A mechanical engineer in Chile earns between CLP 2.1 million and CLP 3.0 million gross a month in the fourth year after graduating, depending on the institution, according to the Employment and Income Search Tool of Mi Futuro, run by the Undersecretariat of Higher Education. The top bracket, CLP 2.5 million to CLP 3.0 million, belongs to graduates of U. de Santiago de Chile, PUC, U. de Chile, U. Técnica Federico Santa María and U. de Concepción.
The tool lists 12 Mechanical Engineering programs, 7 of which report income, with an average lower bound of CLP 2.40 million. On average, 83.7% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year and 91.1% in their second. This guide explains how much a mechanical engineer earns in Chile by institution, how long it takes to find work and how the field compares with similar degrees.
How much a mechanical engineer earns in Chile by university
| Gross income bracket in year 4 | Institutions | Count |
|---|---|---|
| CLP 2.5 to 3.0 million | U. de Santiago de Chile, PUC, U. de Chile, U. Técnica Federico Santa María, U. de Concepción | 5 |
| CLP 2.2 to 2.3 million | U. de Tarapacá | 1 |
| CLP 2.1 to 2.2 million | U. del Bío-Bío | 1 |
| No data | U. de La Frontera, Pontificia U. Católica de Valparaíso, U. de Talca, U. de La Serena, U. Austral de Chile | 5 |
Source: Mi Futuro, Mechanical Engineering (12 programs, 7 with income data), accessed November 9, 2026. According to the search tool's methodology, income is the average gross monthly pay of 2018, 2019 and 2020 graduates in their fourth year after graduating, calculated with data from the Internal Revenue Service (SII) and expressed in September 2025 pesos. The employment rate is the share of graduates earning at least the minimum wage in their first or second year. Programs with few cases show "no information" (s/i). The highest bracket the tool publishes runs from CLP 2.5 to 3 million.
Of the 12 Mechanical Engineering (civil degree) programs, 7 report income. Five universities reach the tool's top bracket, CLP 2.5 to 3 million: the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the University of Chile, the University of Concepción, the University of Santiago (Usach) and Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María. They are followed by the University of Tarapacá (CLP 2.2 to 2.3 million) and the University of Bío-Bío (CLP 2.1 to 2.2 million). Austral, La Frontera, La Serena, Talca and the Catholic University of Valparaíso show no income data because they have few cases.
In the table below you can search for your institution and sort by income or employment rate:
| Universidad de Santiago de Chile | 2.5 | 93.2% | 98.2% |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | 2.5 | 91.9% | 95.5% |
| Universidad de Chile | 2.5 | 91.9% | 94.1% |
| Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María | 2.5 | 91.9% | 94.0% |
| Universidad de Concepción | 2.5 | 83.8% | 94.1% |
| Universidad de Tarapacá | 2.2 | 83.3% | 84.6% |
| Universidad del Bío-Bío | 2.1 | 80.3% | 90.6% |
| Universidad de La Frontera | No data | 86.4% | 89.3% |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso | No data | 78.2% | No data |
| Universidad de Talca | No data | 76.1% | 90.6% |
| Universidad de La Serena | No data | 75.8% | 83.9% |
| Universidad Austral de Chile | No data | 71.4% | 87.0% |
Civil mechanical engineer or execution mechanical engineer: how the pay differs
In Chile you can study mechanics at two levels. Civil mechanical engineering is a long university degree with a strong math and physics base, preparing graduates to design machines, thermal systems and processes. Mechanical or execution mechanical engineering is taught by universities and professional institutes, is shorter and focuses on maintenance, production and equipment operation.
The difference shows in pay. According to Mi Futuro, the average lower bound of the year-4 income bracket is CLP 2.40 million in Civil Mechanical Engineering and CLP 1.62 million in Mechanical Engineering (including the execution degree), with average actual lengths of 16.1 and 14.4 semesters. In the execution degree, the best bracket is Usach's, CLP 1.8 to 1.9 million; the lowest, IP Dr. Virginio Gómez's, CLP 1.4 to 1.5 million.
Mechanical engineers work in mining, energy, manufacturing, construction, transport and consulting, in maintenance, projects, reliability, HVAC or design roles. Real pay depends on the sector, region and experience: mining sites tend to pay more, which a degree-level average does not capture.
