What are the main factors that influence a Specialist Validation Engineer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Specialist Validation Engineer's salary?

A Specialist Validation Engineer's salary grows with experience: an Entry Validation Engineer (0-2 years)earns $79,322, an Intermediate Validation Engineer (2-4 years)earns $96,853, a Senior Validation Engineer (4-7 years)earns $114,510, a Specialist Validation Engineer (7+ years)earns $138,515,

What are the highest paying states for a Specialist Validation Engineer?

Specialist Validation Engineer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Specialist Validation Engineer roles are District of Columbia $153,400, California $152,800, Massachusetts $150,800. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Specialist Validation Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Specialist Validation Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Validation Process Engineer IV: $138,520; Validation Engineer IV: $138,515; QA/Validation Engineer IV: $125,400; Senior Validation Engineer: $114,600; Validation Engineer III: $114,510.

How do different companies affect a Specialist Validation Engineer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Specialist Validation Engineer roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Specialist Validation Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Specialist Validation Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Specialist Validation Engineer in the United States is $138,600 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $67.

However, a Specialist Validation Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $153,884
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $129,300 to $146,600
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $120,833

10% $120,833

50% (Median) $138,600

90% $153,884

Specialist Validation Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$146,600	$12,217	$2,819	$70
Average	$138,600	$11,550	$2,665	$67
25th Percentile	$129,300	$10,775	$2,487	$62

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Key Factors That Influence Specialist Validation Engineer Salaries

A Specialist Validation Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Specialist Validation 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 Specialist Validation Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $153,400.
California: $152,800.
Massachusetts: $150,800.

District of Columbia $153,400 California $152,800 Massachusetts $150,800 Washington $150,200 New Jersey $150,200 Alaska $150,000 Connecticut $148,100 New York $147,300

Hawaii $144,800 Rhode Island $143,700 Maryland $142,900 Minnesota $141,800 Colorado $141,400 Illinois $141,200 Oregon $140,700 Delaware $140,300

New Hampshire $140,100 Virginia $139,500 Pennsylvania $137,900 Nevada $137,100 North Dakota $136,900 Michigan $136,500 Wisconsin $136,300 Vermont $136,000

Texas $135,200 Maine $135,100 Arizona $135,000 Ohio $134,900 Georgia $133,600 Indiana $133,000 Wyoming $132,900 Utah $132,700

Iowa $132,600 Kansas $131,900 Louisiana $131,800 North Carolina $131,700 Missouri $131,700 Florida $131,100 Montana $130,800 Nebraska $130,500

Kentucky $130,400 South Carolina $129,800 Tennessee $129,500 Idaho $129,400 New Mexico $128,300 Oklahoma $128,100 Alabama $127,300 South Dakota $125,900

Arkansas $125,200 West Virginia $124,800 Mississippi $123,600

Top Paying Cities for Specialist Validation 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: $174,800
San Francisco: $172,800
Oakland: $169,200

