SalaryData

Mechanical Engineer vs Accountant Salary (2026)

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

Higher paying occupation

Mechanical Engineer

$105,416/yr median(+$22,819 · 27.6% more)

Higher pay

Mechanical Engineer

Median$105,416
Mean$110,678
10th %ile$72,421
25th %ile$86,092
75th %ile$130,180
90th %ile$156,351
Employed291K+
View full Mechanical Engineer report →

Accountant

Median$82,597
Mean$90,112
10th %ile$55,126
25th %ile$66,613
75th %ile$106,014
90th %ile$134,991
Employed1.4M+
View full Accountant report →

Salary Distribution Comparison

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$72,421
25th percentile$86,092
Median (50th percentile)$105,416
75th percentile$130,180
90th percentile$156,351

Accountant

Accountant salary percentiles
PercentileAnnual Salary
10th percentile$55,126
25th percentile$66,613
Median (50th percentile)$82,597
75th percentile$106,014
90th percentile$134,991

Top Paying States

Mechanical Engineer

#StateMedian
1New Mexico$157,710
2District of Columbia$133,300
3California$130,900
4Delaware$125,130
5Colorado$124,430

Accountant

#StateMedian
1District of Columbia$111,530
2New York$102,640
3New Jersey$100,830
4Massachusetts$99,460
5Connecticut$97,550

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more, Mechanical Engineer or Accountant?
Mechanical Engineer pays more with a median salary of $105,416/year, which is 27.6% more than Accountant at $82,597/year.
What is the salary difference between Mechanical Engineer and Accountant?
The median salary difference is $22,819/year (27.6%).

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