Mechanical Engineer pay in Atlanta, by the numbers
After a simplified 13% national tax estimate that is about US$7,400 a month, in a metro with a cost-of-living index of 100.
How Atlanta compares with United States and GA
On a United States league table of 21 metros, Atlanta comes 17th. One place higher is Chicago at US$102,070, one lower is Phoenix at US$100,980, and San Jose tops the list.
With Atlanta as the sole GA entry for mechanical engineers, the useful benchmarks are national: 17th of 21, -2% vs the median.
Is US$102,020 a good salary in Atlanta?
With a COL index of 100, there is little difference between headline pay and price-adjusted pay (US$102,000).
Cash rank and buying-power rank match for Atlanta: 17th of 21.
Take-home on the median comes to roughly US$7,400 monthly (13% effective tax in our simplified model). Rent for a modeled 1-bedroom is 22% of it, and the single-adult budget ends about US$3,870 in the black.
Atlanta vs similar-cost metros
New York (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$109,990, 8% more than Atlanta; modeled monthly leftover is US$510 higher.
Los Angeles (similar cost level, COL 100) pays US$123,900, 21% more than Atlanta; modeled monthly leftover is US$1,410 higher.
In Chicago — similar cost level, COL 100 — the median is US$102,070 (0% vs Atlanta), and the modeled budget leaves a similar amount each month.
Mechanical Engineer vs other occupations in Atlanta
Lawyer is the best-paid tracked role in Atlanta at US$138,210; mechanical engineer comes 5th of 9.
Closest neighbours in the Atlanta list: Project Manager at US$103,400 (+1%) and Financial Analyst at US$100,830 (-1%).
How Atlanta ranks at the low and high end
Top earners do comparatively well in Atlanta — 12th of 21 at the 90th percentile — while entry-level pay ranks 15th.
For the top 10% of earners, San Jose leads with US$217,530 at the 90th percentile, +31% against Atlanta.
Spread between low and high mechanical engineer pay in Atlanta
Expect wide variation between offers: the 10th percentile is US$72,800 and the 90th US$165,990, a 2.3× ratio.