San Jose, CA $174,800

San Francisco, CA $172,800

Oakland, CA $169,200

New York, NY $159,500

Paramus, NJ $157,600

Queens Village, NY $157,600

Passaic, NJ $157,500

Bergenfield, NJ $157,400

Huntington, NY $157,100

Stamford, CT $157,100

Newark, NJ $156,100

Bridgeport, CT $155,800

Vallejo, CA $155,500

New Brunswick, NJ $155,400

Petaluma, CA $155,400

Middlesex, NJ $155,100

Somerset, NJ $155,000

Santa Cruz, CA $154,800

Boston, MA $154,000

Monterey, CA $153,500

Seattle, WA $153,200

Santa Rosa, CA $153,100

Los Angeles, CA $153,100

Juneau, AK $152,700

Washington, DC $152,600

Orange, CA $152,100

Santa Ana, CA $151,700

Anaheim, CA $151,600

Long Beach, CA $151,600

Anchorage, AK $151,500

Santa Maria, CA $151,100

Everett, WA $151,000

Danbury, CT $150,600

Bremerton, WA $150,400

Tacoma, WA $149,900

New Suffolk, NY $149,900

Sacramento, CA $149,800

Santa Barbara, CA $149,700

Trenton, NJ $149,500

San Diego, CA $149,500

Brockton, MA $149,400

Fairbanks, AK $149,000

Lompoc, CA $148,700

Lowell, MA $148,600

Ventura, CA $148,500

Nashua, NH $148,500

Stockton, CA $148,500

Modesto, CA $147,500

Poughkeepsie, NY $147,200

Olympia, WA $146,900

Kennewick, WA $146,900

New Haven, CT $146,900

Lawrence, MA $146,400

Hartford, CT $146,200

Riverside, CA $146,200

New Bedford, MA $146,100

Richland, WA $146,100

Bakersfield, CA $145,900

Atlantic City, NJ $145,800

San Bernardino, CA $145,800

New Britain, CT $145,800

New London, CT $145,700

Norwich, CT $145,700

Portsmouth, NH $145,700

Boulder, CO $145,400

Portland, OR $145,200

Worcester, MA $145,200

Minneapolis, MN $144,700

Philadelphia, PA $144,500

Honolulu, HI $144,100

Saint Paul, MN $144,000

Vineland, NJ $144,000

Providence, RI $143,600

Chicago, IL $143,200

Bellingham, WA $143,000

Springfield, MA $142,900

Baltimore, MD $142,900

Chico, CA $142,500

Pittsfield, MA $142,200

Manchester, NH $141,900

Spokane, WA $141,300

Denver, CO $141,300

Albany, NY $140,600

Troy, NY $140,600

Nassau, NY $140,400

Schenectady, NY $140,300

Wilmington, DE $140,200

Burlington, VT $140,000

Salem, OR $139,900

Portland, ME $139,500

Yakima, WA $139,300

Rochester, MN $138,900

Reno, NV $138,800

Fresno, CA $138,800

Milwaukee, WI $138,700

Detroit, MI $138,600

Ann Arbor, MI $138,600

Allentown, PA $138,500

Colorado Springs, CO $138,300

Carson City, NV $138,200

Syracuse, NY $138,200

Houston, TX $138,000

Eugene, OR $138,000

Gary, IN $137,800

Springfield, OR $137,700

Bismarck, ND $137,700

Galveston, TX $137,600

Medford, OR $137,400

Fort Collins, CO $137,300

Austin, TX $137,200

Concord, NH $137,200

Mesa, AZ $136,900

Reading, PA $136,900

Phoenix, AZ $136,900

Dallas, TX $136,800

Saint Cloud, MN $136,700

Madison, WI $136,500

Utica, NY $136,100

Raleigh, NC $135,900

Des Moines, IA $135,900

Rochester, NY $135,900

Atlanta, GA $135,700

Battle Creek, MI $135,600

Salt Lake City, UT $135,600

Lancaster, PA $135,400

Harrisburg, PA $135,200

Kansas City, MO $135,100

Boca Raton, FL $135,000

Columbus, OH $135,000

Fort Worth, TX $135,000

Champaign, IL $135,000

Kansas City, KS $135,000

Pittsburgh, PA $134,900

Richmond, VA $134,900

Indianapolis, IN $134,800

Cleveland, OH $134,800

Las Vegas, NV $134,600

Cincinnati, OH $134,600

Petersburg, VA $134,400

Huntsville, AL $134,200

Lansing, MI $134,100

Lebanon, PA $134,100

Pueblo, CO $134,100

Appleton, WI $134,100

Buffalo, NY $134,000

Dayton, OH $134,000

Racine, WI $133,900

Charlotte, NC $133,900

Saint Louis, MO $133,900

Gastonia, NC $133,800

York, PA $133,800

Elkhart, IN $133,800

Billings, MT $133,700

Beaumont, TX $133,700

Lorain, OH $133,700

Binghamton, NY $133,600

Benton Harbor, MI $133,600

Toledo, OH $133,600

Rockford, IL $133,500

Rock Hill, SC $133,500

Springfield, IL $133,400

Elyria, OH $133,400

Fargo, ND $133,400

Flagstaff, AZ $133,300

Fort Lauderdale, FL $133,200

Duluth, MN $133,100

Miami, FL $133,100

Grand Forks, ND $133,000

Cheyenne, WY $133,000

Bangor, ME $132,700

Cedar Rapids, IA $132,600

Durham, NC $132,500

Louisville, KY $132,500

Grand Rapids, MI $132,500

Hialeah, FL $132,500

Casper, WY $132,300

Scranton, PA $132,100

New Orleans, LA $132,100