Employment of mechanical engineers in Chile
View the data as a table
| Average lower bound of the year-4 income bracket | CLP 2.40 M |
| Employment rate in year 1 | 83.7% |
| Employment rate in year 2 | 91.1% |
| Average actual duration | 16.1 semesters |
| Indicator (Mechanical Engineering) | Range across institutions | Simple average |
|---|---|---|
| Employment rate in year 1 | 71,4% (U. Austral de Chile) – 93,2% (U. de Santiago de Chile) | 83.7% |
| Employment rate in year 2 | 83,9% (U. de La Serena) – 98,2% (U. de Santiago de Chile) | 91.1% |
| Actual length of the degree | 14,0 – 18,1 | 16.1 semesters |
| First-year retention | 50,9% (U. de Tarapacá) – 90,7% (U. de Concepción) | 76.9% |
Source: Mi Futuro, simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. First-year employment ranges from 71.4% at Universidad Austral to 93.2% at Usach, which also has the highest second-year rate (98.2%). The relationship between income and employment by institution is shown in this chart:
View the data as a table
| Employment rate in year 1 | Lower bound of year-4 income bracket (CLP millions) | |
|---|---|---|
| Universidad de Santiago de Chile | 93.20% | 2.50 |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | 91.90% | 2.50 |
| Universidad de Chile | 91.90% | 2.50 |
| Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María | 91.90% | 2.50 |
| Universidad de Concepción | 83.80% | 2.50 |
| Universidad de Tarapacá | 83.30% | 2.20 |
| Universidad del Bío-Bío | 80.30% | 2.10 |
Mechanical engineers versus related degrees
| Degree | Average lower bound of year-4 income bracket | Average employment rate in year 1 | Programs with income data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Eng. | CLP 2.42 million | 91.7% | 5 |
| Civil Mechanical Eng. | CLP 2.40 million | 83.7% | 7 |
| Industrial Eng. | CLP 2.15 million | 85.1% | 29 |
| Mechanical Eng. (execution) | CLP 1.62 million | 82.0% | 5 |
| Industrial mechanics technician | CLP 1.30 million | 77.2% | 6 |
| Automotive Mechanical Eng. | CLP 1.20 million | 75.6% | 4 |
Source: Mi Futuro, accessed November 9, 2026; simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. Civil mechanical engineering is among the best-paid engineering degrees, level with electrical engineering and above industrial engineering. Technical and automotive mechanics degrees start much lower. To compare, see how much an electrical engineer earns, an industrial engineer and a mining engineer.
How much a mechanical engineer earns in Chile: from gross to net pay
For a mechanical engineer with gross pay equal to the degree's average lower bound, CLP 2.40 million, the legal deductions are the pension fund (AFP) contribution (10% plus the fee), health (7% in Fonasa or the isapre plan), unemployment insurance (0.6% on an open-ended contract) and income tax. With a fee of about 1.5%, contributions add up to roughly 19.1%, leaving about CLP 1.94 million before income tax, which depends on the income bracket (our own approximate calculation). For reference, the minimum wage in Chile has been CLP 553,553 since May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mechanical engineer earn right after graduating in Chile?
There is no official first-year income figure. Mi Futuro reports income in the fourth year: between CLP 2.1 million and CLP 3.0 million gross depending on the institution, with an average lower bound of CLP 2.40 million.
Where should you study Mechanical Engineering to earn more?
According to Mi Futuro, graduates of U. de Santiago de Chile, PUC, U. de Chile, U. Técnica Federico Santa María and U. de Concepción are in the top bracket in year 4, CLP 2.5 million to CLP 3.0 million.
Is it easy to find work as a mechanical engineer?
On average, 83.7% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year and 91.1% in their second, according to Mi Futuro.
Does a civil mechanical engineer or an execution engineer earn more?
The civil engineer: the average lower bound is CLP 2.40 million in year 4, versus CLP 1.62 million in Mechanical Engineering (including the execution degree), according to Mi Futuro.
What does a mechanical engineer do?
Work in mining, energy, manufacturing, construction, transport and consulting, in maintenance, projects, reliability, HVAC or equipment design.
