What are the main factors that influence a Research and Development Engineer's salary?

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

How does experience change A Research and Development Engineer's salary?

A Research and Development Engineer's salary grows with experience: starting around $114,040 for beginners, reaching about $115,354 at mid-level, and approach $122,122 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Research and Development Engineer?

Research and Development Engineer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Research and Development Engineer roles are District of Columbia $129,466, California $128,975, Massachusetts $127,256. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Research and Development Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Research and Development Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Research and Development Director: $204,829; Chemical Engineer VI - Research & Development (R&D): $190,110; Chemical Engineer V - Research & Development (R&D): $164,840; Chemical Engineer IV - Research & Development (R&D): $138,400; Assistant Research and Development Engineer: $120,169.

How do different companies affect a Research and Development Engineer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Research and Development Engineer 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.

Research and Development Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Research and Development Engineer make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Research and Development Engineer in the United States is $116,931 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $56.

However, a Research and Development Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $135,915
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $108,126 to $126,868
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $100,110

10% $100,110

50% (Median) $116,931

90% $135,915

Research and Development Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$126,868	$10,572	$2,440	$61
Average	$116,931	$9,744	$2,249	$56
25th Percentile	$108,126	$9,011	$2,079	$52

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 Research and Development Engineer Salaries

A Research and Development Engineer'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 Research and Development Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Research and Development Engineer'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): $114,040
Early Career (1-2 years): $114,303
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $115,354
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $119,897
Expert (over 8 years): $122,122

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Research and Development Engineer	$114,040
Intermediate Level Research and Development Engineer	$114,303
Senior Level Research and Development Engineer	$115,354
Specialist Level Research and Development Engineer	$119,897
Expert Level Research and Development Engineer	$122,122

View as Graph

How Do Research and Development Engineers 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 Research and Development Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $129,466.
California: $128,975.
Massachusetts: $127,256.

District of Columbia $129,466 California $128,975 Massachusetts $127,256 Washington $126,788 New Jersey $126,742 Alaska $126,578 Connecticut $124,964 New York $124,309

Hawaii $122,216 Rhode Island $121,234 Maryland $120,568 Minnesota $119,655 Colorado $119,305 Illinois $119,188 Oregon $118,743 Delaware $118,416

New Hampshire $118,210 Virginia $117,750 Pennsylvania $116,405 Nevada $115,727 North Dakota $115,504 Michigan $115,154 Wisconsin $115,025 Vermont $114,768

Texas $114,054 Maine $114,008 Arizona $113,938 Ohio $113,856 Georgia $112,780 Indiana $112,242 Wyoming $112,137 Utah $111,973

Iowa $111,903 Kansas $111,342 Louisiana $111,178 North Carolina $111,120 Missouri $111,096 Florida $110,640 Montana $110,395 Nebraska $110,161

Kentucky $110,032 South Carolina $109,564 Tennessee $109,272 Idaho $109,155 New Mexico $108,301 Oklahoma $108,114 Alabama $107,425 South Dakota $106,267

Arkansas $105,635 West Virginia $105,296 Mississippi $104,279

Top Paying Cities for Research and Development Engineer

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: $147,485
San Francisco: $145,870
Oakland: $142,796

