SalaryData

Mechanical Engineer vs Accountant Salary (2026)

Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.

Higher paying occupation

Mechanical Engineer

$102,901/yr median(+$23,189 · 29.1% more)

Higher pay

Mechanical Engineer

Median$102,901
Mean$107,612
10th %ile$69,205
25th %ile$83,337
75th %ile$127,130
90th %ile$150,144
Employed286K+
View full Mechanical Engineer report →

Accountant

Median$79,712
Mean$87,756
10th %ile$52,794
25th %ile$64,187
75th %ile$101,940
90th %ile$130,795
Employed1.4M+
View full Accountant report →

Salary Distribution Comparison

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$69,205
25th percentile$83,337
Median (50th percentile)$102,901
75th percentile$127,130
90th percentile$150,144

Accountant

Accountant salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$52,794
25th percentile$64,187
Median (50th percentile)$79,712
75th percentile$101,940
90th percentile$130,795

Top Paying States

Mechanical Engineer

#StateMedian
1New Mexico$141,490
2District of Columbia$130,000
3Alaska$129,990
4California$126,370
5Massachusetts$122,670

Accountant

#StateMedian
1District of Columbia$103,030
2New York$101,780
3New Jersey$101,340
4Massachusetts$96,580
5California$96,360

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more, Mechanical Engineer or Accountant?
Mechanical Engineer pays more with a median salary of $102,901/year, which is 29.1% more than Accountant at $79,712/year.
What is the salary difference between Mechanical Engineer and Accountant?
The median salary difference is $23,189/year (29.1%).

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