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Digital Design Engineer I Salary in the United States

How much does a Digital Design Engineer I make in the United States?

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for a Digital Design Engineer I in the United States is $81,238 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

However, a Digital Design Engineer I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $94,023
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $74,511 to $87,930
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $68,386
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View as table View as graph 25% $74,511 10% $68,386 90% $94,023 75% $87,930 $81,238 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Digital Design Engineer I Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $87,930 $7,328 $1,691 $42
Average $81,238 $6,770 $1,562 $39
25th Percentile $74,511 $6,209 $1,433 $36
Check out Digital Design Engineer I Job Openings in the United States
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Raytheon - TUCSON, AZ

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Raytheon - TUCSON, AZ

Engineer II Digital Automation

Raytheon - TUCSON, AZ

Senior Structures Design Engineer

Boeing - NORTH CHARLESTON, SC

Search More Digital Design Engineer I Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Digital Design Engineer I Salaries

A Digital Design 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 Digital Design Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Digital Design 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:

  • Digital Design Engineer I (0-2 years): $81,238
  • Digital Design Engineer II (2-4 years): $102,233
  • Digital Design Engineer III (4-7 years): $127,448
  • Digital Design Engineer IV (7+ years): $161,163
  • Digital Design Engineer V (7-10 years): $190,912
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Digital Design Engineer I0-2 years$81,238
Digital Design Engineer II2-4 years$102,233
Digital Design Engineer III4-7 years$127,448
Digital Design Engineer IV7+ years$161,163
Digital Design Engineer V7-10 years$190,912
$81,238 Digital D...
$102,233 Digital D...
$127,448 Digital D...
$161,163 Digital D...
$190,912 Digital D...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Digital Design 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: $102,465
  • San Francisco: $101,458
  • Oakland: $99,208

What Skills Can Increase a Digital Design Engineer I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 2.63% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
  • Typography (Mentioned in 3.27% Job Postings): Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and appealing when displayed. The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths, line-spacing (leading), and letter-spacing (tracking), and adjusting the space between pairs of letters (kerning). The term typography is also applied to the style, arrangement, and appearance of the letters, numbers, and symbols created by the process. Type design is a closely related craft, sometimes considered part of typography; most typographers do not design typefaces, and some type designers do not consider themselves typographers. Typography also may be used as a decorative device, unrelated to communication of information. Typography is the work of typesetters (also known as compositors), typographers, graphic designers, art directors, manga artists, comic book artists, graffiti artists, and, now, anyone who arranges words, letters, numbers, and symbols for publication, display, or distribution, from clerical workers and newsletter writers to anyone self-publishing materials. Until the Digital Age, typography was a specialized occupation. Digitization opened up typography to new generations of previously unrelated designers and lay users. As the capability to create typography has become ubiquitous, the application of principles and best practices developed over generations of skilled workers and professionals has diminished. So at a time when scientific techniques can support the proven traditions (e.g., greater legibility with the use of serifs, upper and lower case, contrast, etc.) through understanding the limitations of human vision, typography as often encountered may fail to achieve its principal objective: effective communication.
  • InDesign (Mentioned in 2.37% Job Postings): nDesign is a desktop publishing software application for creating flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers, and books. Projects created using InDesign can be shared in both digital and print formats.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 2.63%
Typography 3.27%
InDesign 2.37%
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 Digital Design Engineer I's salary.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Prototyping: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Analysis
$86,112
6%
Prototyping
$85,300
5%
Innovation
$83,675
3%
Collaboration
$82,863
2%
Commitment
$82,863
2%
Integrity
$82,863
2%
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Digital Design Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Digital Design 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.

Last Updated on March 01, 2026

Digital Design Engineer I Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Digital Design Engineer I, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Digital Design Engineer II role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $102,233 - a projected growth of 26% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Digital Design Engineer I

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Digital Design Engineer I

Here are companies hiring for Digital Design Engineer I and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Digital Design Engineer I job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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FAQ about Digital Design Engineer I

1. Where can a Digital Design Engineer I earn the most?

A Digital Design Engineer I'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 Digital Design Engineer I earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Digital Design Engineer I is $102,465.

2. What is the highest pay for Digital Design Engineer I?

The highest pay for Digital Design Engineer I is $94,023.

3. What is the lowest pay for Digital Design Engineer I?

The lowest pay for Digital Design Engineer I is $68,386.

4. What are the responsibilities of Digital Design Engineer I?

Responsible for the digital design of integrated circuits and related development. Participates in all phases of physical design including floor planning, clock synthesis, timing optimization and signal integrity. Generates functional and design specifications, defines module interfaces, conducts design reviews and participates in design implementation. Requires knowledge of tools such as BIST, Verilog, IDDQ, and IC Design scripting language. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to supervisor or manager. Work is closely managed. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.

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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