CFD / Thermal Engineer Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure CFD / Thermal Engineer as its own occupation, so this page uses Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141, broader occupation). The median annual wage in the United States was $104,110 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $84,130 to $132,590.
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Broader occupation
Mechanical Engineers is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $73,990 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $84,130 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $104,110 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $132,590 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $164,340 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $113,610 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35.57 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $40.45 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $50.05 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $63.75 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $79.01 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $54.62 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages include: base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. What they leave out: overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2141 Mechanical Engineers, United States. View this release at BLS.
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $104,110 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 2.04 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | 60,610 | 20.4% | $103,440 | $82,220 to $132,160 |
| Engineering Services | 541330 | 55,660 | 18.8% | $103,670 | $82,460 to $132,870 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | 5,820 | 2.0% | $112,370 | $86,180 to $142,040 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | 4,790 | 1.6% | $92,600 | $75,290 to $121,760 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 238220 | 3,690 | 1.2% | $91,760 | $73,940 to $124,290 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | 3,220 | 1.1% | $106,290 | $93,170 to $128,530 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | 541380 | 3,210 | 1.1% | $103,500 | $80,450 to $129,990 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | 2,300 | 0.8% | $130,110 | $83,720 to $166,340 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 423400 | 1,730 | 0.6% | $109,020 | $89,870 to $136,510 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | 1,220 | 0.4% | $102,530 | $83,230 to $127,510 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 334100 | 910 | 0.3% | $105,030 | $82,750 to $133,740 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | 890 | 0.3% | $122,620 | $96,370 to $144,250 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 238210 | 480 | 0.2% | $92,600 | $74,680 to $112,580 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 350 | 0.1% | $100,080 | $86,030 to $127,540 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | 200 | 0.1% | $106,810 | $78,890 to $134,720 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | 237130 | 60 | 0.0% | $110,950 | $88,610 to $122,960 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $126,990 | $100,800 to $160,230 | 5,390 | 0.9 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $105,420 | $87,200 to $132,840 | 5,600 | 0.73 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $100,980 | $82,410 to $129,390 | 3,660 | 0.81 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $102,020 | $80,360 to $133,770 | 3,070 | 0.56 |
| Columbus, OH | $100,730 | $79,230 to $106,960 | 2,630 | 1.25 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $102,070 | $83,140 to $130,310 | 6,900 | 0.8 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $168,030 | $134,460 to $201,630 | 5,540 | 2.56 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $105,020 | $95,630 to $130,680 | 2,520 | 1.09 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 346 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $168,030 | 5,540 | 2.56 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $161,370 | 5,150 | 1.14 |
| 3 | Baton Rouge, LA | $135,530 | 540 | 0.69 |
| 4 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $132,920 | 190 | 0.99 |
| 5 | Salinas, CA | $132,560 | 70 | 0.19 |
| 6 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $128,740 | 980 | 2.21 |
| 7 | Peoria, IL | $128,710 | 2,120 | 6.7 |
| 8 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $128,180 | 4,530 | 1.47 |
| 9 | Columbus, IN | $127,700 | 1,000 | 10.52 |
| 10 | Lexington Park, MD | $127,650 | 670 | 4.97 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 337 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $79,300 | 40 | 0.55 |
| 338 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $78,950 | 150 | 0.83 |
| 339 | Altoona, PA | $78,670 | 70 | 0.65 |
| 340 | Eau Claire, WI | $78,360 | 160 | 0.95 |
| 341 | Hattiesburg, MS | $76,770 | 40 | 0.36 |
| 342 | Jonesboro, AR | $76,690 | 160 | 1.37 |
| 343 | Johnstown, PA | $76,210 | 70 | 0.78 |
| 344 | San Angelo, TX | $75,930 | 90 | 0.92 |
| 345 | Gainesville, FL | $75,490 | 180 | 0.62 |
| 346 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $74,400 | 430 | 0.33 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $120,070 | $37,930 | 3.17 times | 60 | 0.21 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $102,350 | $36,490 | 2.80 times | 230 | 0.77 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $128,740 | $45,990 | 2.80 times | 980 | 2.21 |
| Salinas, CA | $132,560 | $47,380 | 2.80 times | 70 | 0.19 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $135,530 | $48,710 | 2.78 times | 540 | 0.69 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $126,090 | $45,700 | 2.76 times | 110 | 0.59 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $124,340 | $45,350 | 2.74 times | 280 | 0.76 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $108,510 | $39,740 | 2.73 times | 80 | 0.77 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $118,920 | $43,710 | 2.72 times | 100 | 0.55 |
| Monroe, LA | $100,740 | $38,150 | 2.64 times | 40 | 0.23 |
| Columbus, IN | $127,700 | $48,470 | 2.63 times | 1,000 | 10.52 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $109,370 | $42,000 | 2.60 times | 70 | 0.98 |
| Peoria, IL | $128,710 | $49,590 | 2.60 times | 2,120 | 6.7 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $100,230 | $39,070 | 2.57 times | 100 | 0.69 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $125,350 | $49,410 | 2.54 times | 8,310 | 1.32 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $74,400 | $29,440 | 2.53 times | 430 | 0.33 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $119,790 | $47,470 | 2.52 times | 560 | 0.87 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $116,680 | $46,360 | 2.52 times | 210 | 1.68 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $122,280 | $48,630 | 2.51 times | 470 | 1.52 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $101,800 | $40,570 | 2.51 times | 30 | 0.4 |
