Hourly Wage for R & D Engineer Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for R & D Engineer?

As of September 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a R & D Engineer in the United States is $56, which translates to an annual salary of about $117,000.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $65 per hour
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52 to $61 per hour
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48 per hour

10% $48

50% (Median) $56

90% $65

R & D Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$126,900	$10,575	$2,440	$61
Average	$117,000	$9,750	$2,250	$56
25th Percentile	$108,200	$9,017	$2,081	$52

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Key Factors That Influence R & D Engineer Salaries

A R & D Engineer'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects R & D Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a R & D Engineer'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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $114,110
Early Career (1-2 years): $114,373
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $115,424
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $119,955
Expert (over 8 years): $122,172

Levels	Salary
Entry Level R & D Engineer	$114,110
Intermediate Level R & D Engineer	$114,373
Senior Level R & D Engineer	$115,424
Specialist Level R & D Engineer	$119,955
Expert Level R & D Engineer	$122,172

View as Graph

How Do R & D Engineer 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 R & D Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $129,500.
California: $129,000.
Massachusetts: $127,300.

District of Columbia $129,500 California $129,000 Massachusetts $127,300 Washington $126,800 New Jersey $126,800 Alaska $126,600 Connecticut $125,000 New York $124,400

Hawaii $122,300 Rhode Island $121,300 Maryland $120,600 Minnesota $119,700 Colorado $119,400 Illinois $119,200 Oregon $118,800 Delaware $118,500

New Hampshire $118,300 Virginia $117,800 Pennsylvania $116,500 Nevada $115,800 North Dakota $115,600 Michigan $115,200 Wisconsin $115,100 Vermont $114,800

Maine $114,100 Texas $114,100 Arizona $114,000 Ohio $113,900 Georgia $112,800 Indiana $112,300 Wyoming $112,200 Utah $112,000

Iowa $112,000 Kansas $111,400 Missouri $111,200 Louisiana $111,200 North Carolina $111,200 Florida $110,700 Montana $110,500 Nebraska $110,200

Kentucky $110,100 South Carolina $109,600 Tennessee $109,300 Idaho $109,200 New Mexico $108,400 Oklahoma $108,200 Alabama $107,500 South Dakota $106,300

Arkansas $105,700 West Virginia $105,400 Mississippi $104,300

Top Paying Cities for R & D Engineers

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: $147,500
San Francisco: $145,900
Oakland: $142,900

