Median salary: $92K (Mechanical Engineer) vs $98K (Project Manager). Salary ranges overlap between 65K–130K and 65K–145K. The take-home difference depends on state taxes, cost of living, and where in the salary range you fall.
At the national median, Mechanical Engineers earn $92K and Project Managers earn $98K. After federal taxes and FICA (calculated without state tax to isolate the salary effect), Mechanical Engineers take home $73,497 vs $77,718 for Project Managers.
The $6K salary advantage for Project Managers doesn’t translate dollar-for-dollar to take-home. Because of progressive federal tax brackets, the Project Manager’s higher salary is taxed at a higher marginal rate. Of the $6K gross difference, only $4,221 reaches the Project Manager’s pocket — the rest goes to taxes.
Mechanical Engineers face an effective tax rate of 20.1% at median, while Project Managers pay 20.7%. The higher rate for Project Managers reflects more income being pushed into higher federal brackets.
The best states differ for each profession because salary adjustments vary by state cost index and interact differently with tax brackets. A state that’s great for a $92K earner may not be optimal for a $98K earner.
All 50 states showing estimated salary and take-home for both professions. Sorted by which states give Mechanical Engineers the largest take-home advantage over Project Managers.
| State | Mechanical Engineer Salary | Mechanical Engineer Take-Home | Project Manager Salary | Project Manager Take-Home | Difference | Higher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | $84K | $63,039 | $89K | $66,269 | $-3,230 | Project Manager |
| Georgia | $86K | $64,813 | $91K | $68,071 | $-3,258 | Project Manager |
| Kentucky | $83K | $63,016 | $88K | $66,283 | $-3,267 | Project Manager |
| Wisconsin | $86K | $65,000 | $91K | $68,269 | $-3,269 | Project Manager |
| Illinois | $86K | $65,019 | $91K | $68,289 | $-3,270 | Project Manager |
| Alabama | $81K | $61,911 | $86K | $65,191 | $-3,280 | Project Manager |
| Missouri | $82K | $62,674 | $87K | $65,960 | $-3,287 | Project Manager |
| Indiana | $83K | $63,472 | $88K | $66,767 | $-3,295 | Project Manager |
| Ohio | $83K | $63,638 | $88K | $66,943 | $-3,305 | Project Manager |
| South Carolina | $85K | $65,037 | $90K | $68,346 | $-3,309 | Project Manager |
| New Mexico | $84K | $64,648 | $89K | $67,973 | $-3,326 | Project Manager |
| Iowa | $82K | $63,346 | $87K | $66,674 | $-3,327 | Project Manager |
| Kansas | $83K | $64,090 | $88K | $67,423 | $-3,332 | Project Manager |
| West Virginia | $76K | $59,712 | $81K | $63,063 | $-3,351 | Project Manager |
| Mississippi | $76K | $59,771 | $81K | $63,126 | $-3,355 | Project Manager |
| Oklahoma | $80K | $62,585 | $85K | $65,948 | $-3,363 | Project Manager |
| Nebraska | $84K | $65,385 | $89K | $68,754 | $-3,370 | Project Manager |
| Louisiana | $84K | $65,549 | $89K | $68,928 | $-3,379 | Project Manager |
| Arkansas | $79K | $62,349 | $84K | $65,740 | $-3,391 | Project Manager |
| North Dakota | $85K | $67,495 | $90K | $70,949 | $-3,454 | Project Manager |
| South Dakota | $85K | $68,573 | $90K | $72,090 | $-3,517 | Project Manager |
| Tennessee | $83K | $67,166 | $88K | $70,683 | $-3,517 | Project Manager |
| Texas | $86K | $69,276 | $91K | $72,794 | $-3,517 | Project Manager |
| Minnesota | $91K | $66,967 | $97K | $70,804 | $-3,837 | Project Manager |
| Delaware | $94K | $69,461 | $100K | $73,335 | $-3,874 | Project Manager |
| Vermont | $97K | $71,498 | $103K | $75,377 | $-3,880 | Project Manager |
| Idaho | $87K | $65,369 | $93K | $69,272 | $-3,903 | Project Manager |
| Utah | $91K | $68,562 | $97K | $72,504 | $-3,942 | Project Manager |
| Maine | $90K | $67,907 | $96K | $71,849 | $-3,942 | Project Manager |
| Pennsylvania | $90K | $67,977 | $96K | $71,924 | $-3,947 | Project Manager |
| Colorado | $97K | $72,747 | $103K | $76,704 | $-3,957 | Project Manager |
| North Carolina | $87K | $66,508 | $93K | $70,490 | $-3,982 | Project Manager |
| Rhode Island | $97K | $73,238 | $103K | $77,225 | $-3,987 | Project Manager |
| Virginia | $95K | $72,057 | $101K | $76,054 | $-3,997 | Project Manager |
| Montana | $89K | $68,118 | $95K | $72,119 | $-4,001 | Project Manager |
| Arizona | $89K | $69,162 | $95K | $73,233 | $-4,071 | Project Manager |
| Florida | $92K | $73,497 | $98K | $77,718 | $-4,221 | Project Manager |
| Nevada | $93K | $74,201 | $99K | $78,422 | $-4,221 | Project Manager |
| Wyoming | $86K | $69,276 | $92K | $73,497 | $-4,221 | Project Manager |
| Oregon | $101K | $71,814 | $108K | $76,183 | $-4,369 | Project Manager |
| New Jersey | $106K | $75,939 | $113K | $80,375 | $-4,435 | Project Manager |
| Maryland | $103K | $75,841 | $110K | $80,399 | $-4,558 | Project Manager |
| Massachusetts | $109K | $80,007 | $116K | $84,581 | $-4,574 | Project Manager |
| Connecticut | $102K | $75,898 | $109K | $80,504 | $-4,606 | Project Manager |
| California | $131K | $89,440 | $139K | $94,216 | $-4,776 | Project Manager |
| Alaska | $117K | $91,085 | $124K | $95,980 | $-4,895 | Project Manager |
| New Hampshire | $99K | $78,422 | $106K | $83,346 | $-4,924 | Project Manager |
| Washington | $101K | $79,829 | $108K | $84,753 | $-4,924 | Project Manager |
| New York | $115K | $79,805 | $123K | $84,737 | $-4,932 | Project Manager |
| Hawaii | $177K | $119,550 | $188K | $126,499 | $-6,949 | Project Manager |
Job Security & Demand: Mechanical Engineers and Project Managers serve different market needs, which affects job security differently. The demand for mechanical engineers depends on corporate investment and industry growth, while project manager demand is driven by business growth and specialization needs. Both careers offer reasonable stability for experienced professionals.
Growth & Advancement: Career advancement paths differ significantly. Mechanical Engineers have a salary range of 65K–130K, with the higher end typically requiring either specialization or management responsibilities. Project Managers range from 65K–145K, with similar advancement dynamics. Education requirements, licensing, and geographic flexibility all influence which career ultimately provides better lifetime earnings.
Work-Life Balance & Lifestyle: Work-life balance, benefits, and non-monetary compensation vary considerably between these careers. Beyond raw take-home pay, consider retirement benefits (pensions vs 401k matching), healthcare coverage quality, schedule flexibility, and whether the role supports remote work — which has significant tax implications if you can choose your state of residency.