SalaryByCity

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks vs Mechanical Engineers: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

$49,210

Median annual salary

1,455,770 employed nationally

Mechanical Engineers

$102,320

Median annual salary

286,760 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Mechanical Engineers professionals earn $53,110 more per year than Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks professionals — that's 107.9% higher. At the 90th percentile, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks earns $72,660 compared to $161,240 for Mechanical Engineers.

Salary Range Comparison

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$34,600 – $72,660
Mechanical Engineers$68,740 – $161,240
$34,600$161,240

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentileBookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksMechanical EngineersDifference
10th Percentile$34,600$68,740$-34,140
25th Percentile$41,390$81,800$-40,410
Median (50th)$49,210$102,320$-53,110
75th Percentile$60,220$130,290$-70,070
90th Percentile$72,660$161,240$-88,580
Mean (Average)$52,020$110,080$-58,060

Employment Numbers

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

1,455,770

employed nationwide

Mechanical Engineers

286,760

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

CityMedian
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$64,480
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$64,340
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$59,170
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$58,400
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,390

Best Cities for Mechanical Engineers

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$147,730
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$145,640
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$128,660
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX$126,870
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$124,160

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks or Mechanical Engineers?
Mechanical Engineers professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $53,110 (107.9% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks?
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks salaries range from $34,600 (10th percentile) to $72,660 (90th percentile), with a median of $49,210.
What is the salary range for Mechanical Engineers?
Mechanical Engineers salaries range from $68,740 (10th percentile) to $161,240 (90th percentile), with a median of $102,320.
How many Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks and Mechanical Engineers jobs are there?
There are approximately 1,455,770 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks positions and 286,760 Mechanical Engineers positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Mechanical Engineers to Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks has a median salary of $49,210 while Mechanical Engineers earns $102,320. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS