What are the main factors that influence a Process Engineer I's salary?

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

How does experience change A Process Engineer 's salary?

A Process Engineer 's salary grows with experience: a Process Engineer I (0-2 years)earns $86,626, a Process Engineer II (2-4 years)earns $99,277, a Process Engineer III (4-7 years)earns $110,193, a Process Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $134,698, a Process Engineering Supervisor (7+ years)earns $117,502,

What are the highest paying states for a Process Engineer I?

Process Engineer I salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Process Engineer I roles are District of Columbia $95,912, California $95,548, Massachusetts $94,275. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Process Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Process Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Chemical Process Design Engineer I: $87,200; Chemical Process Engineer I: $87,114; Process Development Engineer I: $86,690; Process Optimization Engineer I: $86,643; Manufacturing Process Engineer I: $86,630.

How do different companies affect a Process Engineer I's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Process Engineer I 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.

Process Engineer I Salary in the United States

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

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Process Engineer I in the United States is $86,626 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $100,735
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $79,843 to $94,011
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $73,667

10% $73,667

50% (Median) $86,626

90% $100,735

Process Engineer I Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$94,011	$7,834	$1,808	$45
Average	$86,626	$7,219	$1,666	$42
25th Percentile	$79,843	$6,654	$1,535	$38

Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Key Factors That Influence Process Engineer I Salaries

A Process 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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Process Engineer I Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Process 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:

Process Engineer I (0-2 years): $86,626
Process Engineer II (2-4 years): $99,277
Process Engineer III (4-7 years): $110,193
Process Engineer IV (7+ years): $134,698
Process Engineering Supervisor (7+ years): $117,502

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Process Engineer I	0-2 years	$86,626
Process Engineer II	2-4 years	$99,277
Process Engineer III	4-7 years	$110,193
Process Engineer IV	7+ years	$134,698
Process Engineering Supervisor	7+ years	$117,502

View as Graph

How Do Process Engineer I 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 Process Engineer Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $95,912.
California: $95,548.
Massachusetts: $94,275.

District of Columbia $95,912 California $95,548 Massachusetts $94,275 Washington $93,929 New Jersey $93,894 Alaska $93,773 Connecticut $92,577 New York $92,092

Hawaii $90,541 Rhode Island $89,814 Maryland $89,320 Minnesota $88,644 Colorado $88,385 Illinois $88,298 Oregon $87,969 Delaware $87,726

New Hampshire $87,574 Virginia $87,232 Pennsylvania $86,236 Nevada $85,734 North Dakota $85,569 Michigan $85,309 Wisconsin $85,214 Vermont $85,023

Texas $84,495 Maine $84,460 Arizona $84,408 Ohio $84,348 Georgia $83,551 Indiana $83,152 Wyoming $83,074 Utah $82,953

Iowa $82,901 Kansas $82,485 Louisiana $82,364 North Carolina $82,321 Missouri $82,303 Florida $81,966 Montana $81,784 Nebraska $81,610

Kentucky $81,515 South Carolina $81,169 Tennessee $80,952 Idaho $80,865 New Mexico $80,233 Oklahoma $80,094 Alabama $79,583 South Dakota $78,726

Arkansas $78,258 West Virginia $78,007 Mississippi $77,253

Top Paying Cities for Process 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: $109,261
San Francisco: $108,065
Oakland: $105,788

San Jose, CA $109,261

San Francisco, CA $108,065

Oakland, CA $105,788

New York, NY $99,740

Paramus, NJ $98,528

Queens Village, NY $98,523

Passaic, NJ $98,441

Bergenfield, NJ $98,433

Stamford, CT $98,243

Huntington, NY $98,207

Newark, NJ $97,567

Bridgeport, CT $97,384

Vallejo, CA $97,212

New Brunswick, NJ $97,177

Petaluma, CA $97,125

Middlesex, NJ $96,960

Somerset, NJ $96,900

Santa Cruz, CA $96,787

Boston, MA $96,259

Monterey, CA $95,955

Seattle, WA $95,756

Santa Rosa, CA $95,739

Los Angeles, CA $95,713

Juneau, AK $95,488

Washington, DC $95,393

Orange, CA $95,084

Santa Ana, CA $94,855

Long Beach, CA $94,769

Anaheim, CA $94,752

Anchorage, AK $94,708

Santa Maria, CA $94,448

Everett, WA $94,431

Danbury, CT $94,126

Bremerton, WA $94,007

Tacoma, WA $93,695

New Suffolk, NY $93,693

Sacramento, CA $93,669

Santa Barbara, CA $93,573

Trenton, NJ $93,478

San Diego, CA $93,478

Brockton, MA $93,383

Fairbanks, AK $93,171

Lompoc, CA $92,950

Lowell, MA $92,880

Ventura, CA $92,863

Nashua, NH $92,846

Stockton, CA $92,837

Modesto, CA $92,205

Poughkeepsie, NY $92,014

Olympia, WA $91,850

Kennewick, WA $91,850

New Haven, CT $91,815

Lawrence, MA $91,503

Hartford, CT $91,416

Riverside, CA $91,399

New Bedford, MA $91,312

Richland, WA $91,312

Bakersfield, CA $91,191

San Bernardino, CA $91,157

New Britain, CT $91,148

Atlantic City, NJ $91,148

New London, CT $91,113

Norwich, CT $91,087

Portsmouth, NH $91,070

Boulder, CO $90,886

Portland, OR $90,767

Worcester, MA $90,758

Minneapolis, MN $90,490

Philadelphia, PA $90,368

Honolulu, HI $90,082

Saint Paul, MN $90,041

Vineland, NJ $90,022

Providence, RI $89,771

Chicago, IL $89,519

Bellingham, WA $89,415

Springfield, MA $89,346

Baltimore, MD $89,320

Chico, CA $89,104

Pittsfield, MA $88,870

Manchester, NH $88,705

Spokane, WA $88,324

Denver, CO $88,315

Albany, NY $87,908

Troy, NY $87,873

Nassau, NY $87,781

Schenectady, NY $87,691

Wilmington, DE $87,622

Burlington, VT $87,501

Salem, OR $87,466

Portland, ME $87,198

Yakima, WA $87,111

Rochester, MN $86,843

Reno, NV $86,799

Fresno, CA $86,799

Milwaukee, WI $86,721

Detroit, MI $86,635

Ann Arbor, MI $86,620

Allentown, PA $86,609

Colorado Springs, CO $86,461

Syracuse, NY $86,418

Carson City, NV $86,418

Houston, TX $86,297

Eugene, OR $86,254

Gary, IN $86,150

Springfield, OR $86,080

Bismarck, ND $86,063

Galveston, TX $86,002

Medford, OR $85,872

Fort Collins, CO $85,838

Concord, NH $85,794

Austin, TX $85,768

Mesa, AZ $85,586

Reading, PA $85,578

Phoenix, AZ $85,569

Dallas, TX $85,543

Saint Cloud, MN $85,460

Madison, WI $85,344

Utica, NY $85,110

Rochester, NY $84,971

Des Moines, IA $84,963

Raleigh, NC $84,954

Atlanta, GA $84,824

Battle Creek, MI $84,798

Salt Lake City, UT $84,772

Lancaster, PA $84,642

Harrisburg, PA $84,521

Kansas City, MO $84,434

Champaign, IL $84,417

Kansas City, KS $84,417

Fort Worth, TX $84,408

Columbus, OH $84,394

Boca Raton, FL $84,374

Pittsburgh, PA $84,339

Richmond, VA $84,304

Indianapolis, IN $84,287

Cleveland, OH $84,278

Las Vegas, NV $84,174

Cincinnati, OH $84,174

Petersburg, VA $84,045

Huntsville, AL $83,915

Lansing, MI $83,857

Lebanon, PA $83,845

Pueblo, CO $83,837

Appleton, WI $83,811

Buffalo, NY $83,776

Dayton, OH $83,750

Racine, WI $83,733

Charlotte, NC $83,724

Saint Louis, MO $83,698

York, PA $83,646

Elkhart, IN $83,646

Gastonia, NC $83,630

Billings, MT $83,609

Beaumont, TX $83,585

Lorain, OH $83,568

Benton Harbor, MI $83,551

Toledo, OH $83,533

Binghamton, NY $83,490

Rock Hill, SC $83,481

Rockford, IL $83,438

Springfield, IL $83,404

Elyria, OH $83,395

Fargo, ND $83,395

Flagstaff, AZ $83,334

Fort Lauderdale, FL $83,282

Duluth, MN $83,230

Miami, FL $83,230

Cheyenne, WY $83,170

Grand Forks, ND $83,170

Bangor, ME $82,979

Cedar Rapids, IA $82,884

Durham, NC $82,847

Louisville, KY $82,840

Grand Rapids, MI $82,823

Hialeah, FL $82,814

Casper, WY $82,693

Scranton, PA $82,589

New Orleans, LA $82,563

Virginia Beach, VA $82,555

Akron, OH $82,511

Peoria, IL $82,399

Sarasota, FL $82,381

Nashville, TN $82,321

Omaha, NE $82,321

Green Bay, WI $82,321

Baton Rouge, LA $82,277

Charleston, SC $82,260

