What are the main factors that influence a Reliability Engineer III's salary?

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

How does experience change A Reliability Engineer 's salary?

A Reliability Engineer 's salary grows with experience: a Reliability Engineer I (0-2 years)earns $78,040, a Reliability Engineer II (2-4 years)earns $93,329, a Reliability Engineer III (4-7 years)earns $112,538, a Reliability Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $137,019, a Reliability Engineer V (7-10 years)earns $161,666,

What are the highest paying states for a Reliability Engineer III?

Reliability Engineer III salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Reliability Engineer III roles are District of Columbia $124,602, California $124,129, Massachusetts $122,475. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Reliability Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Reliability Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Lead Reliability Engineer: $161,670; Specialist Reliability Engineer: $137,033; Maintenance Reliability Engineer: $113,110; Reliability Analysis Engineer III: $112,590; Senior Reliability Engineer: $112,553.

How do different companies affect a Reliability Engineer III's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Reliability Engineer III 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.

Reliability Engineer III Salary in the United States

How much does a Reliability Engineer III make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Reliability Engineer III in the United States is $112,538 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $54.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $126,031
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $105,570 to $119,601
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $99,226

10% $99,226

50% (Median) $112,538

90% $126,031

Reliability Engineer III Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$119,601	$9,967	$2,300	$58
Average	$112,538	$9,378	$2,164	$54
25th Percentile	$105,570	$8,798	$2,030	$51

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 Reliability Engineer III Salaries

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

How Experience Level Affects Reliability Engineer III Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Reliability Engineer 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:

Reliability Engineer I (0-2 years): $78,040
Reliability Engineer II (2-4 years): $93,329
Reliability Engineer III (4-7 years): $112,538
Reliability Engineer IV (7+ years): $137,019
Reliability Engineer V (7-10 years): $161,666

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Reliability Engineer I	0-2 years	$78,040
Reliability Engineer II	2-4 years	$93,329
Reliability Engineer III	4-7 years	$112,538
Reliability Engineer IV	7+ years	$137,019
Reliability Engineer V	7-10 years	$161,666

View as Graph

How Do Reliability Engineer 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 Reliability Engineer IIIs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $124,602.
California: $124,129.
Massachusetts: $122,475.

District of Columbia $124,602 California $124,129 Massachusetts $122,475 Washington $122,025 New Jersey $121,980 Alaska $121,822 Connecticut $120,269 New York $119,639

Hawaii $117,625 Rhode Island $116,679 Maryland $116,038 Minnesota $115,160 Colorado $114,823 Illinois $114,710 Oregon $114,282 Delaware $113,967

New Hampshire $113,769 Virginia $113,326 Pennsylvania $112,032 Nevada $111,379 North Dakota $111,165 Michigan $110,827 Wisconsin $110,704 Vermont $110,456

Texas $109,770 Maine $109,725 Arizona $109,657 Ohio $109,578 Georgia $108,543 Indiana $108,025 Wyoming $107,924 Utah $107,766

Iowa $107,699 Kansas $107,159 Louisiana $107,001 North Carolina $106,945 Missouri $106,922 Florida $106,483 Montana $106,247 Nebraska $106,022

Kentucky $105,898 South Carolina $105,448 Tennessee $105,167 Idaho $105,054 New Mexico $104,233 Oklahoma $104,053 Alabama $103,389 South Dakota $102,275

Arkansas $101,667 West Virginia $101,340 Mississippi $100,361

Top Paying Cities for Reliability Engineer 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: $141,944
San Francisco: $140,390
Oakland: $137,431