San Jose, CA $147,500

San Francisco, CA $145,900

Oakland, CA $142,900

New York, NY $134,700

Paramus, NJ $133,100

Queens Village, NY $133,000

Passaic, NJ $132,900

Bergenfield, NJ $132,900

Stamford, CT $132,700

Huntington, NY $132,600

Newark, NJ $131,800

Bridgeport, CT $131,500

Vallejo, CA $131,300

New Brunswick, NJ $131,200

Petaluma, CA $131,200

Middlesex, NJ $130,900

Somerset, NJ $130,900

Santa Cruz, CA $130,700

Boston, MA $130,000

Monterey, CA $129,600

Seattle, WA $129,300

Santa Rosa, CA $129,300

Los Angeles, CA $129,300

Juneau, AK $129,000

Washington, DC $128,800

Orange, CA $128,400

Santa Ana, CA $128,100

Anaheim, CA $128,000

Long Beach, CA $128,000

Anchorage, AK $127,900

Santa Maria, CA $127,500

Everett, WA $127,500

Danbury, CT $127,100

Bremerton, WA $127,000

Sacramento, CA $126,500

Tacoma, WA $126,500

New Suffolk, NY $126,500

Santa Barbara, CA $126,400

Trenton, NJ $126,200

San Diego, CA $126,200

Brockton, MA $126,100

Fairbanks, AK $125,800

Lompoc, CA $125,500

Lowell, MA $125,400

Ventura, CA $125,400

Nashua, NH $125,400

Stockton, CA $125,400

Modesto, CA $124,500

Poughkeepsie, NY $124,300

Olympia, WA $124,000

Kennewick, WA $124,000

New Haven, CT $124,000

Lawrence, MA $123,600

Hartford, CT $123,500

Riverside, CA $123,400

New Bedford, MA $123,300

Richland, WA $123,300

Bakersfield, CA $123,200

Atlantic City, NJ $123,100

San Bernardino, CA $123,100

New Britain, CT $123,100

New London, CT $123,000

Norwich, CT $123,000

Portsmouth, NH $123,000

Boulder, CO $122,700

Portland, OR $122,600

Worcester, MA $122,600

Minneapolis, MN $122,200

Philadelphia, PA $122,000

Honolulu, HI $121,700

Saint Paul, MN $121,600

Vineland, NJ $121,600

Providence, RI $121,200

Chicago, IL $120,900

Bellingham, WA $120,800

Springfield, MA $120,700

Baltimore, MD $120,600

Chico, CA $120,300

Pittsfield, MA $120,000

Manchester, NH $119,800

Spokane, WA $119,300

Denver, CO $119,300

Albany, NY $118,700

Troy, NY $118,700

Nassau, NY $118,500

Schenectady, NY $118,400

Wilmington, DE $118,300

Burlington, VT $118,200

Salem, OR $118,100

Portland, ME $117,800

Yakima, WA $117,600

Rochester, MN $117,300

Reno, NV $117,200

Fresno, CA $117,200

Milwaukee, WI $117,100

Detroit, MI $117,000

Ann Arbor, MI $117,000

Allentown, PA $117,000

Colorado Springs, CO $116,800

Carson City, NV $116,700

Syracuse, NY $116,700

Houston, TX $116,500

Eugene, OR $116,500

Gary, IN $116,300

Springfield, OR $116,300

Bismarck, ND $116,200

Galveston, TX $116,100

Medford, OR $116,000

Fort Collins, CO $115,900

Concord, NH $115,900

Austin, TX $115,800

Mesa, AZ $115,600

Reading, PA $115,600

Phoenix, AZ $115,600

Dallas, TX $115,500

Saint Cloud, MN $115,400

Madison, WI $115,300

Utica, NY $114,900

Rochester, NY $114,800

Raleigh, NC $114,700

Des Moines, IA $114,700

Atlanta, GA $114,600

Battle Creek, MI $114,500

Salt Lake City, UT $114,500

Lancaster, PA $114,300

Harrisburg, PA $114,100

Columbus, OH $114,000

Champaign, IL $114,000

Fort Worth, TX $114,000

Kansas City, MO $114,000

Kansas City, KS $114,000

Boca Raton, FL $113,900

Pittsburgh, PA $113,900

Richmond, VA $113,900

Indianapolis, IN $113,800

Cleveland, OH $113,800

Cincinnati, OH $113,700

Las Vegas, NV $113,700

Petersburg, VA $113,500

Huntsville, AL $113,300

Lansing, MI $113,200

Lebanon, PA $113,200

Pueblo, CO $113,200

Appleton, WI $113,200

Buffalo, NY $113,100

Dayton, OH $113,100

Racine, WI $113,100

Charlotte, NC $113,100

Elkhart, IN $113,000

York, PA $113,000

Saint Louis, MO $113,000

Gastonia, NC $112,900

Billings, MT $112,900

Beaumont, TX $112,900

Lorain, OH $112,900

Benton Harbor, MI $112,800

Toledo, OH $112,800

Binghamton, NY $112,800

Rockford, IL $112,700

Rock Hill, SC $112,700

Springfield, IL $112,600

Elyria, OH $112,600

Fargo, ND $112,600

Flagstaff, AZ $112,500

Fort Lauderdale, FL $112,500

Duluth, MN $112,400

Miami, FL $112,400

Grand Forks, ND $112,300

Cheyenne, WY $112,300

Bangor, ME $112,100

Cedar Rapids, IA $111,900

Durham, NC $111,900

Louisville, KY $111,900

Grand Rapids, MI $111,900

Hialeah, FL $111,800

Casper, WY $111,700

Scranton, PA $111,500

New Orleans, LA $111,500

Virginia Beach, VA $111,500

Akron, OH $111,400

Peoria, IL $111,300

Sarasota, FL $111,300

Nashville, TN $111,200

Omaha, NE $111,200

Green Bay, WI $111,200

Baton Rouge, LA $111,100

Charleston, SC $111,100

Jamestown, NY $111,000

Tucson, AZ $111,000

Davenport, IA $111,000

Saint Petersburg, FL $110,900

Tampa, FL $110,900

Evansville, IN $110,800

Port Arthur, TX $110,800

Bradenton, FL $110,800

Santa Fe, NM $110,600

Clearwater, FL $110,300

Orlando, FL $110,300

Canton, OH $110,100

La Crosse, WI $110,100

