Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salary in the United States
How much does a Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I in the United States is $87,600 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.
However, a Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $104,603
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $80,200 to $96,500
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $73,463
10%$73,463
50% (Median)$87,600
90%$104,603
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salaries
A Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Commissioning & Start-up Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I (0-2 years): $87,573
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer II (2-4 years): $95,350
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer III (4-7 years): $106,912
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer IV (7+ years): $118,914
How Do Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Commissioning & Start-up Engineer Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $97,000.
California: $96,600.
Massachusetts: $95,400.
District of Columbia$97,000
California$96,600
Massachusetts$95,400
Washington$95,000
New Jersey$95,000
Alaska$94,800
Connecticut$93,600
New York$93,100
Hawaii$91,600
Rhode Island$90,800
Maryland$90,300
Minnesota$89,700
Colorado$89,400
Illinois$89,300
Oregon$89,000
Delaware$88,700
New Hampshire$88,600
Virginia$88,200
Pennsylvania$87,200
Nevada$86,700
North Dakota$86,600
Michigan$86,300
Wisconsin$86,200
Vermont$86,000
Texas$85,500
Arizona$85,400
Maine$85,400
Ohio$85,300
Georgia$84,500
Indiana$84,100
Wyoming$84,000
Utah$83,900
Iowa$83,900
Kansas$83,400
Louisiana$83,300
North Carolina$83,300
Missouri$83,300
Florida$82,900
Montana$82,700
Nebraska$82,600
Kentucky$82,500
South Carolina$82,100
Tennessee$81,900
Idaho$81,800
New Mexico$81,200
Oklahoma$81,000
Alabama$80,500
South Dakota$79,600
Arkansas$79,200
West Virginia$78,900
Mississippi$78,100
Top Paying Cities for Commissioning & Start-up Engineer Is
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $110,500
San Francisco: $109,300
Oakland: $107,000
San Jose, CA$110,500
San Francisco, CA$109,300
Oakland, CA$107,000
New York, NY$100,900
Paramus, NJ$99,700
Queens Village, NY$99,700
Passaic, NJ$99,600
Bergenfield, NJ$99,600
Stamford, CT$99,400
Huntington, NY$99,300
Newark, NJ$98,700
Bridgeport, CT$98,500
Vallejo, CA$98,300
New Brunswick, NJ$98,300
Petaluma, CA$98,200
Middlesex, NJ$98,100
Somerset, NJ$98,000
Santa Cruz, CA$97,900
Boston, MA$97,400
Monterey, CA$97,100
Seattle, WA$96,900
Santa Rosa, CA$96,800
Los Angeles, CA$96,800
Juneau, AK$96,600
Washington, DC$96,500
Orange, CA$96,200
Santa Ana, CA$95,900
Long Beach, CA$95,900
Anchorage, AK$95,800
Anaheim, CA$95,800
Santa Maria, CA$95,500
Everett, WA$95,500
Danbury, CT$95,200
Bremerton, WA$95,100
Tacoma, WA$94,800
New Suffolk, NY$94,800
Sacramento, CA$94,700
San Diego, CA$94,600
Trenton, NJ$94,600
Santa Barbara, CA$94,600
Brockton, MA$94,500
Fairbanks, AK$94,200
Lompoc, CA$94,000
Lowell, MA$93,900
Ventura, CA$93,900
Nashua, NH$93,900
Stockton, CA$93,900
Modesto, CA$93,300
Poughkeepsie, NY$93,100
New Haven, CT$92,900
Olympia, WA$92,900
Kennewick, WA$92,900
Lawrence, MA$92,600
Hartford, CT$92,500
New Bedford, MA$92,400
Riverside, CA$92,400
Richland, WA$92,400
San Bernardino, CA$92,200
New London, CT$92,200
Atlantic City, NJ$92,200
Bakersfield, CA$92,200
New Britain, CT$92,200
Norwich, CT$92,100
Portsmouth, NH$92,100
Boulder, CO$91,900
Portland, OR$91,800
Worcester, MA$91,800
Minneapolis, MN$91,500
Philadelphia, PA$91,400
Honolulu, HI$91,100
Saint Paul, MN$91,100
Vineland, NJ$91,100
