, COL 186); New York, NY ($97,000 median, COL 187); Seattle, WA ($99,000 median, COL 162). If you're optimizing for purchasing power, compare the COL-adjusted column in the table above and pick the highest number. If you're optimizing for career progression, weight total employment and yearly growth in the role — larger markets offer more lateral moves and promotion velocity, even when nominal pay is lower.
The 3.4% year-over-year growth rate for Mechanical Engineers in Oklahoma City, OK is a leading indicator of market health. Healthy growth at a steady pace — enough to support mobility but not so fast that compensation is racing ahead of credentials. For side-by-side comparisons, try the full city ranking for Mechanical Engineers or the Oklahoma state overview.
Underlying wage source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Program. These figures are modeled estimates: scaled from BLS OEWS wage ratios rather than read directly from a BLS metro table for this occupation. Treat them as approximations. All figures are approximate annual estimates. Actual salaries may vary based on experience, education, employer size, and specific role. Cost-of-living data represents composite indices from publicly available metropolitan area data. See our data disclaimer.