Albuquerque, NM $110,000

Newport News, VA $110,000

High Point, NC $109,900

Ogden, UT $109,900

Corpus Christi, TX $109,800

Norfolk, VA $109,700

Laramie, WY $109,700

Rock Island, IL $109,700

Boise, ID $109,600

Salisbury, NC $109,600

Saginaw, MI $109,600

Jacksonville, FL $109,600

Moline, IL $109,500

Fort Myers, FL $109,500

Memphis, TN $109,500

Tulsa, OK $109,400

Waterloo, IA $109,300

Lincoln, NE $109,200

Spartanburg, SC $109,200

Fort Wayne, IN $109,100

Provo, UT $109,100

Cedar Falls, IA $109,000

San Antonio, TX $108,900

Greensboro, NC $108,900

South Bend, IN $108,900

Savannah, GA $108,800

Birmingham, AL $108,700

Muskegon, MI $108,700

Winston Salem, NC $108,600

Lake Charles, LA $108,400

Anderson, IN $108,300

Lexington, KY $108,300

Augusta, GA $108,300

Greenville, SC $108,300

Wichita, KS $108,200

Tuscaloosa, AL $108,200

Lima, OH $108,200

Columbia, SC $108,100

Springfield, OH $108,000

Asheville, NC $107,800

Bloomington, IN $107,800

Knoxville, TN $107,300

Shreveport, LA $107,300

Wilmington, NC $107,200

Roanoke, VA $107,200

Topeka, KS $107,000

Frankfort, KY $107,000

Oklahoma City, OK $106,900

Chillicothe, OH $106,800

Longview, TX $106,800

Melbourne, FL $106,800

Sioux Falls, SD $106,600

Mobile, AL $106,600

Terre Haute, IN $106,600

Altoona, PA $106,500

Amarillo, TX $106,400

Killeen, TX $106,400

Fayetteville, AR $106,300

Chattanooga, TN $106,200

Sioux City, IA $106,100

Idaho Falls, ID $106,100

Lynchburg, VA $106,000

Gainesville, FL $105,900

Portsmouth, OH $105,800

Little Rock, AR $105,800

Clarksville, TN $105,700

Daytona Beach, FL $105,700

Lafayette, LA $105,700

Youngstown, OH $105,700

Pensacola, FL $105,600

Temple, TX $105,600

Hopkinsville, KY $105,300

Erie, PA $105,300

Florence, SC $105,200

Great Falls, MT $105,000

Charleston, WV $105,000

Waco, TX $104,800

Fayetteville, NC $104,800

Tallahassee, FL $104,800

Macon, GA $104,800

Helena, MT $104,700

Pine Bluff, AR $104,600

Vincennes, IN $104,500

Lubbock, TX $104,400

Alamogordo, NM $104,400

Twin Falls, ID $104,300

Rapid City, SD $104,200

Greenville, MS $104,000

Jackson, MS $104,000

Huntington, WV $104,000

Parkersburg, WV $103,900

Montgomery, AL $103,900

Wichita Falls, TX $103,800

Springfield, MO $103,800

Biloxi, MS $103,700

Monroe, LA $103,600

Johnstown, PA $103,500

Columbus, GA $103,400

Sumter, SC $103,400

Pascagoula, MS $103,200

Abilene, TX $103,200

Kingsport, TN $102,900

Albany, GA $102,900

Gulfport, MS $102,900

Alexandria, LA $102,500

Fort Smith, AR $102,200

El Paso, TX $101,900

Las Cruces, NM $101,400

Harlingen, TX $101,100

Pocatello, ID $101,000

Florence, AL $100,900

Brownsville, TX $100,900

Mcallen, TX $100,600

Dothan, AL $100,500

Columbus, MS $99,800

Altus, OK $99,200

Lawton, OK $99,000

Pierre, SD $98,600

What Skills Can Increase a R & D Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 8.08% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Computer Vision (Mentioned in 2.84% Job Postings): Designing and utilizing digital systems process, analyze, and interpret visual data.
Deep Learning (Mentioned in 2.06% Job Postings): Analyzing, developing, and applying big data and algorithms to imitate how humans think and learn.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	8.08%
Computer Vision	2.84%
Deep Learning	2.06%

See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a R & D Engineer's salary.

Deep Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Computer Vision: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Artificial Intelligence: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Deep Learning	$127,530	9%
Computer Vision	$125,190	7%
Artificial Intelligence	$124,020	6%

Get Latest Data

R & D Engineer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

R & D Engineer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $130,752. While startup companies pay approximate $110,603.

R & D Engineer Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$110,603
Growth Stage	51~500	$116,974
Established	501~5000	$126,258
Enterprise	5000+	$130,752

R & D Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For R & D Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, R & D Engineer positions in Telecom or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view R & D Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a R & D Engineer

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$175,500	$84.0	50%

How Education impacts a R & D Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many R & D Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a R & D Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $115,099 and $123,013).

