✈️
Aerospace & Defense
Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
These workers set up tests, read gauges and meters, review blueprints, and help check whether mechanical parts and systems meet design specs. The work is hands-on and detail-heavy, with a lot of measuring, documenting, and adjusting rather than full-scale design. The main tradeoff is stability versus growth: pay is solid for a technician role, but employment is projected to stay flat through 2034.
Also known as Mechanical Engineering TechnicianMechanical Engineering TechnologistMechanical Design TechnicianEngineering Technician, MechanicalMechanical Test Technician
Median Salary
$68,730
Mean $72,450
U.S. Workforce
~37K
3.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+0%
38.3K to 38.3K
Entry Education
Associate's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians sits in the Science category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~37K workers, with a median annual pay of $68,730 and roughly 3.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 38.3 K in 2024 to 38.3K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Engineering Assistant and can progress toward Senior Mechanical Engineering Technologist. High-value skills usually include Blueprint Reading, Technical Documentation & Specification Review, Test Analysis, Troubleshooting & Design Fixes, and Meters, Gauges, Sensors & Instrumentation, paired with soft skills such as Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Review blueprints and test instructions to figure out what needs to be built, checked, or changed.
- Set up parts or complete machines and run tests under real operating conditions.
- Read gauges, meters, and other instruments to see how the equipment is performing.
- Compare test results with the design specs, then adjust equipment or flag changes that are needed.
Keep exploring: more Science careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Review blueprints and test instructions to figure out what needs to be built, checked, or changed.
02 Set up parts or complete machines and run tests under real operating conditions.
03 Read gauges, meters, and other instruments to see how the equipment is performing.
04 Compare test results with the design specs, then adjust equipment or flag changes that are needed.
05 Estimate equipment size and capacity for a proposed system, and sketch parts for fabrication or drafting.
06 Record the test steps, data, and recommendations so engineers can decide what to do next.
Industries That Hire
🚗
Automotive Manufacturing
Ford, General Motors, Tesla
🏭
Industrial Machinery & Equipment
Caterpillar, John Deere, Siemens
🩺
Medical Devices
Medtronic, Stryker, Boston Scientific
⚡
Energy & Turbomachinery
GE Vernova, Baker Hughes, Siemens Energy
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is solid for a technician role, with a median annual wage of $68,730 and a mean of $72,450.
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You can get started without prior work experience, and BLS lists no required on-the-job training.
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The work is practical and varied: one day may be test setup, the next may be reading instruments, sketching parts, or writing reports.
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There are still steady openings, with about 3.2 thousand annual job openings projected each year.
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The role can be a strong launch point into senior testing, drafting, or engineering-support positions if you build CAD, documentation, and troubleshooting skills.
Challenges
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Growth is flat: employment is projected to stay at 38.3 thousand from 2024 to 2034, which means a 0.0% change.
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A lot of the work has to be done in labs, shops, or test areas, so full-time remote work is limited.
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The field shows a strong degree bias over time, since 33.08% of workers have a bachelor's degree even though the BLS entry point is an associate's degree.
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Much of the job is repetitive, with constant checking, logging, and comparing results against specs rather than doing creative design work all day.
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There is a real career ceiling if you stay in technician-level work too long; moving up often means adding more education or shifting into engineering, quality, or manufacturing leadership.
Career Progression
Engineering Assistant
0-2 years
$42K-$54K
New workers help set up tests, prepare materials, track measurements, and learn how to read specifications and record results accurately.
Mechanical Engineering Technician
2-5 years
$55K-$67K
At this stage, you run more tests on your own, troubleshoot equipment issues, and turn test data into clear reports for engineers.
Mechanical Engineering Technologist and Technician THIS ROLE
5-9 years
$68K-$84K
This level handles more complex testing, equipment setup, and design feedback, with more responsibility for deciding whether a system meets spec.
Senior Mechanical Engineering Technologist
9-15 years
$85K-$105K
Senior workers often lead test plans, mentor junior staff, and work directly with engineers to improve designs, reliability, and performance.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is the most common education level, held by 33.08% of workers in this occupation.
Associate's degree
An associate's degree is the BLS typical entry point and appears for 25.56% of workers in this occupation.
Post-secondary certificate
A post-secondary certificate is another common route, held by 23.83% of workers in this occupation.
High school diploma with strong shop, drafting, or CAD experience
This path is less common, appearing for 5.75% of workers in this occupation, and usually works best when paired with hands-on mechanical experience.
Key Skills
Technical
Blueprint Reading, Technical Documentation & Specification Review 67%
Test Analysis, Troubleshooting & Design Fixes 65%
Meters, Gauges, Sensors & Instrumentation 63%
AutoCAD, SolidWorks & Mechanical Sketching 61%
Excel, Data Logging & Test Reporting 60%
Lab Testing, Calibration & Setup Procedures 58%
GD&T, Tolerances & Inspection Tools 56%
PLCs, LabVIEW & Data Acquisition Systems 54%
Soft Skills
Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingSpeakingActive ListeningComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision Making Job Outlook and Trends
+0%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
3.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 38.3K to 38.3 K over the next decade, representing 0% growth. Around 3.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.