Quick answer: Mechanical Engineers in the Knoxville area earn a median $99,070 per year, below the national median of $104,110, and the metro employs about 760 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Knoxville metro | Tennessee | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $99,070 | $99,550 | $104,110 |
| 10th percentile | $63,200 | $64,150 | $73,990 |
| 25th percentile | $78,790 | $78,730 | $84,130 |
| 75th percentile | $126,880 | $127,500 | $132,590 |
| 90th percentile | $148,980 | $156,150 | $164,340 |
| Employment | 760 | 3,930 | 296,810 |
| Location quotient | 0.93 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Knoxville, TN metropolitan statistical area.
The Knoxville median of $99,070 is below the national median of $104,110, and below the Tennessee statewide median of $99,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.93 means mechanical engineers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Mechanical engineering demand follows the region’s mix of manufacturing plants, building systems design and energy work, so the local picture can differ sharply from the national one.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $99,440 | 990 |
| Chattanooga | $106,660 | 510 |
| Memphis | $104,110 | 390 |
| Kingsport | $94,560 | 240 |
| Clarksville | $92,940 | 150 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Mechanical engineering follows the same Professional Engineer path the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in mechanical engineering. What differs from civil is how often the license is actually needed. Many mechanical engineers work in manufacturing and product design under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never license, while those who seal building systems drawings or hold responsible charge do. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states.
See the Tennessee licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for mechanical engineers in the Knoxville, TN metro area is $99,070, below the national median of $104,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Knoxville, TN metro area employs about 760 mechanical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Mechanical engineering follows the same Professional Engineer path the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience, then the PE exam in mechanical engineering. What differs from civil is how often the license is actually needed. Many mechanical engineers work in manufacturing and product design under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never license, while those who seal building systems drawings or hold responsible charge do. Whether a state accepts an ABET ETAC (engineering technology) degree toward licensure varies, and so do comity rules between states. Confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
The Knoxville metro median is $99,070 against a statewide median of $99,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
