Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Systems Simulation Engineer I in California is $86,440 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.
However, a Systems Simulation Engineer I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
AI Onboarding
Systems Simulation Engineer I Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $94,340 | $7,862 | $1,814 | $45 |
| Average | $86,440 | $7,203 | $1,662 | $42 |
| 25th Percentile | $80,200 | $6,683 | $1,542 | $39 |
Waymo - San Francisco, CA
Waabi - San Francisco, CA
Hammerhead AI - Redwood City, CA
DensityAI - Mountain View, CA
A Systems Simulation 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.
Experience is a primary driver of a Systems Simulation 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:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Simulation Engineer I | 0-2 years | $86,433 |
| Modeling & Simulation Engineer II | 2-4 years | $103,418 |
| Modeling & Simulation Engineer III | 4-7 years | $130,883 |
| Modeling & Simulation Engineer IV | 7+ years | $159,442 |
| Modeling & Simulation Engineer V | 7-10 years | $191,837 |
What Am I Worth?
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 Systems Simulation Engineer Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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:
Systems Simulation Engineer I salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $96,765. While startup companies pay approximate $81,861.
| Company Size | Employees | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Startup | 1~50 | $81,861 |
| Growth Stage | 51~500 | $86,577 |
| Established | 501~5000 | $93,443 |
| Enterprise | 5000+ | $96,765 |
For Systems Simulation Engineer I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Business Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Systems Simulation Engineer positions in Aerospace & Defense or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Systems Simulation Engineer I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology | $112,372 | $54.0 | 30% |
Understanding how a Systems Simulation 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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $94,340 | $7,862 | $1,814 | $45 |
| Average | $86,440 | $7,203 | $1,662 | $42 |
| 25th Percentile | $80,200 | $6,683 | $1,542 | $39 |
For a Systems Simulation Engineer I, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Modeling & Simulation Engineer II role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $103,500 - a projected growth of 20% over your current level.
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Systems Simulation Engineer I job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Waymo
Mountain View, CA
Waymo | Mountain View, CA
A leading autonomous driving technology company is seeking a highly skilled C++ Software Engineer to design and develop systems for realistic world generat... more
10 Days Ago
Furientis
Los Angeles, CA
Furientis | Los Angeles, CA
Job Description. Job Description. America is critically deficient in production of defensive munitions- we currently produce shipborne interceptors in the ... more
6 Days Ago
Impulse Space
Redondo Beach, CA
Impulse Space | Redondo Beach, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Description. As a. Simulation Engineer. you will be responsible for developing and maintaining high-fidelity simulations ... more
6 Days Ago
PlusAI
Santa Clara, CA
PlusAI | Santa Clara, CA
Job Description. Job Description. PlusAI is a Physical AI company pioneering AI-based virtual driver software for factory-built autonomous trucks. Headquar... more
7 Days Ago
Relativity Space
Long Beach, CA
Relativity Space | Long Beach, CA
Job Description. Job Description. At Relativity Space, we're building rockets to serve today's needs and tomorrow's breakthroughs. Our Terran R vehicle wil... more
7 Days Ago
ClearanceJobs
Costa Mesa, CA
ClearanceJobs | Costa Mesa, CA
Software EngineerAnduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technol... more
8 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
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.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
