Mechanical Engineer vs Data Analyst Salary

Mechanical Engineer vs Data Analyst: salary breakdown

On a national-median basis, Mechanical Engineers out-earn Data Analysts by $12,000 per year — a 12.5% gap. That works out to roughly $1,000/month or $6/hour of difference.

Important context: these are MEDIANS — the middle salary in the country. Real-world variation is wide: entry-level roles in either career may pay 25-35% below median, while senior roles or specialized niches can pay 50-100%+ above. Your specific numbers depend on experience, location, employer, and credentials.

When does the salary gap matter most?

For someone choosing between these careers, the $12,000 annual difference compounds:

• Over 10 years: ~$120,000 in raw salary difference
• Over 40 years: ~$480,000 (without raises or compounding)
• With 3% annual raises: the gap typically grows because the higher-paid role's raises are also larger in dollar terms
• With investment compounding: the $12,000/year extra invested at 7% over 40 years grows to roughly $2,388,000 — significantly more than the raw difference

But salary isn't everything. Job satisfaction, work-life balance, growth potential, and career switching costs all matter. A career you can sustain for decades beats a higher-paying one you'll burn out on.

By state and city — significant variation

National medians are starting points. Real salaries vary 30%+ by location:

• Mechanical Engineer in California ≈ $113,280 (1.18× national)
• Mechanical Engineer in Mississippi ≈ $80,640 (0.84× national)
• Data Analyst in California ≈ $99,120
• Data Analyst in Mississippi ≈ $70,560

Use our Mechanical Engineer salary by state pages to drill into specific locations.

Other comparisons in Engineering

Other comparisons in Tech

Related tools

Mechanical Engineer salary by state — Data Analyst salary by state — Best cities for Mechanical Engineer — Best cities for Data Analyst — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.