R & D Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

$124,700
$123,300
$122,000
$120,600
$119,200
$117,900
$116,500
$115,100

Typical Education for R & D Engineer
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.9%
High School	14.7%
Associates	0.9%
Bachelors	14.7%
Masters	25.7%
Doctorate	58.7%

View as Graph

R & D Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a R & D Engineer'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.

$108,200

Average $117,000/year

$126,900

$9,017

Average $9,750/month

$10,575

$2,081

Average $2,250/week

$2,440

$52

Average $56/hour

$61

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$126,900	$10,575	$2,440	$61
Average	$117,000	$9,750	$2,250	$56
25th Percentile	$108,200	$9,017	$2,081	$52

Salary Trends for R & D Engineer

Salaries for a R & D Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $120,204 in 2023 to around $118,915 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of R & D Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of R & D Engineer Over Time

$???
$120,204
$120,607
$118,915
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$120,204
2024	$120,607
2025	$118,915
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for R & D Engineer

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for R & D Engineer

Here are companies hiring for R & D Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

C $128,509/per year

C R Bard Inc Biotechnology the United States

H $124,697/per year

Henry Schein Canada Biotechnology the United States

N $123,899/per year

Nordex Inc Biotechnology the United States

N $120,416/per year

Nipro Corp Biotechnology the United States

E $115,870/per year

Enovis Biotechnology the United States

A $114,553/per year

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy Biotechnology the United States

M $112,110/per year

MiniMed Inc Biotechnology the United States

L $111,500/per year

Labcorp Drug Development Biotechnology the United States

L $110,229/per year

Life Technologies Corp Biotechnology the United States

Z $106,224/per year

Zimmer Biomet Biotechnology the United States

P $103,077/per year

Promontory Therapeutics Biotechnology the United States

S $102,181/per year

Steris PLC Biotechnology the United States

G $97,274/per year

Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd Biotechnology the United States

E $94,764/per year

Endeavor BioMedicines Biotechnology the United States

R $94,402/per year

Replay Holdings LLC Biotechnology the United States

P $94,235/per year

Pleno Inc Biotechnology the United States

S $93,666/per year

Simulaids Inc Biotechnology the United States

N $88,880/per year

NOIRLab/CAS Biotechnology the United States

O $86,468/per year

Onward Technology Biotechnology the United States

L $84,895/per year

LED Medical Diagnostics Inc Biotechnology the United States

E $84,682/per year

Eyeco Ltd Biotechnology the United States

P $84,523/per year

Paerosol Biotechnology the United States

I $83,525/per year

IONIQ Sciences Inc Biotechnology the United States

S $82,815/per year

Stateside PPE Biotechnology the United States

D $82,041/per year

Digi Bio Biotechnology the United States

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FAQ about R & D Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for R & D Engineer?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for R & D Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

2. What does an R&D engineer do?

An R&D engineer is responsible for conducting research and development activities within a company. They apply research theories, principles, and models to perform experiments and innovate. Their role includes creating new products and redesigning existing ones. The salary for an R&D engineer typically ranges from $108,000 to $137,800, with a mid-point of $122,100.

3. Which engineering has the highest salary?

Among engineering roles, R&D Engineers have competitive salaries, with a minimum of $108,000, a mid-range of $122,100, and a maximum of $137,800. While various engineering fields offer high pay, R&D Engineers are well-compensated, reflecting the demand for innovation and development in technology and products.

4. What is the highest paying job in the world?

While CEO positions are often considered the highest paying jobs globally, specialized roles like R&D Engineer also offer competitive salaries. For instance, R&D Engineers can expect a minimum salary of $108,000, a mid-range salary of $122,100, and a maximum salary of $137,800, reflecting their critical role in innovation and development within organizations.

5. What is a good salary for an engineer in USA?

A good salary for an R&D Engineer in the USA typically ranges from a minimum of $108,000 to a maximum of $137,800, with a mid-salary of around $122,100. This reflects the competitive nature of the field, where experienced professionals can earn significantly more, aligning with industry standards for engineering roles.

6. How much do R&D engineers make in the USA?

R&D engineers in the USA earn between $108,000 and $137,800 annually. The average salary is approximately $122,100, translating to about $10,175 per month. This range reflects the varying levels of experience and expertise within the field, with top earners reaching up to $137,800.

7. Do engineers make more than doctors?

While engineers can earn a respectable salary, the average compensation for R&D Engineers ranges from $108,000 to $137,800, with a mid-salary of $122,100. In contrast, physicians typically earn significantly more, with even the lowest-paid specialties starting around $250,000, and top specialties reaching up to $775,000 annually.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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