Jamestown, NY $82,217

Davenport, IA $82,217

Tucson, AZ $82,173

Saint Petersburg, FL $82,121

Tampa, FL $82,104

Evansville, IN $82,052

Port Arthur, TX $82,052

Bradenton, FL $82,017

Santa Fe, NM $81,862

Orlando, FL $81,706

Clearwater, FL $81,680

Canton, OH $81,498

La Crosse, WI $81,498

Albuquerque, NM $81,446

Newport News, VA $81,437

High Point, NC $81,411

Ogden, UT $81,376

Corpus Christi, TX $81,307

Norfolk, VA $81,255

Laramie, WY $81,255

Rock Island, IL $81,203

Saginaw, MI $81,186

Jacksonville, FL $81,177

Salisbury, NC $81,160

Boise, ID $81,143

Moline, IL $81,099

Fort Myers, FL $81,073

Memphis, TN $81,056

Tulsa, OK $81,013

Waterloo, IA $80,961

Spartanburg, SC $80,874

Lincoln, NE $80,831

Fort Wayne, IN $80,813

Provo, UT $80,805

Cedar Falls, IA $80,701

San Antonio, TX $80,666

Greensboro, NC $80,631

South Bend, IN $80,623

Savannah, GA $80,528

Muskegon, MI $80,493

Birmingham, AL $80,484

Winston Salem, NC $80,442

Lake Charles, LA $80,233

Anderson, IN $80,216

Lexington, KY $80,190

Augusta, GA $80,164

Greenville, SC $80,164

Lima, OH $80,094

Wichita, KS $80,086

Tuscaloosa, AL $80,086

Columbia, SC $80,008

Springfield, OH $79,990

Asheville, NC $79,852

Bloomington, IN $79,791

Knoxville, TN $79,479

Shreveport, LA $79,471

Wilmington, NC $79,358

Roanoke, VA $79,358

Topeka, KS $79,202

Frankfort, KY $79,193

Oklahoma City, OK $79,133

Chillicothe, OH $79,098

Longview, TX $79,090

Melbourne, FL $79,081

Sioux Falls, SD $78,942

Mobile, AL $78,934

Terre Haute, IN $78,899

Altoona, PA $78,847

Amarillo, TX $78,786

Killeen, TX $78,760

Fayetteville, AR $78,691

Chattanooga, TN $78,665

Sioux City, IA $78,587

Idaho Falls, ID $78,570

Lynchburg, VA $78,500

Gainesville, FL $78,388

Portsmouth, OH $78,345

Little Rock, AR $78,327

Lafayette, LA $78,293

Youngstown, OH $78,293

Daytona Beach, FL $78,241

Clarksville, TN $78,232

Pensacola, FL $78,223

Temple, TX $78,217

Hopkinsville, KY $77,963

Erie, PA $77,946

Florence, SC $77,911

Charleston, WV $77,773

Great Falls, MT $77,730

Macon, GA $77,608

Tallahassee, FL $77,600

Fayetteville, NC $77,582

Waco, TX $77,565

Helena, MT $77,504

Pine Bluff, AR $77,471

Vincennes, IN $77,366

Lubbock, TX $77,331

Alamogordo, NM $77,279

Twin Falls, ID $77,201

Rapid City, SD $77,175

Jackson, MS $77,019

Huntington, WV $77,013

Greenville, MS $77,011

Parkersburg, WV $76,922

Montgomery, AL $76,907

Wichita Falls, TX $76,820

Springfield, MO $76,820

Biloxi, MS $76,777

Monroe, LA $76,690

Johnstown, PA $76,629

Sumter, SC $76,595

Columbus, GA $76,586

Pascagoula, MS $76,421

Abilene, TX $76,421

Kingsport, TN $76,196

Albany, GA $76,196

Gulfport, MS $76,170

Alexandria, LA $75,884

Fort Smith, AR $75,668

El Paso, TX $75,434

Las Cruces, NM $75,044

Harlingen, TX $74,824

Pocatello, ID $74,810

Florence, AL $74,698

Brownsville, TX $74,680

Mcallen, TX $74,498

Dothan, AL $74,377

Columbus, MS $73,863

Altus, OK $73,459

Lawton, OK $73,294

Pierre, SD $72,982

What Skills Can Increase a Process Engineer I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 6.14% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Design Engineering (Mentioned in 1.88% Job Postings): Creating a system, component, or process to develop new products and systems.
PowerPoint (Mentioned in 1.46% Job Postings): A computer software created by Microsoft which allows the user to create slides with recordings, narrations, transitions and other features in order to present information.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	6.14%
Design Engineering	1.88%
PowerPoint	1.46%

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 Process Engineer I's salary.

Semiconductors: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Mechanical Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Six Sigma: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Semiconductors	$95,289	10%
Mechanical Engineering	$93,556	8%
Six Sigma	$93,556	8%

Get Latest Data

Process Engineer I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Process Engineer I salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $97,042. While startup companies pay approximate $82,169.

Process Engineer I Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$82,169