Providence, RI$90,800
Chicago, IL$90,500
Springfield, MA$90,400
Bellingham, WA$90,400
Baltimore, MD$90,300
Chico, CA$90,100
Pittsfield, MA$89,900
Manchester, NH$89,700
Spokane, WA$89,300
Denver, CO$89,300
Albany, NY$88,900
Troy, NY$88,900
Nassau, NY$88,800
Schenectady, NY$88,700
Wilmington, DE$88,600
Burlington, VT$88,500
Salem, OR$88,500
Portland, ME$88,200
Yakima, WA$88,100
Rochester, MN$87,800
Reno, NV$87,800
Fresno, CA$87,800
Milwaukee, WI$87,700
Detroit, MI$87,600
Ann Arbor, MI$87,600
Allentown, PA$87,600
Colorado Springs, CO$87,500
Carson City, NV$87,400
Syracuse, NY$87,400
Houston, TX$87,300
Eugene, OR$87,200
Gary, IN$87,100
Springfield, OR$87,100
Bismarck, ND$87,100
Galveston, TX$87,000
Medford, OR$86,900
Concord, NH$86,800
Austin, TX$86,800
Fort Collins, CO$86,800
Mesa, AZ$86,600
Reading, PA$86,600
Phoenix, AZ$86,600
Dallas, TX$86,500
Saint Cloud, MN$86,400
Madison, WI$86,300
Utica, NY$86,100
Rochester, NY$86,000
Raleigh, NC$85,900
Des Moines, IA$85,900
Atlanta, GA$85,800
Battle Creek, MI$85,800
Salt Lake City, UT$85,700
Lancaster, PA$85,600
Harrisburg, PA$85,500
Kansas City, MO$85,400
Kansas City, KS$85,400
Champaign, IL$85,400
Fort Worth, TX$85,400
Columbus, OH$85,400
Indianapolis, IN$85,300
Richmond, VA$85,300
Boca Raton, FL$85,300
Pittsburgh, PA$85,300
Cleveland, OH$85,200
Las Vegas, NV$85,100
Cincinnati, OH$85,100
Petersburg, VA$85,000
Huntsville, AL$84,900
Appleton, WI$84,800
Pueblo, CO$84,800
Lansing, MI$84,800
Lebanon, PA$84,800
Buffalo, NY$84,700
Dayton, OH$84,700
Racine, WI$84,700
Charlotte, NC$84,700
Saint Louis, MO$84,700
Gastonia, NC$84,600
York, PA$84,600
Elkhart, IN$84,600
Billings, MT$84,600
Beaumont, TX$84,500
Lorain, OH$84,500
Benton Harbor, MI$84,500
Toledo, OH$84,500
Binghamton, NY$84,500
Fargo, ND$84,400
Elyria, OH$84,400
Rock Hill, SC$84,400
Rockford, IL$84,400
Springfield, IL$84,400
Flagstaff, AZ$84,300
Fort Lauderdale, FL$84,200
Duluth, MN$84,200
Miami, FL$84,200
Grand Forks, ND$84,100
Cheyenne, WY$84,100
Bangor, ME$83,900
Hialeah, FL$83,800
Grand Rapids, MI$83,800
Durham, NC$83,800
Cedar Rapids, IA$83,800
Louisville, KY$83,800
Casper, WY$83,600
Scranton, PA$83,500
New Orleans, LA$83,500
Virginia Beach, VA$83,500
Akron, OH$83,500
Green Bay, WI$83,300
Omaha, NE$83,300
Peoria, IL$83,300
Sarasota, FL$83,300
Nashville, TN$83,300
Baton Rouge, LA$83,200
Charleston, SC$83,200
Davenport, IA$83,200
Jamestown, NY$83,200
Saint Petersburg, FL$83,100
Tampa, FL$83,100
Tucson, AZ$83,100
Evansville, IN$83,000
Port Arthur, TX$83,000
Bradenton, FL$83,000
Santa Fe, NM$82,800
Orlando, FL$82,600
Clearwater, FL$82,600
High Point, NC$82,400
Newport News, VA$82,400
Canton, OH$82,400
Albuquerque, NM$82,400
La Crosse, WI$82,400
Ogden, UT$82,300
Corpus Christi, TX$82,200
Norfolk, VA$82,200
Laramie, WY$82,200
Boise, ID$82,100
Jacksonville, FL$82,100
Salisbury, NC$82,100
Rock Island, IL$82,100
Saginaw, MI$82,100
Moline, IL$82,000
Fort Myers, FL$82,000
Memphis, TN$82,000
Tulsa, OK$81,900
Waterloo, IA$81,900
Spartanburg, SC$81,800
Lincoln, NE$81,800
Provo, UT$81,700
Fort Wayne, IN$81,700
Cedar Falls, IA$81,600
San Antonio, TX$81,600
Greensboro, NC$81,600
South Bend, IN$81,600
Savannah, GA$81,500
Muskegon, MI$81,400
Birmingham, AL$81,400
Winston Salem, NC$81,400
Lake Charles, LA$81,200
Anderson, IN$81,100
Lexington, KY$81,100
Augusta, GA$81,100
Greenville, SC$81,100
Lima, OH$81,000
Wichita, KS$81,000
Tuscaloosa, AL$81,000
Columbia, SC$80,900
Springfield, OH$80,900
Asheville, NC$80,800
Bloomington, IN$80,700
Knoxville, TN$80,400
Shreveport, LA$80,400
Wilmington, NC$80,300
Roanoke, VA$80,300
Topeka, KS$80,100
Frankfort, KY$80,100
Melbourne, FL$80,000
Longview, TX$80,000
Chillicothe, OH$80,000
