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CAE Designer III Salary in the United States

How much does a CAE Designer III make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a CAE Designer III in the United States is $113,677 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $55.

However, a CAE Designer III's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $135,145
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $103,353 to $124,914
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $93,954
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence CAE Designer III Salaries

A CAE Designer III'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 CAE Designer III Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a CAE Designer III'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:

  • CAE Designer I (0-2 years): $73,348
  • CAE Designer II (2-4 years): $82,445
  • CAE Designer III (4-7 years): $113,677
  • CAE Designer IV (7+ years): $131,200
  • CAE Designer V (7-10 years): $149,542
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
CAE Designer I0-2 years$73,348
CAE Designer II2-4 years$82,445
CAE Designer III4-7 years$113,677
CAE Designer IV7+ years$131,200
CAE Designer V7-10 years$149,542
View as Graph

How Do CAE Designer IIIs 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 CAE Designer IIIs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $125,863.
  • California: $125,386.
  • Massachusetts: $123,715.

Top Paying Cities for CAE Designer III

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: $143,381
  • San Francisco: $141,811
  • Oakland: $138,822

What Skills Can Increase a CAE Designer III's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 4.05% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Civil Engineering (Mentioned in 3.19% Job Postings): Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewerage systems, pipelines, structural components of buildings, and railways. Civil engineering is traditionally broken into a number of sub-disciplines. It is considered the second-oldest engineering discipline after military engineering, and it is defined to distinguish non-military engineering from military engineering. Civil engineering takes place in the public sector from municipal through to national governments, and in the private sector from individual homeowners through to international companies.
  • Packaging Design (Mentioned in 0.86% Job Postings): Creating graphics and physical containers of a product to protect it from damage and tampering.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 4.05%
Civil Engineering 3.19%
Packaging Design 0.86%
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 CAE Designer III's salary.

  • Self Motivation: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Partnering: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Aviation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Self Motivation $121,634
7%
Partnering $117,087
3%
Aviation $117,087
3%
Get Latest Data

CAE Designer III Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

CAE Designer III salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $127,255. While startup companies pay approximate $107,655.

CAE Designer III Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $107,655
Growth Stage 51~500 $113,857
Established 501~5000 $122,887
Enterprise 5000+ $127,255

CAE Designer III Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For CAE Designer III roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 170% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 80% above the average. In contrast, CAE Designer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view CAE Designer III as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a CAE Designer III

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$204,619$98.080%
Pharmaceuticals$193,251$93.070%
Financial Services$181,883$87.060%
Biotechnology$170,516$82.050%
Healthcare$159,148$77.040%

CAE Designer III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a CAE Designer III'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.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$103,353
Average $113,677/year
$124,914
$8,613
Average $9,473/month
$10,410
$1,988
Average $2,186/week
$2,402
$50
Average $55/hour
$60
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $124,914 $10,410 $2,402 $60
Average $113,677 $9,473 $2,186 $55
25th Percentile $103,353 $8,613 $1,988 $50

CAE Designer III Salary Growth & Career Path

CAE Designer III

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Advancement

For a CAE Designer III, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the CAE Designer IV role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $131,200 - a projected growth of 15% over your current level.

Most common benefits for CAE Designer III

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

Common company salaries for CAE Designer III

Here are companies hiring for CAE Designer III and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about CAE Designer III

1. Where can a CAE Designer III earn the most?

A CAE Designer III's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a CAE Designer III earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a CAE Designer III is $143,381.

2. What is the highest pay for CAE Designer III?

The highest pay for CAE Designer III is $135,145.

3. What is the lowest pay for CAE Designer III?

The lowest pay for CAE Designer III is $93,954.

4. What are the responsibilities of CAE Designer III?

Utilizes computer-aided engineering (CAE) software tools to support and optimize the design engineering process for complex products, components, or structures. Creates prototypes, detailed layouts, and models to support the conceptual design process. Conducts research and analysis to understand requirements and specifications, identify optimal materials, and assess manufacturability. Performs computer simulations to find flaws or design inefficiencies, model various load and stress scenarios, and implement design improvements. Collects and assembles data and maintains design documentation. Employs CAE tools to enable benchmarking, concept design, prototype development, simulation, and testing protocols. Requires a bachelor's degree in engineering or related discipline. Typically reports to a manager. Work is generally independent and collaborative in nature. Contributes to moderately complex aspects of a project. Typically requires 4-7 years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for CAE Designer III?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for CAE Designer III roles, with salaries approximately 80% 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.

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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