Principal Mechanical Engineer

Principal Mechanical Engineer Salary in Maryland

$83.5K

$142.7K

$165K

$140,802

/year

$67.69

/hour

Principal Mechanical Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$145,075

Maryland

Maryland

$140,802

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    How much does a Principal Mechanical Engineer make in Maryland?

    As of May 28, 2026, the average annual pay for a Principal Mechanical Engineer in Maryland is $140,802 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $67.69 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,707/week or $11,733/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $164,993 and as low as $83,466, the majority of Principal Mechanical Engineer salaries currently range between $132,000 (25th percentile) to $151,400 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $158,683 annually in Maryland. The average pay range for a Principal Mechanical Engineer varies little (about 19400), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    Maryland ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Principal Mechanical Engineer salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Principal Mechanical Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Principal Mechanical Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Principal Mechanical Engineer Jobs in Maryland

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Principal Mechanical Engineer job is above the average in Maryland in Maryland. Topping the list is Patuxent, , with Gaithersburg, and Suitland, close behind in the second and third positions. Suitland, beats the average in Maryland by $15,461 (11.0%), and Patuxent, furthers that trend with another $22,655 (16.1%) above the $140,802 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for Maryland, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Principal Mechanical Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 10% between Patuxent, and Beltsville, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Principal Mechanical Engineer role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Patuxent

    $163,457

    $78.59

    Gaithersburg

    $156,747

    $75.36

    Suitland

    $156,263

    $75.13

    Wheaton

    $154,174

    $74.12

    Derwood

    $152,005

    $73.08

    Silver Spring

    $149,976

    $72.10

    Annapolis Junction

    $148,229

    $71.26

    Rockville

    $147,873

    $71.09

    Germantown

    $147,467

    $70.90

    Beltsville

    $147,130

    $70.74

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Principal Mechanical Engineer Jobs in Maryland

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Principal Mechanical Engineer job category in Maryland, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $140802 state average for Principal Mechanical Engineer jobs.

    Nevertheless Mechanical Project Manager, Mechanical Field Engineer, or Mechanic Engineer may still be interesting positions to explore.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Mechanical Project Manager

    $102,593

    $49.32

    Mechanical Field Engineer

    $83,541

    $40.16

    Mechanic Engineer

    $77,461

    $37.24

    Stationary Engineer

    $74,973

    $36.04

    Entry Mechanical Engineer

    $67,021

    $32.22

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Principal Mechanical Engineer salary in Maryland as of May 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $132,000 to $158,683 annually, with the Maryland average at $140,802 per year or $67.69 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in Maryland for Principal Mechanical Engineer jobs, with Patuxent leading at $163,457 annually.