Oklahoma City, OK$80,000
Sioux Falls, SD$79,900
Mobile, AL$79,800
Terre Haute, IN$79,800
Altoona, PA$79,800
Amarillo, TX$79,700
Killeen, TX$79,700
Chattanooga, TN$79,600
Fayetteville, AR$79,600
Sioux City, IA$79,500
Idaho Falls, ID$79,500
Lynchburg, VA$79,400
Gainesville, FL$79,300
Portsmouth, OH$79,300
Youngstown, OH$79,200
Little Rock, AR$79,200
Lafayette, LA$79,200
Temple, TX$79,100
Pensacola, FL$79,100
Daytona Beach, FL$79,100
Clarksville, TN$79,100
Hopkinsville, KY$78,900
Florence, SC$78,800
Erie, PA$78,800
Charleston, WV$78,700
Great Falls, MT$78,600
Waco, TX$78,500
Fayetteville, NC$78,500
Tallahassee, FL$78,500
Macon, GA$78,500
Helena, MT$78,400
Pine Bluff, AR$78,400
Vincennes, IN$78,300
Lubbock, TX$78,200
Alamogordo, NM$78,200
Twin Falls, ID$78,100
Rapid City, SD$78,100
Greenville, MS$77,900
Jackson, MS$77,900
Huntington, WV$77,900
Parkersburg, WV$77,800
Montgomery, AL$77,800
Wichita Falls, TX$77,700
Springfield, MO$77,700
Biloxi, MS$77,700
Monroe, LA$77,600
Columbus, GA$77,500
Sumter, SC$77,500
Johnstown, PA$77,500
Pascagoula, MS$77,300
Abilene, TX$77,300
Kingsport, TN$77,100
Albany, GA$77,100
Gulfport, MS$77,100
Alexandria, LA$76,800
Fort Smith, AR$76,500
El Paso, TX$76,300
Las Cruces, NM$75,900
Harlingen, TX$75,700
Pocatello, ID$75,700
Florence, AL$75,600
Brownsville, TX$75,500
Mcallen, TX$75,400
Dothan, AL$75,200
Columbus, MS$74,700
Altus, OK$74,300
Lawton, OK$74,100
Pierre, SD$73,800
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $97,796.
While startup companies pay approximate $82,809.
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$82,809
Growth Stage
51~500
$87,560
Established
501~5000
$94,430
Enterprise
5000+
$97,796
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Biotechnology and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Commissioning & Start-up Engineer positions in Retail & Wholesale or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$105,120
$51.0
20%
Financial Services
$105,120
$51.0
20%
Internet
$105,120
$51.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$105,120
$51.0
20%
Software & Networking
$105,120
$51.0
20%
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$80,200
Average$87,600/year
$96,500
$6,683
Average$7,300/month
$8,042
$1,542
Average$1,685/week
$1,856
$39
Average$42/hour
$46
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$96,500
$8,042
$1,856
$46
Average
$87,600
$7,300
$1,685
$42
25th Percentile
$80,200
$6,683
$1,542
$39
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salary Growth & Career Path
Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings.
As a Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I, you have the following paths for advancement.
The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles.
By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role
Estimate Salary
Projected Raise
Commissioning & Start-up Engineer II
$95,400
9%
Industrial Research Engineer II
$95,800
9%
Salaries of Jobs related to Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I
HVAC Commissioning Engineer$124,968
Commissioning Engineer IV$118,914
Commissioning Engineer$112,994
Commissioning Engineer III$106,912
Commissioning Engineer II$95,350
Electrical Commissioning Engineer$93,764
Lead Commissioning Engineer$88,545
Industrial Commissioning Engineer I$87,580
Commissioning Engineer I$87,573
Junior Commissioning Engineer$75,500
Mechanical Commissioning Engineer$70,540
Most common benefits for Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I
Here are companies hiring for Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Commissioning & Start-up Engineer I roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