San Jose, CA $141,944

San Francisco, CA $140,390

Oakland, CA $137,431

New York, NY $129,575

Paramus, NJ $128,000

Queens Village, NY $127,994

Passaic, NJ $127,887

Bergenfield, NJ $127,877

Stamford, CT $127,629

Huntington, NY $127,583

Newark, NJ $126,752

Bridgeport, CT $126,514

Vallejo, CA $126,290

New Brunswick, NJ $126,245

Petaluma, CA $126,178

Middlesex, NJ $125,964

Somerset, NJ $125,885

Santa Cruz, CA $125,739

Boston, MA $125,052

Monterey, CA $124,657

Seattle, WA $124,400

Santa Rosa, CA $124,377

Los Angeles, CA $124,343

Juneau, AK $124,051

Washington, DC $123,927

Orange, CA $123,526

Santa Ana, CA $123,229

Long Beach, CA $123,117

Anaheim, CA $123,094

Anchorage, AK $123,038

Santa Maria, CA $122,700

Everett, WA $122,678

Danbury, CT $122,282

Bremerton, WA $122,126

Tacoma, WA $121,721

New Suffolk, NY $121,719

Sacramento, CA $121,687

Santa Barbara, CA $121,564

Trenton, NJ $121,440

San Diego, CA $121,440

Brockton, MA $121,316

Fairbanks, AK $121,040

Lompoc, CA $120,753

Lowell, MA $120,662

Ventura, CA $120,641

Nashua, NH $120,618

Stockton, CA $120,607

Modesto, CA $119,785

Poughkeepsie, NY $119,538

Olympia, WA $119,324

Kennewick, WA $119,324

New Haven, CT $119,279

Lawrence, MA $118,874

Hartford, CT $118,761

Riverside, CA $118,739

New Bedford, MA $118,626

Richland, WA $118,626

Bakersfield, CA $118,469

San Bernardino, CA $118,424

New Britain, CT $118,412

Atlantic City, NJ $118,412

New London, CT $118,367

Norwich, CT $118,334

Portsmouth, NH $118,311

Boulder, CO $118,073

Portland, OR $117,917

Worcester, MA $117,906

Minneapolis, MN $117,557

Philadelphia, PA $117,400

Honolulu, HI $117,028

Saint Paul, MN $116,974

Vineland, NJ $116,949

Providence, RI $116,623

Chicago, IL $116,297

Bellingham, WA $116,162

Springfield, MA $116,072

Baltimore, MD $116,038

Chico, CA $115,757

Pittsfield, MA $115,453

Manchester, NH $115,239

Spokane, WA $114,744

Denver, CO $114,732

Albany, NY $114,204

Troy, NY $114,159

Nassau, NY $114,038

Schenectady, NY $113,922

Wilmington, DE $113,832

Burlington, VT $113,675

Salem, OR $113,630

Portland, ME $113,281

Yakima, WA $113,168

Rochester, MN $112,819

Reno, NV $112,763

Fresno, CA $112,763

Milwaukee, WI $112,662

Detroit, MI $112,549

Ann Arbor, MI $112,530

Allentown, PA $112,515

Colorado Springs, CO $112,324

Syracuse, NY $112,268

Carson City, NV $112,268

Houston, TX $112,110

Eugene, OR $112,054

Gary, IN $111,919

Springfield, OR $111,829

Bismarck, ND $111,807

Galveston, TX $111,728

Medford, OR $111,559

Fort Collins, CO $111,514

Concord, NH $111,458

Austin, TX $111,424

Mesa, AZ $111,188

Reading, PA $111,176

Phoenix, AZ $111,165

Dallas, TX $111,131

Saint Cloud, MN $111,023

Madison, WI $110,872

Utica, NY $110,569

Rochester, NY $110,389

Des Moines, IA $110,377

Raleigh, NC $110,366

Atlanta, GA $110,197

Battle Creek, MI $110,163

Salt Lake City, UT $110,130

Lancaster, PA $109,961

Harrisburg, PA $109,803

Kansas City, MO $109,691

Champaign, IL $109,668

Kansas City, KS $109,668

Fort Worth, TX $109,657

Columbus, OH $109,638

Boca Raton, FL $109,612

Pittsburgh, PA $109,567

Richmond, VA $109,522

Indianapolis, IN $109,499

Cleveland, OH $109,488

Las Vegas, NV $109,353

Cincinnati, OH $109,353

Petersburg, VA $109,184

Huntsville, AL $109,016

Lansing, MI $108,940

Lebanon, PA $108,926

Pueblo, CO $108,914

Appleton, WI $108,881

Buffalo, NY $108,835

Dayton, OH $108,802

Racine, WI $108,779

Charlotte, NC $108,768

Saint Louis, MO $108,734

York, PA $108,667

Elkhart, IN $108,667

Gastonia, NC $108,645

Billings, MT $108,618

Beaumont, TX $108,588

Lorain, OH $108,565

Benton Harbor, MI $108,543

Toledo, OH $108,520

Binghamton, NY $108,464

Rock Hill, SC $108,453

Rockford, IL $108,397

Springfield, IL $108,352

Elyria, OH $108,340

Fargo, ND $108,340

Flagstaff, AZ $108,262

Fort Lauderdale, FL $108,194

Duluth, MN $108,127

Miami, FL $108,127

Cheyenne, WY $108,048

Grand Forks, ND $108,048

Bangor, ME $107,800

Cedar Rapids, IA $107,676

Durham, NC $107,629

Louisville, KY $107,620

Grand Rapids, MI $107,598

Hialeah, FL $107,586

Casper, WY $107,429

Scranton, PA $107,294

New Orleans, LA $107,260

Virginia Beach, VA $107,249

Akron, OH $107,192

Peoria, IL $107,046

Sarasota, FL $107,024

Nashville, TN $106,945

Omaha, NE $106,945

Green Bay, WI $106,945

Baton Rouge, LA $106,889

Charleston, SC $106,866

Jamestown, NY $106,810

