Mechanical Engineers typically make 60-70k straight out of school if you work for a big firm. With 5 years of experience it's not uncommon to hit 100k. I know a few ME that make 150k working for oil/gas companies. Like already mentioned, you will always have a job and make good money as an Engineer, unless you are lazy and don't work.
I'm a Structural Engineer and it's a great field to be in if you like working on large projects. I started off at 62k straight out of college. Chemical Engineering is the highest paying, but you have to compete with a lot of overseas jobs and typically need to travel. I know a CE that makes 200k after 10 years of experience, but he travels all over Europe for a large Petro Chem company.
Any way you look at it, Engineering is a solid job with a decent salary. The only Engineers i know who are unemployed are the lazy ones.
Good luck!