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Hourly Wage for Engineering Director Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for Engineering Director?

As of November 01, 2025, the average hourly rate for an Engineering Director in the United States is $97, which translates to an annual salary of about $200,916.

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): $109 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $91 to $103 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $85 per hour
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View as table View as graph 25% $91 10% $85 90% $109 75% $103 $97 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Engineering Director Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $214,112 $17,843 $4,118 $103
Average $200,916 $16,743 $3,864 $97
25th Percentile $188,669 $15,722 $3,628 $91
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Key Factors That Influence Engineering Director Salaries

An Engineering Director'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 Engineering Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Engineering Director'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): $195,620
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $196,252
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $197,726
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $199,412
  • Expert (over 8 years): $201,275
Levels Salary
Entry Level Engineering Director $195,620
Intermediate Level Engineering Director $196,252
Senior Level Engineering Director $197,726
Specialist Level Engineering Director $199,412
Expert Level Engineering Director $201,275
$195,620 0 yr
$196,252 < 2 yrs
$197,726 2-4 yrs
$199,412 5-8 yrs
$201,275 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Engineering Director 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 Engineering Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • California: $221,610.
  • Massachusetts: $218,657.
  • New Jersey: $217,773

How Education impacts an Engineering Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Engineering Directors 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 an Engineering Director with a Bachelor's Degree is between $193,964 and $204,362.

Engineering Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Engineering Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 2.5%
Associates 1.8%
Bachelors 37.5%
Masters 46.2%
Doctorate 11.8%
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Engineering Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Engineering Director'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 November 01, 2025

Salary Trends for Engineering Directors

Salaries for an Engineering Director can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $193,438 in 2023 to around $193,994 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Engineering Director salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Engineering Director Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$193,438
2024
$196,715
2025
$193,994
2026
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $193,438
2024 $196,715
2025 $193,994
2026
View More

Engineering Director bonus and incentive rates

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Base Salary 61.0%
Bonuses 14.3%
Social Security 4.3%
401k/403b 3.2%
Disability 1.5%
Healthcare 2.5%
Pension 4.1%
Time Off 9.3%
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Core Compensation
Median % of Total
Base Salary $200,916 61.0%
Bonus $46,994 14.3%
Value of Benefits
Median % of Total
Social Security $14,048 4.3%
401K/403B $10,412 3.2%
Disability $4,958 1.5%
Healthcare $8,352 2.5%
Pension $13,387 4.1%
Time Off $30,512 9.3%
Total Compensation $329,579 100%
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Most common benefits for Engineering Director

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Engineering Director

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FAQ about Engineering Director

1. What are the responsibilities of Engineering Director?

Directs an organization's engineering activities to develop or improve technical products, systems, or processes that meet specified requirements and standards. Plans and oversees engineering projects through their entire lifecycle, including cost and requirement analysis, scheduling, and coordinating activities with stakeholders. Monitors schedules and deadlines and prioritizes projects to ensure timely delivery and customer satisfaction. Manages engineering costs and project budgets and identifies processes, technologies, or materials to improve cost-savings or engineering efficiencies. Develops policies and procedures to guide the design, development, and testing of new products or processes. Leads initiatives with other departments to research, plan, and schedule potential products, projects, or opportunities. Remains informed of new technologies and processes and implements changes to improve engineering capabilities. Requires a bachelor's degree in engineering or related discipline. Typically reports to senior management. Manages a departmental sub-function within a broader departmental function. Creates functional strategies and specific objectives for the sub-function and develops budgets/policies/procedures to support the functional infrastructure. Typically requires 5+ years of managerial experience. Deep knowledge of the managed sub-function and solid knowledge of the overall departmental function.

2. What are the skills of Engineering Director

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

Software Engineering: Software engineering is the application of engineering to the development of software in a systematic method. Notable definitions of software engineering include: "the systematic application of scientific and technological knowledge, methods, and experience to the design, implementation, testing, and documentation of software"—The Bureau of Labor Statistics—IEEE Systems and software engineering - Vocabulary "The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software"—IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology "an engineering discipline that is concerned with all aspects of software production"—Ian Sommerville "the establishment and use of sound engineering principles in order to economically obtain software that is reliable and works efficiently on real machines"—Fritz Bauer

3.)

Plumbing: Plumbing is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids. Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water delivery are among the most common uses for plumbing, but it is not limited to these applications. The word derives from the Latin for lead, plumbum, as the first effective pipes used in the Roman era were lead pipes. In the developed world, plumbing infrastructure is critical to public health and sanitation. Boilermakers and pipefitters are not plumbers although they work with piping as part of their trade and their work can include some plumbing.

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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