Davenport, IA $106,810

Tucson, AZ $106,754

Saint Petersburg, FL $106,686

Tampa, FL $106,664

Evansville, IN $106,596

Port Arthur, TX $106,596

Bradenton, FL $106,551

Santa Fe, NM $106,348

Orlando, FL $106,146

Clearwater, FL $106,112

Canton, OH $105,876

La Crosse, WI $105,876

Albuquerque, NM $105,808

Newport News, VA $105,797

High Point, NC $105,763

Ogden, UT $105,718

Corpus Christi, TX $105,628

Norfolk, VA $105,561

Laramie, WY $105,561

Rock Island, IL $105,493

Saginaw, MI $105,471

Jacksonville, FL $105,459

Salisbury, NC $105,437

Boise, ID $105,414

Moline, IL $105,358

Fort Myers, FL $105,324

Memphis, TN $105,302

Tulsa, OK $105,246

Waterloo, IA $105,178

Spartanburg, SC $105,065

Lincoln, NE $105,009

Fort Wayne, IN $104,987

Provo, UT $104,975

Cedar Falls, IA $104,840

San Antonio, TX $104,795

Greensboro, NC $104,750

South Bend, IN $104,739

Savannah, GA $104,615

Muskegon, MI $104,570

Birmingham, AL $104,559

Winston Salem, NC $104,504

Lake Charles, LA $104,233

Anderson, IN $104,210

Lexington, KY $104,176

Augusta, GA $104,143

Greenville, SC $104,143

Lima, OH $104,053

Wichita, KS $104,041

Tuscaloosa, AL $104,041

Columbia, SC $103,940

Springfield, OH $103,918

Asheville, NC $103,738

Bloomington, IN $103,659

Knoxville, TN $103,254

Shreveport, LA $103,242

Wilmington, NC $103,096

Roanoke, VA $103,096

Topeka, KS $102,893

Frankfort, KY $102,881

Oklahoma City, OK $102,803

Chillicothe, OH $102,758

Longview, TX $102,747

Melbourne, FL $102,736

Sioux Falls, SD $102,556

Mobile, AL $102,545

Terre Haute, IN $102,500

Altoona, PA $102,432

Amarillo, TX $102,353

Killeen, TX $102,320

Fayetteville, AR $102,230

Chattanooga, TN $102,196

Sioux City, IA $102,094

Idaho Falls, ID $102,072

Lynchburg, VA $101,982

Gainesville, FL $101,836

Portsmouth, OH $101,779

Little Rock, AR $101,757

Lafayette, LA $101,712

Youngstown, OH $101,712

Daytona Beach, FL $101,644

Clarksville, TN $101,633

Pensacola, FL $101,622

Temple, TX $101,614

Hopkinsville, KY $101,284

Erie, PA $101,262

Florence, SC $101,217

Charleston, WV $101,037

Great Falls, MT $100,980

Macon, GA $100,823

Tallahassee, FL $100,812

Fayetteville, NC $100,789

Waco, TX $100,767

Helena, MT $100,688

Pine Bluff, AR $100,645

Vincennes, IN $100,508

Lubbock, TX $100,463

Alamogordo, NM $100,395

Twin Falls, ID $100,294

Rapid City, SD $100,260

Jackson, MS $100,058

Huntington, WV $100,050

Greenville, MS $100,046

Parkersburg, WV $99,931

Montgomery, AL $99,911

Wichita Falls, TX $99,799

Springfield, MO $99,799

Biloxi, MS $99,742

Monroe, LA $99,630

Johnstown, PA $99,551

Sumter, SC $99,506

Columbus, GA $99,495

Pascagoula, MS $99,281

Abilene, TX $99,281

Kingsport, TN $98,988

Albany, GA $98,988

Gulfport, MS $98,955

Alexandria, LA $98,583

Fort Smith, AR $98,302

El Paso, TX $97,998

Las Cruces, NM $97,492

Harlingen, TX $97,206

Pocatello, ID $97,188

Florence, AL $97,042

Brownsville, TX $97,019

Mcallen, TX $96,783

Dothan, AL $96,625

Columbus, MS $95,957

Altus, OK $95,432

Lawton, OK $95,218

Pierre, SD $94,813

What Skills Can Increase a Reliability Engineer III's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 3.32% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Linux (Mentioned in 3.3% Job Postings): Managing a system's hardware and resources using a Unix-like open-source operating system.
Open Source (Mentioned in 2.48% Job Postings): Open source is a term that originally referred to open source software (OSS). Open source software is code that is designed to be publicly accessible—anyone can see, modify, and distribute the code as they see fit

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	3.32%
Linux	3.3%
Open Source	2.48%

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 Reliability Engineer III's salary.

Hard Working: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Site Reliability Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Incident Response: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Hard Working	$120,416	7%
Site Reliability Engineering	$118,165	5%
Incident Response	$118,165	5%

Get Latest Data

Reliability Engineer III Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Reliability Engineer III salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $125,980. While startup companies pay approximate $106,576.

Reliability Engineer III Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$106,576
