Mechanical Engineers vs Network
Mechanical Engineers earns $4,980 more at the middle. Every figure is US government data you can check.
| Mechanical Engineers | Network | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in the middle median annual wage, May 2025 | $104,110 | $99,130 |
| Pay range 10th to 90th percentile | $73,990 to $164,340 | $62,640 to $155,050 |
| Years of school you pay for our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure | 4 | 4 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Jobs opening up each year | 17,800 | 13,400 |
| Growth by 2035 | 11.2% | -4.1% |
| People doing it now | 298,500 | 323,600 |
| Where the pay is highest and lowest state medians, not adjusted for cost of living or taxes | $157,710 in New Mexico down to $80,180 in Arkansas | $118,290 in Maryland down to $74,490 in West Virginia |
Also compared: Accountants vs Mechanical Engineers Accountants vs Network Civil Engineers vs Mechanical Engineers Civil Engineers vs Network Construction Managers vs Mechanical Engineers Construction Managers vs Network
Jobs that use what you already know
Same skills, same knowledge, same daily tasks. Most of these are not on this site.
Mechanical Engineers
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Electrical Engineers
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Mechatronics Engineers
- Industrial Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
What these usually take: Usually a four-year degree, plus a few years of experience.
Network
- Computer Network Support Specialists
- Database Administrators
- Computer Network Architects
- Computer Systems Engineers/Architects
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Information Security Engineers
What these usually take: Usually a four-year degree, plus a few years of experience.
O*NET 30.3 Database, U.S. Department of Labor. These are jobs that use similar skills, knowledge and daily tasks. It is a measure of how alike two jobs are — not a record of people moving between them.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment and wage data, May 2025, and employment projections 2025-35. Years of school is our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure. State medians are not adjusted for cost of living or taxes, and that difference could be large either way. No advice, just data.