San Jose, CA $147,485

San Francisco, CA $145,870

Oakland, CA $142,796

New York, NY $134,633

Paramus, NJ $132,996

Queens Village, NY $132,990

Passaic, NJ $132,879

Bergenfield, NJ $132,869

Stamford, CT $132,611

Huntington, NY $132,564

Newark, NJ $131,699

Bridgeport, CT $131,453

Vallejo, CA $131,220

New Brunswick, NJ $131,173

Petaluma, CA $131,103

Middlesex, NJ $130,881

Somerset, NJ $130,799

Santa Cruz, CA $130,647

Boston, MA $129,934

Monterey, CA $129,523

Seattle, WA $129,256

Santa Rosa, CA $129,232

Los Angeles, CA $129,197

Juneau, AK $128,893

Washington, DC $128,764

Orange, CA $128,348

Santa Ana, CA $128,039

Long Beach, CA $127,923

Anaheim, CA $127,899

Anchorage, AK $127,841

Santa Maria, CA $127,490

Everett, WA $127,466

Danbury, CT $127,055

Bremerton, WA $126,894

Tacoma, WA $126,473

New Suffolk, NY $126,470

Sacramento, CA $126,437

Santa Barbara, CA $126,309

Trenton, NJ $126,180

San Diego, CA $126,180

Brockton, MA $126,052

Fairbanks, AK $125,765

Lompoc, CA $125,467

Lowell, MA $125,372

Ventura, CA $125,350

Nashua, NH $125,327

Stockton, CA $125,315

Modesto, CA $124,461

Poughkeepsie, NY $124,204

Olympia, WA $123,982

Kennewick, WA $123,982

New Haven, CT $123,935

Lawrence, MA $123,514

Hartford, CT $123,397

Riverside, CA $123,374

New Bedford, MA $123,257

Richland, WA $123,257

Bakersfield, CA $123,093

San Bernardino, CA $123,046

New Britain, CT $123,035

Atlantic City, NJ $123,035

New London, CT $122,988

Norwich, CT $122,953

Portsmouth, NH $122,930

Boulder, CO $122,682

Portland, OR $122,520

Worcester, MA $122,509

Minneapolis, MN $122,146

Philadelphia, PA $121,982

Honolulu, HI $121,597

Saint Paul, MN $121,540

Vineland, NJ $121,515

Providence, RI $121,176

Chicago, IL $120,836

Bellingham, WA $120,696

Springfield, MA $120,603

Baltimore, MD $120,568

Chico, CA $120,275

Pittsfield, MA $119,960

Manchester, NH $119,737

Spokane, WA $119,223

Denver, CO $119,211

Albany, NY $118,662

Troy, NY $118,615

Nassau, NY $118,490

Schenectady, NY $118,369

Wilmington, DE $118,276

Burlington, VT $118,112

Salem, OR $118,065

Portland, ME $117,703

Yakima, WA $117,586

Rochester, MN $117,223

Reno, NV $117,165

Fresno, CA $117,165

Milwaukee, WI $117,060

Detroit, MI $116,943

Ann Arbor, MI $116,923

Allentown, PA $116,908

Colorado Springs, CO $116,709

Syracuse, NY $116,650

Carson City, NV $116,650

Houston, TX $116,487

Eugene, OR $116,428

Gary, IN $116,288

Springfield, OR $116,194

Bismarck, ND $116,171

Galveston, TX $116,089

Medford, OR $115,914

Fort Collins, CO $115,867

Concord, NH $115,808

Austin, TX $115,773

Mesa, AZ $115,528

Reading, PA $115,516

Phoenix, AZ $115,504

Dallas, TX $115,469

Saint Cloud, MN $115,357

Madison, WI $115,200

Utica, NY $114,885

Rochester, NY $114,698

Des Moines, IA $114,686

Raleigh, NC $114,674

Atlanta, GA $114,499

Battle Creek, MI $114,464

Salt Lake City, UT $114,429

Lancaster, PA $114,253

Harrisburg, PA $114,090

Kansas City, MO $113,973

Champaign, IL $113,949

Kansas City, KS $113,949

Fort Worth, TX $113,938

Columbus, OH $113,918

Boca Raton, FL $113,891

Pittsburgh, PA $113,844

Richmond, VA $113,797

Indianapolis, IN $113,774

Cleveland, OH $113,762

Las Vegas, NV $113,622

Cincinnati, OH $113,622

Petersburg, VA $113,446

Huntsville, AL $113,271

Lansing, MI $113,193

Lebanon, PA $113,178

Pueblo, CO $113,166

Appleton, WI $113,131

Buffalo, NY $113,084

Dayton, OH $113,049