Growth Stage	51~500	$86,874
Established	501~5000	$93,729
Enterprise	5000+	$97,042

Process Engineer I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Process Engineer I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Process Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Construction typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Process Engineer I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Process Engineer I

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$103,951	$50.0	20%
Energy & Utilities	$99,620	$48.0	15%
Aerospace & Defense	$95,289	$46.0	10%
Software & Networking	$95,289	$46.0	10%
Telecom	$95,289	$46.0	10%

How Education impacts a Process Engineer I's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Process Engineer I enter the field with a Bachelor's 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 Process Engineer I with a Bachelor's Degree is between $75,272 and $78,139.

Process Engineer I Salaries by Degree Level

$80,000
$79,300
$78,600
$78,000
$77,300
$76,700
$76,000
$75,300

Typical Education for Process Engineer I
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.3%
High School	2.3%
Associates	3.5%
Bachelors	62.6%
Masters	27.0%
Doctorate	4.6%

View as Graph

Process Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Process 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.

$79,843

Average $86,626/year

$94,011

$6,654

Average $7,219/month

$7,834

$1,535

Average $1,666/week

$1,808

$38

Average $42/hour

$45

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$94,011	$7,834	$1,808	$45
Average	$86,626	$7,219	$1,666	$42
25th Percentile	$79,843	$6,654	$1,535	$38

Process Engineer I Salary Growth & Career Path

Process Engineer I

Next Role

Advancement

Process Engineer II Process Engineering Manager

For a Process Engineer I, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Process Engineer II role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $99,277 - a projected growth of 15% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Process Engineer I

Salaries for a Process Engineer I can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $69,859 in 2023 to around $70,282 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Process Engineer I salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Process Engineer I Over Time

$???
$69,859
$70,439
$70,282
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$69,859
2024	$70,439
2025	$70,282
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Process Engineer I

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

Common company salaries for Process Engineer I

Here are companies hiring for Process Engineer I 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 Process Engineer I

1. Where can a Process Engineer I earn the most?

A Process 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 Process Engineer I earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Process Engineer I is $109,261.

2. What is the highest pay for Process Engineer I?

The highest pay for Process Engineer I is $100,735.

3. What is the lowest pay for Process Engineer I?

The lowest pay for Process Engineer I is $73,667.

4. What are the responsibilities of Process Engineer I?

Develops and optimizes continuous production and manufacturing processes to achieve the output, quality, and cost goals of the organization. Collects production data and applies standard scientific and statistical methods to analyze, document, and diagram production processes. Identifies process bottlenecks and devises solutions to resolve. Recommends changes or upgrades to equipment, work methods, or other aspects of the process to improve efficiency and utilization of resources including labor, energy and raw materials. Requires a bachelor's degree of engineering. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Work is closely managed. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Process Engineer I?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Process Engineer I roles, with salaries approximately 20% 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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