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Mechanical Engineer Salary in Semiconductor

Semiconductor pays mechanical engineers a median of $118,930 per year. The sector employs roughly 18,700 MEs across fabs (Intel, TSMC, Samsung, Micron, GlobalFoundries) and equipment vendors (Applied Materials, Lam Research, KLA). CHIPS Act funding has lifted pay bands 8 to 15 percent since 2023.

Data as of May 2026, sourced from BLS OES May 2024 (SOC 17-2141).

Semiconductor Median

$118,930

vs national $102,320 (+16.2%)

Sector Employment

18,700

MEs in computer and electronic product mfg

CHIPS Act Impact

+8-15%

wage inflation since 2023

A CHIPS Act-driven hiring cycle

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables for SOC 17-2141 within NAICS 3344 (Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing), May 2024 release, report a semiconductor-industry mechanical engineer median of $118,930 and mean of $121,400 for roughly 18,700 employed engineers.

The semiconductor sector pays MEs 16.2 percent above the national median, with equipment-vendor roles paying more than fab-floor roles. The pay premium has accelerated since the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-167), which authorized $52.7 billion in federal investment in US semiconductor manufacturing. Intel announced fabs in Arizona (Fab 52 and Fab 62) and Ohio (Ohio One). TSMC committed $40 billion to its Arizona campus. Samsung committed $17 billion to a Taylor TX expansion. Micron announced a $100 billion fab cluster in Clay NY (the largest single private-sector investment in US history). GlobalFoundries expanded its Malta NY foundry. The simultaneous hiring pressure across these projects has lifted ME pay bands by an estimated 8 to 15 percent year-over-year since 2023, with Phoenix and Austin seeing the most acute wage inflation.

Per-employer pay bands

EmployerMedian Base
Intel$132,000
TSMC Arizona$128,000
Samsung Austin$124,000
Applied Materials$138,000
Lam Research$134,000
KLA Corp$132,000
Micron Technology$116,000
GlobalFoundries$115,000

Equipment vendors (Applied Materials, Lam Research, KLA) pay more than fabs themselves because their work is more like consumer-electronics hardware design (precision motion, vacuum systems, thermal management, robotics) and their RSU programs are aggressive relative to base. Fab-floor MEs work on facilities, process equipment integration, and yield improvement, with lower base pay but stronger bonus structures tied to fab yield metrics.

Geography: the new semiconductor map

US semiconductor ME employment is undergoing the largest geographic redistribution in the industry's history. Historically concentrated in Silicon Valley, Hillsboro OR, Albuquerque NM, Boise ID, and Austin TX, the sector is now adding major new clusters in Phoenix AZ (Intel + TSMC), Columbus OH (Intel Ohio One), Taylor TX (Samsung), and Clay NY (Micron). Phoenix alone has announced ME hiring through 2030 exceeding 6,000 positions across Intel and TSMC combined. The CHIPS Act bonus incentives for advanced packaging and R&D will likely spawn another wave of secondary investment from suppliers (Applied Materials, Lam, ASML) co-locating near the new fabs.

Frequently asked questions

How much do mechanical engineers make in the semiconductor industry?+
Semiconductor mechanical engineers earn a median of $118,930 per year and a mean of $121,400, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2024 (SOC 17-2141 within NAICS 33441 Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing). The sector employs roughly 18,700 mechanical engineers across fabs, equipment vendors, and design houses.
Which semiconductor company pays mechanical engineers the most?+
Equipment vendors lead the pay bands. Applied Materials at roughly $138,000 median, Lam Research at $134,000, and KLA Corp at $132,000 outpace the fabs themselves because their work spans precision motion, vacuum systems, thermal management, and robotics, with heavy RSU programs. Among fabs, Intel leads at $132,000 thanks to leading-edge process work, with TSMC Arizona right behind at $128,000 as it ramps Phoenix operations.
Is the CHIPS Act driving up semiconductor ME pay?+
Yes, materially. The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-167) authorized $52.7 billion in federal investment in US semiconductor manufacturing, triggering announced new fabs from Intel (Arizona, Ohio), TSMC (Arizona), Samsung (Texas), Micron (New York), and GlobalFoundries (New York). The simultaneous hiring pressure across these projects has lifted ME pay bands in semiconductor by an estimated 8 to 15 percent year-over-year since 2023, with Phoenix and Austin seeing the most acute wage inflation.
What does a semiconductor fab ME actually work on?+
Three main areas: (1) facilities and infrastructure (cleanroom HVAC, chemical and gas distribution, ultra-pure water systems, electrical and mechanical utilities); (2) process equipment integration (installing and maintaining lithography, etch, deposition, CMP, and metrology tools); (3) yield improvement (failure analysis, mechanical root-cause investigation on production issues). The work is highly cross-functional with electrical, chemical, materials, and software engineering teams.
Where are semiconductor ME jobs concentrated?+
Historically: Silicon Valley (Applied Materials, Lam, KLA, Intel design), Hillsboro OR (Intel D1X), Albuquerque NM (Intel Rio Rancho), Boise ID (Micron HQ), Austin TX (Samsung, AMD), Malta NY (GlobalFoundries). Newly: Phoenix AZ (Intel Ocotillo + new Fab 52/62, TSMC Arizona), Columbus OH (Intel Ohio One), Taylor TX (Samsung expansion), Clay NY (Micron's $100B fab cluster). Phoenix is the largest single-region growth story in US semiconductor history, with announced ME hiring through 2030 exceeding 6,000 positions across Intel and TSMC combined.
Do I need a PE license to work in semiconductor?+
No. PE licensure is not required and adds no compensation premium at fabs, equipment vendors, or design houses. The work is signed under corporate quality-management authority. PE licensure can be useful for facilities-engineering roles that interface with state HVAC and structural codes, but those positions are a small minority of semiconductor ME headcount.

Related pages

All Industries

Parent hub: every industry's pay band, ranked.

Arizona

Phoenix Intel + TSMC, the largest CHIPS Act hiring cluster.

Texas

Austin and Taylor Samsung expansion.

Thermal Engineer

Thermal management specialists, paid premium at equipment vendors.

California

Bay Area equipment-vendor HQs.

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Independent salary reference. Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Not affiliated with the BLS, any employer, or any professional engineering organization. Individual salaries vary based on experience, location, employer, and negotiation.

Updated 2026-05-11