Engineering, Manufacturing and Applied Science Salaries by State
Compare mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, hardware, robotics, aerospace, and energy salary ranges by U.S. state and metro. Choose a role and market to see employer-posted base salary ranges. See methodology.
Role Salaries by State
Each cell shows the mid listed salary for a selected role in a state or metro when enough postings include salary ranges.
Role Salary Range
Bars show lower to higher listed salary ranges. The marker shows the mid listed salary.
Top Salary Markets
States by median salary
| Market | Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $138K |
| California | $128K |
| Massachusetts | $113K |
| Colorado | $104K |
| New Hampshire | $104K |
| Utah | $101K |
| Washington | $101K |
| Maryland | $96K |
States after cost of living adjustment
| Market | Adjusted |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $125K |
| California | $116K |
| Massachusetts | $107K |
| Utah | $102K |
| Colorado | $101K |
| New Hampshire | $100K |
| Alabama | $99K |
| Missouri | $96K |
Metros by median salary
| Market | Salary |
|---|---|
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $162K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $161K |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $160K |
| Yuba City, CA | $144K |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | $132K |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $129K |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | $128K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $122K |
Role Salary Highlights
| Role | Lower | Mid | Higher | Top state shown | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware Design Salaries This category encompasses roles focused on the design, verification, and integration of hardware components and systems. |
$146K | $181K | $218K | Texas ($208K) | 1,579 |
| Engineering Management Salaries Oversees and directs engineering teams to ensure successful project delivery and alignment with organizational goals. |
$146K | $180K | $220K | New Hampshire ($202K) | 5,862 |
| Robotics Salaries Jobs focused on developing and testing software and hardware for robotics and autonomous systems. |
$135K | $169K | $206K | California ($189K) | 2,803 |
| Embedded Engineering Salaries Professionals specializing in developing and optimizing software for embedded systems and devices. |
$139K | $168K | $203K | District of Columbia ($211K) | 2,622 |
| Systems Engineering Salaries Professionals who design, integrate, and manage complex systems throughout their life cycles. |
$115K | $143K | $178K | New Hampshire ($173K) | 5,030 |
| Rail Engineering Salaries This category encompasses roles focused on engineering, design, and management within the rail and transit sectors. |
$107K | $139K | $169K | California ($152K) | 144 |
| Automotive Engineering Salaries A field focused on the design, development, and manufacturing of vehicles and their systems. |
$112K | $131K | $157K | North Carolina ($145K) | 452 |
| Aerospace & Defense Salaries Professionals specializing in the design, development, and management of aerospace and defense systems and projects. |
$97K | $130K | $170K | New Hampshire ($179K) | 6,096 |
| Reliability Engineering Salaries This category encompasses roles focused on engineering, reliability, and materials development across various systems and technologies. |
$99K | $128K | $158K | Limited state coverage | 3,679 |
| Water Resources Engineering Salaries Professionals in this category focus on the management, design, and engineering of water systems and resources. |
$104K | $123K | $169K | Limited state coverage | 83 |
| Transportation Engineering Salaries Professionals involved in the planning, design, and management of transportation infrastructure and roadway projects. |
$95K | $121K | $150K | Limited state coverage | 685 |
| Scientific R&D Salaries A category encompassing roles focused on scientific research, development, and support across various biological and technical fields. |
$74K | $118K | $178K | Limited state coverage | 3,760 |
| Mechanical Engineering Salaries Mechanical engineering involves designing, analyzing, and manufacturing mechanical systems and components. |
$89K | $116K | $149K | Limited state coverage | 5,770 |
| Structural Engineering Salaries Professionals specializing in the design, analysis, and management of structures like buildings and bridges. |
$90K | $113K | $140K | Limited state coverage | 1,142 |
| Sustainability Salaries Careers focused on developing and implementing strategies for environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation. |
$84K | $109K | $143K | Limited state coverage | 209 |
| Test Engineering Salaries Professionals in this category focus on evaluating and ensuring the quality, reliability, and performance of products and systems through rigorous testing and validation processes. |
$73K | $108K | $146K | Limited state coverage | 4,360 |
| Civil Engineering Salaries Professionals involved in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure projects and systems. |
$84K | $106K | $130K | Limited state coverage | 3,273 |
| Electrical Engineering Salaries A field focused on designing, developing, and maintaining electrical systems and components. |
$75K | $103K | $134K | Limited state coverage | 6,054 |
| Quality Assurance & Control Salaries Roles focused on ensuring product and process quality through inspection, testing, and continuous improvement. |
$58K | $91K | $123K | Limited state coverage | 4,442 |
| Environmental Engineering Salaries Jobs focused on designing, developing, and managing systems to protect and improve the environment. |
$64K | $90K | $123K | Limited state coverage | 857 |
How to Read Salary Ranges
Salary ranges show what employers are currently advertising for a role. Start with the exact role or closest role group, compare pay across states and metros, and treat lower, mid, and higher values as market anchors rather than a strict experience ladder. Role scope, location, seniority, contract type, travel work, industry demand, and sample size can all move the numbers.
Using Salary Ranges in a Salary Conversation
- Lower salary range
- Useful for early-career roles, narrower scope, or stretch opportunities.
- Mid listed salary
- A practical anchor when your background closely matches the posting.
- Higher salary range
- Stronger anchor for scarce skills, senior experience, management responsibility, specialized expertise, or competing offers.
- Location salary gap
- Useful for discussing local market pay, relocation, remote compensation, or cost-of-living adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How should I use this salary tool?
- Compare pay across states and cities, then set a realistic target before applying or negotiating. State views show broad regional differences; metro views compare specific cities.
- What do lower, mid, and higher salaries mean?
- They show how advertised pay is distributed for a role. Lower is near the bottom of listed ranges, mid is around the middle, and higher is toward the top.
- Where does the salary data come from?
- Current U.S. job postings where employers list pay. The data is grouped by job type, state, metro area, and pay level; it does not use Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
- Does the salary data include bonuses, equity, or benefits?
- No. It reflects listed base pay. Tips, bonuses, commissions, equity, benefits, and other compensation are excluded when listed separately.
- Why do salaries differ by state and city?
- Markets differ by employer mix, industry, labor demand, competition, and cost of living. Higher pay in one city may not mean higher purchasing power.
How the Salary Numbers Are Calculated
Figures reflect base pay listed in job postings, not guaranteed pay, actual total earnings, Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates, or official wage statistics. Salaries are converted to yearly U.S. dollars where possible and grouped by role, location, and pay level. Lower is the lower listed range, mid is the middle listed salary, and higher is the higher listed range. Hourly wages are annualized using a 2,080-hour work year; cost-of-living adjustment uses Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, or BEA RPP. Tips, bonuses, equity, commissions, and benefits are excluded when listed separately from base pay.
Important Notes About the Data
Only postings that list salary information are included, so coverage is stronger in some states than others. Current role mix can affect results, including contract work, travel work, senior roles, junior roles, specialized jobs, and industry-specific demand. On mobile, regional charts may default to areas with the most available data so the view stays readable.