Virginia Beach, VA $132,100

Akron, OH $132,000

Peoria, IL $131,800

Sarasota, FL $131,800

Nashville, TN $131,700

Omaha, NE $131,700

Green Bay, WI $131,700

Baton Rouge, LA $131,600

Charleston, SC $131,600

Davenport, IA $131,500

Jamestown, NY $131,500

Saint Petersburg, FL $131,400

Tucson, AZ $131,400

Tampa, FL $131,300

Evansville, IN $131,300

Port Arthur, TX $131,300

Bradenton, FL $131,200

Santa Fe, NM $130,900

Orlando, FL $130,700

Clearwater, FL $130,700

Canton, OH $130,400

La Crosse, WI $130,400

Albuquerque, NM $130,300

Newport News, VA $130,300

High Point, NC $130,200

Ogden, UT $130,200

Corpus Christi, TX $130,100

Norfolk, VA $130,000

Laramie, WY $130,000

Saginaw, MI $129,900

Jacksonville, FL $129,900

Rock Island, IL $129,900

Salisbury, NC $129,800

Boise, ID $129,800

Moline, IL $129,700

Fort Myers, FL $129,700

Memphis, TN $129,700

Tulsa, OK $129,600

Waterloo, IA $129,500

Spartanburg, SC $129,400

Provo, UT $129,300

Lincoln, NE $129,300

Fort Wayne, IN $129,300

Cedar Falls, IA $129,100

San Antonio, TX $129,000

Greensboro, NC $129,000

South Bend, IN $129,000

Savannah, GA $128,800

Muskegon, MI $128,800

Winston Salem, NC $128,700

Birmingham, AL $128,700

Lake Charles, LA $128,300

Anderson, IN $128,300

Lexington, KY $128,300

Augusta, GA $128,200

Greenville, SC $128,200

Wichita, KS $128,100

Lima, OH $128,100

Tuscaloosa, AL $128,100

Springfield, OH $128,000

Columbia, SC $128,000

Asheville, NC $127,700

Bloomington, IN $127,600

Knoxville, TN $127,100

Shreveport, LA $127,100

Wilmington, NC $126,900

Roanoke, VA $126,900

Topeka, KS $126,700

Frankfort, KY $126,700

Oklahoma City, OK $126,600

Chillicothe, OH $126,500

Longview, TX $126,500

Melbourne, FL $126,500

Sioux Falls, SD $126,300

Mobile, AL $126,300

Terre Haute, IN $126,200

Altoona, PA $126,100

Amarillo, TX $126,000

Killeen, TX $126,000

Fayetteville, AR $125,900

Chattanooga, TN $125,800

Sioux City, IA $125,700

Idaho Falls, ID $125,700

Lynchburg, VA $125,600

Gainesville, FL $125,400

Portsmouth, OH $125,300

Little Rock, AR $125,300

Youngstown, OH $125,200

Daytona Beach, FL $125,200

Lafayette, LA $125,200

Clarksville, TN $125,100

Pensacola, FL $125,100

Temple, TX $125,100

Hopkinsville, KY $124,700

Erie, PA $124,700

Florence, SC $124,600

Charleston, WV $124,400

Great Falls, MT $124,300

Waco, TX $124,100

Tallahassee, FL $124,100

Macon, GA $124,100

Fayetteville, NC $124,100

Helena, MT $124,000

Pine Bluff, AR $123,900

Vincennes, IN $123,800

Lubbock, TX $123,700

Alamogordo, NM $123,600

Twin Falls, ID $123,500

Rapid City, SD $123,500

Greenville, MS $123,200

Huntington, WV $123,200

Jackson, MS $123,200

Parkersburg, WV $123,000

Montgomery, AL $123,000

Wichita Falls, TX $122,900

Springfield, MO $122,900

Biloxi, MS $122,800

Monroe, LA $122,700

Johnstown, PA $122,600

Columbus, GA $122,500

Sumter, SC $122,500

Pascagoula, MS $122,200

Abilene, TX $122,200

Kingsport, TN $121,900

Albany, GA $121,900

Gulfport, MS $121,800

Alexandria, LA $121,400

Fort Smith, AR $121,000

El Paso, TX $120,700

Las Cruces, NM $120,000

Harlingen, TX $119,700

Pocatello, ID $119,700

Florence, AL $119,500

Brownsville, TX $119,500

Mcallen, TX $119,200

Dothan, AL $119,000

Columbus, MS $118,200

Altus, OK $117,500

Lawton, OK $117,200

Pierre, SD $116,700

What Skills Can Increase a Specialist Validation Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Project Management (Mentioned in 6.24% Job Postings): Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.
Validation Protocols (Mentioned in 3.08% Job Postings): Validation Protocol is defined as a written plan describing the process to be validated, including production equipment and how validation will be conducted.
ISO (Mentioned in 1.9% Job Postings): The International Organization for Standardization is an international standard development organization composed of representatives from the national standards organizations of member countries.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Project Management	6.24%
Validation Protocols	3.08%
ISO	1.9%

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 Specialist Validation Engineer's salary.

Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Microbiology: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Standard Operating Procedures: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Risk Management	$151,074	9%
Microbiology	$148,302	7%
Standard Operating Procedures	$146,916	6%

Get Latest Data

Specialist Validation Engineer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Specialist Validation Engineer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $155,265. While startup companies pay approximate $131,469.

Specialist Validation Engineer Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$131,469
Growth Stage	51~500	$138,996
Established	501~5000	$149,965
Enterprise	5000+	$155,265

Specialist Validation Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Specialist Validation Engineer 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 Pharmaceuticals and Transportation sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Specialist Validation Engineer positions in Telecom or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Specialist Validation Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Specialist Validation Engineer

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals	$166,320	$80.0	20%
Transportation	$166,320	$80.0	20%
Energy & Utilities	$159,390	$77.0	15%
Aerospace & Defense	$155,232	$75.0	12%
Chemicals	$149,688	$72.0	8%

How Education impacts a Specialist Validation Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Specialist Validation Engineers enter the field with a Associate'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 Specialist Validation Engineer with a Associate's Degree is between $133,557 and $138,433).

Specialist Validation Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

$139,200
$138,400
$137,600
$136,800
$136,000
$135,200
$134,400
$133,600

Typical Education for Specialist Validation Engineer
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.5%
High School	65.2%
Associates	1.5%
Bachelors	65.2%
Masters	33.3%
Doctorate	0.0%

View as Graph

Specialist Validation Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Specialist Validation 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.

$129,300

Average $138,600/year

$146,600

$10,775

Average $11,550/month

$12,217

$2,487

Average $2,665/week

$2,819

$62

Average $67/hour

$70

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$146,600	$12,217	$2,819	$70
Average	$138,600	$11,550	$2,665	$67
25th Percentile	$129,300	$10,775	$2,487	$62

Salary Trends for Specialist Validation Engineer

Salaries for a Specialist Validation Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $134,624 in 2023 to around $133,288 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Specialist Validation Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Specialist Validation Engineer Over Time

$???
$134,624
$134,453
$133,288
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$134,624
2024	$134,453
2025	$133,288
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Specialist Validation Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Specialist Validation Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Specialist Validation 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 Specialist Validation Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Specialist Validation Engineer?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Specialist Validation Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

2. Do validation engineers make good money?

Validation engineers can earn competitive salaries. Based on recent data, the minimum salary for a Specialist Validation Engineer is $129,900, with a mid-range salary of $139,700 and a maximum salary of $144,900. This indicates that validation engineers are well-compensated for their expertise in the field.

3. What engineers make 200k a year?

Specialist Validation Engineers typically earn between $129,900 and $144,900 annually, with a mid-salary of $139,700. While some engineering roles may offer salaries around $200,000, positions like Lead Automation Engineer or Senior Software Engineer are more likely to reach that level, depending on experience and industry demand.

4. Are validation engineers in demand?

Demand for Validation Engineers is expected to rise, with an anticipated 35,600 new jobs filled by 2029. The salary range for this role typically falls between $129,900 and $144,900, with a median salary of around $139,700, reflecting the growing importance of quality assurance in various industries.

5. What is a validation Engineer?

A Validation Engineer specializes in ensuring that products meet required specifications and standards. They conduct tests, analyze results, and implement improvements. In this role, salaries typically range from $129,900 to $144,900, with a mid-range salary of about $139,700, reflecting the expertise and responsibility involved in maintaining quality and compliance.

6. What is the hourly rate for a validation engineer?

The hourly rate for a Specialist Validation Engineer can be estimated based on the salary data provided. With a minimum salary of €129,900, a mid-salary of €139,700, and a maximum salary of €144,900, the hourly rate ranges from approximately €62.34 to €69.55, depending on experience and specific role responsibilities.

7. How much does a senior validation engineer make in the US?

The estimated total pay for a Senior Validation Engineer in the US ranges from $129,900 to $144,900 per year, with a mid-salary of $139,700. These figures reflect the salary range based on current data for Specialist Validation Engineers, providing a clear picture of potential earnings in this role.

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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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