| Decatur, AL | $115,750 | $46,280 | 2.50 times | 310 | 2.69 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $117,990 | $47,290 | 2.50 times | 530 | 0.63 |
| Tyler, TX | $106,240 | $42,650 | 2.49 times | 160 | 0.72 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $99,780 | $40,230 | 2.48 times | 50 | 0.48 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $95,530 | $38,520 | 2.48 times | 70 | 0.43 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 17-2141 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $102,320 |
| May 2025 | $104,110 |
| Difference | +$1,790 (+1.7%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For construction and commissioning hires, separate expense reimbursements and overtime from straight-time pay. Check a project bonus on its actual terms. Guaranteed pay and production incentives count in BLS wages; discretionary nonproduction bonuses do not.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call pay | Included | BLS lists "on-call pay" and "hazardous-duty pay" as wages. |
| Overtime pay matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses matters here | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation matters here | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Questions
What is the median pay for CFD / Thermal Engineer?
The BLS median annual wage for Mechanical Engineers nationally is $104,110 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most CFD / Thermal Engineer earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $84,130 to $132,590, and 10% earned less than $73,990.
Is this the exact job title?
Mechanical Engineers is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 296,810 jobs nationally in Mechanical Engineers across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
They leave out overtime, shift differentials, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation. Base pay, guaranteed pay, on-call pay and production-based incentive pay are included.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for CFD / Thermal Engineer: BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring CFD / Thermal Engineer?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
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- Methodology
What the published rows say about CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States
CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States is represented here by Mechanical Engineers, SOC 17-2141, in the May 2025 OEWS release. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, data Center Headhunters uses the broader crosswalk for this title; the occupation row, rather than a separate survey of CFD / Thermal Engineer, supplies the figures on this page. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, the published annual median is $104,110 and the middle-half endpoints are $84,130 and $132,590.
The CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States middle-half band spans $48,460 on the annual basis. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, its lower quarter-to-median distance is $19,980, compared with $28,480 from the median to the upper quarter. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, the upper interval is at least as wide as the other interval in this row. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, for an offer against this CFD / Thermal Engineer crosswalk, these are published reference points, not experience grades; the width does not establish a reason for differences between individual workers.
CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States can also be compared with Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, where the annual median for Mechanical Engineers is $109,470 in May 2025. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, the CFD / Thermal Engineer crosswalk comparison differs by $5,360 from the the United States median.
CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States can also be compared with Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, where the annual median for Mechanical Engineers is $123,900 in May 2025. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, the CFD / Thermal Engineer crosswalk comparison differs by $19,790 from the the United States median.
CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States has no local industry-by-occupation wage breakdown in the loaded OEWS rows. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, the highest published national industry medians loaded for SOC 17-2141 are Information at $175,610 and Oil and Gas Extraction at $169,020. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, these May 2025 observations describe the national Mechanical Engineers occupation in those industries, not the pay of data center employers in the United States; they cannot support a local industry ranking.
The CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States matched median changed from $102,320 in May 2024 to $104,110 in May 2025, a difference of $1,790 up. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, both observations use SOC 17-2141, area code 99 and the same annual wage basis. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, this CFD / Thermal Engineer comparison reports the released values without adjusting for inflation, annualizing the change or attributing it to a particular employer.
CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States uses the OEWS straight-time wage definition, not a complete cost-to-employ budget. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, for an offer mapped to Mechanical Engineers, separate overtime, shift differentials and expense reimbursements from the annual figures for the United States; BLS excludes those categories. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, on-call pay, guaranteed pay and production incentives are included under the wage definition. For CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States, no CFD / Thermal Engineer-specific per diem, travel allowance or relocation amount is observed in this row, so this May 2025 page adds no dollar allowance on top.
Questions about CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States?
CFD / Thermal Engineer is mapped to SOC 17-2141, Mechanical Engineers; the May 2025 the United States annual median is $104,110. The mapping is broader, not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the the United States figure show all offer costs for CFD / Thermal Engineer?
CFD / Thermal Engineer pay in the United States uses straight-time OEWS wages. Overtime and shift differentials are excluded; on-call and guaranteed pay are included. No allowance for travel or relocation is added to this 17-2141 observation.
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Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.