Growth Stage	51~500	$112,717
Established	501~5000	$121,656
Enterprise	5000+	$125,980

Reliability Engineer III Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Reliability Engineer III roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Reliability Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Reliability Engineer III as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Reliability Engineer III

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense	$123,792	$60.0	10%
Biotechnology	$123,792	$60.0	10%
Business Services	$123,792	$60.0	10%
Chemicals	$123,792	$60.0	10%
Construction	$123,792	$60.0	10%

How Education impacts an Reliability Engineer III's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Reliability Engineer III 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 Reliability Engineer III with a Bachelor's Degree is between $113,607 and $118,431.

Reliability Engineer III Salaries by Degree Level

$119,500
$118,600
$117,700
$116,800
$115,900
$115,000
$114,200
$113,300

Typical Education for Reliability Engineer III
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	5.7%
High School	39.6%
Associates	5.7%
Bachelors	39.6%
Masters	39.6%
Doctorate	15.1%

View as Graph

Reliability Engineer III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Reliability Engineer 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.

$105,570

Average $112,538/year

$119,601

$8,798

Average $9,378/month

$9,967

$2,030

Average $2,164/week

$2,300

$51

Average $54/hour

$58

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$119,601	$9,967	$2,300	$58
Average	$112,538	$9,378	$2,164	$54
25th Percentile	$105,570	$8,798	$2,030	$51

Reliability Engineer III Salary Growth & Career Path

Reliability Engineer III

Next Role

Advancement

Reliability Engineer IV Reliability Engineer V

For a Reliability Engineer III, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Reliability Engineer IV role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $137,019 - a projected growth of 22% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Reliability Engineer III

Salaries for a Reliability Engineer III can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $120,932 in 2023 to around $117,890 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Reliability Engineer III salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Reliability Engineer III Over Time

$???
$120,932
$119,995
$117,890
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$120,932
2024	$119,995
2025	$117,890
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Reliability Engineer III

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

Common company salaries for Reliability Engineer III

Here are companies hiring for Reliability Engineer III 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 Reliability Engineer III

1. Where can a Reliability Engineer III earn the most?

A Reliability Engineer 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 Reliability Engineer III earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Reliability Engineer III is $141,944.

2. What is the highest pay for Reliability Engineer III?

The highest pay for Reliability Engineer III is $126,031.

3. What is the lowest pay for Reliability Engineer III?

The lowest pay for Reliability Engineer III is $99,226.

4. What are the responsibilities of Reliability Engineer III?

Analyzes and evaluates the reliability of products, equipment, components, and processes using engineering methodologies and tools. Develops the methods and measures utilized for reliability analysis based on product specifications, tolerances, or operating standards. Utilizes analysis techniques like FMEA, fault tree, and root cause analysis to identify problems. Oversees testing activities and reviews results. Creates risk-based failure mitigation plans. Proposes new or revised product designs, manufacturing processes and testing specifications that utilize best practices and will increase reliability. Requires a bachelor's degree in engineering. Typically reports to an engineering 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 Reliability Engineer III?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Reliability Engineer III roles, with salaries approximately 10% 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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