Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Salary

SOC Code: 51-2031 • Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024

Median Salary
$52,540
Mean Salary
$56,040
Employment
38,420
Entry Level (10th %ile)
$37,950
Top Earners (90th %ile)
$74,300

Pay Range Distribution

10th percentile
$37,950 25th percentile
$42,790 Median (50th)
$52,540 75th percentile
$70,050 90th percentile
$74,300

Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Salary by State

StateMedianMeanEmploymentEntry (10th)Top (90th)
North Carolina$75,560$72,4701,670$47,480$106,390
Indiana$73,540$67,0705,730$46,360$73,540
New Hampshire$67,950$67,120160$51,150$78,040
Connecticut$67,320$68,830130$59,460$78,010
Ohio$66,860$63,8603,710$39,570$76,830
New Jersey$63,060$65,270300$47,620$95,180
Massachusetts$62,440$64,720200$42,080$90,210
Oregon$61,270$62,690170$48,740$83,900
Washington$60,410$65,060390$37,360$104,160
Wisconsin$56,400$57,0302,640$50,150$61,120
Arkansas$52,780$51,32080$32,790$58,640
California$52,480$53,9601,670$34,980$79,200
Minnesota$51,550$52,190100$41,720$62,880
Florida$51,230$53,600770$37,980$65,340
Idaho$50,820$54,400100$37,190$73,930
Colorado$50,750$50,040230$42,520$55,390
New York$50,460$52,0201,410$39,380$62,830
Tennessee$50,400$49,13030$40,860$64,010
Michigan$50,040$53,3005,300$40,260$73,750
South Carolina$49,910$50,7401,400$39,110$65,320
Nebraska$48,100$47,00060$38,030$55,920
Illinois$47,680$46,700970$38,000$58,940
Pennsylvania$47,410$54,290170$37,140$82,210
Oklahoma$47,300$50,580260$31,500$77,650
Kentucky$46,830$53,6103,020$37,230$70,900
Utah$46,060$46,420140$37,250$54,660
Iowa$44,810$49,350120$40,930$63,950
South Dakota$44,730$43,500590$37,340$49,040
Louisiana$44,450$48,530N/A$37,810$66,790
Missouri$44,060$44,770940$40,090$51,450
Arizona$42,860$48,170120$42,440$67,150
Nevada$39,430$43,57050$37,790$68,970
Texas$38,630$43,2801,760$35,320$56,360
Georgia$37,640$37,480330$31,690$43,910
Mississippi$37,420$42,930370$34,910$48,890
Virginia$34,890$38,110770$32,420$55,900

Highest Paying Metro Areas

Metro AreaMedianMeanEmployment
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$71,970$72,780200
Toledo, OH$71,050$67,620410
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$67,990$72,720200
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$65,720$67,23060
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$62,450$67,200150
Appleton, WI$61,990$65,750110
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$61,270$62,640150
Tulsa, OK$61,260$59,730130
Richmond, VA$60,620$58,78050
Worcester, MA$59,780$64,41040
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$59,310$57,820340
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$59,010$58,26070
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$58,180$58,90040
Madison, WI$58,100$55,93080
Lansing-East Lansing, MI$57,220$53,60060
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$55,490$70,820130
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$54,420$55,110150
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$51,820$53,86060
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$51,160$49,130140
Rochester, NY$50,550$54,90050

About Engine and Other Machine Assemblers Salary Data

This data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The median salary represents the midpoint — half of engine and other machine assemblerss earn more and half earn less. The 10th percentile represents entry-level pay, while the 90th percentile represents the highest earners in this occupation. Employment counts represent estimated total jobs in May 2024.

Understanding Salary Percentiles

Salary percentiles show how wages are distributed across workers in this occupation. The 10th percentile represents entry-level pay — only 10% earn less. The median (50th percentile) is the true midpoint of all wages. The 90th percentile reflects top earners, typically in senior roles or high-cost metro areas. A wide gap between the 10th and 90th percentiles indicates that experience, location, and specialization significantly affect pay.

Factors That Affect Pay

Several factors influence salary for this occupation. Location is one of the biggest — the same job can pay 50% more in a high-cost metro area like San Francisco or New York compared to a rural area. Experience matters significantly; workers at the 90th percentile typically have 10-20+ years in the field. Industry also plays a role — the same occupation often pays differently in finance, technology, healthcare, or government. Education and certifications can boost pay, especially in fields that require advanced degrees or specialized licenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between median and mean salary?

The median is the midpoint — half earn more, half earn less. The mean (average) is the total of all salaries divided by the number of workers. The median is generally more useful because it is not skewed by a small number of extremely high earners.

Do these figures include bonuses and benefits?

No. BLS OEWS data measures base wages and salaries only. It does not include bonuses, commissions, tips, overtime, stock options, health insurance, retirement contributions, or other benefits. Total compensation may be 20-40% higher than base salary.

How reliable is this data?

The BLS OEWS survey covers approximately 1.1 million business establishments across the U.S. and uses rigorous statistical sampling methods. It is considered one of the most reliable sources of occupational wage data available. Self-employed workers and certain agricultural positions are not included.

How often is this data updated?

The BLS publishes new OEWS data annually, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period. This page shows May 2024 data, the most recent release.