Racine, WI $113,026

Charlotte, NC $113,014

Saint Louis, MO $112,979

York, PA $112,909

Elkhart, IN $112,909

Gastonia, NC $112,886

Billings, MT $112,858

Beaumont, TX $112,827

Lorain, OH $112,803

Benton Harbor, MI $112,780

Toledo, OH $112,757

Binghamton, NY $112,698

Rock Hill, SC $112,686

Rockford, IL $112,628

Springfield, IL $112,581

Elyria, OH $112,569

Fargo, ND $112,569

Flagstaff, AZ $112,488

Fort Lauderdale, FL $112,417

Duluth, MN $112,347

Miami, FL $112,347

Cheyenne, WY $112,265

Grand Forks, ND $112,265

Bangor, ME $112,008

Cedar Rapids, IA $111,880

Durham, NC $111,830

Louisville, KY $111,821

Grand Rapids, MI $111,798

Hialeah, FL $111,786

Casper, WY $111,622

Scranton, PA $111,482

New Orleans, LA $111,447

Virginia Beach, VA $111,435

Akron, OH $111,377

Peoria, IL $111,225

Sarasota, FL $111,201

Nashville, TN $111,120

Omaha, NE $111,120

Green Bay, WI $111,120

Baton Rouge, LA $111,061

Charleston, SC $111,038

Jamestown, NY $110,979

Davenport, IA $110,979

Tucson, AZ $110,921

Saint Petersburg, FL $110,851

Tampa, FL $110,827

Evansville, IN $110,757

Port Arthur, TX $110,757

Bradenton, FL $110,710

Santa Fe, NM $110,500

Orlando, FL $110,289

Clearwater, FL $110,254

Canton, OH $110,009

La Crosse, WI $110,009

Albuquerque, NM $109,939

Newport News, VA $109,927

High Point, NC $109,892

Ogden, UT $109,845

Corpus Christi, TX $109,751

Norfolk, VA $109,681

Laramie, WY $109,681

Rock Island, IL $109,611

Saginaw, MI $109,588

Jacksonville, FL $109,576

Salisbury, NC $109,553

Boise, ID $109,529

Moline, IL $109,471

Fort Myers, FL $109,436

Memphis, TN $109,412

Tulsa, OK $109,354

Waterloo, IA $109,284

Spartanburg, SC $109,167

Lincoln, NE $109,108

Fort Wayne, IN $109,085

Provo, UT $109,073

Cedar Falls, IA $108,933

San Antonio, TX $108,886

Greensboro, NC $108,839

South Bend, IN $108,828

Savannah, GA $108,699

Muskegon, MI $108,652

Birmingham, AL $108,641

Winston Salem, NC $108,583

Lake Charles, LA $108,301

Anderson, IN $108,278

Lexington, KY $108,243

Augusta, GA $108,208

Greenville, SC $108,208

Lima, OH $108,114

Wichita, KS $108,103

Tuscaloosa, AL $108,103

Columbia, SC $107,997

Springfield, OH $107,974

Asheville, NC $107,787

Bloomington, IN $107,705

Knoxville, TN $107,284

Shreveport, LA $107,272

Wilmington, NC $107,120

Roanoke, VA $107,120

Topeka, KS $106,910

Frankfort, KY $106,897

Oklahoma City, OK $106,816

Chillicothe, OH $106,770

Longview, TX $106,758

Melbourne, FL $106,746

Sioux Falls, SD $106,559

Mobile, AL $106,548

Terre Haute, IN $106,501

Altoona, PA $106,431

Amarillo, TX $106,349

Killeen, TX $106,314

Fayetteville, AR $106,220

Chattanooga, TN $106,185

Sioux City, IA $106,080

Idaho Falls, ID $106,056

Lynchburg, VA $105,963

Gainesville, FL $105,811

Portsmouth, OH $105,752

Little Rock, AR $105,729

Lafayette, LA $105,682

Youngstown, OH $105,682

Daytona Beach, FL $105,612

Clarksville, TN $105,600

Pensacola, FL $105,589

Temple, TX $105,581

Hopkinsville, KY $105,238

Erie, PA $105,215

Florence, SC $105,168

Charleston, WV $104,981

Great Falls, MT $104,922

Macon, GA $104,758

Tallahassee, FL $104,747

Fayetteville, NC $104,723

Waco, TX $104,700

Helena, MT $104,618

Pine Bluff, AR $104,574

Vincennes, IN $104,431

Lubbock, TX $104,384

Alamogordo, NM $104,314

Twin Falls, ID $104,209

Rapid City, SD $104,174

Jackson, MS $103,963

Huntington, WV $103,955

Greenville, MS $103,952

Parkersburg, WV $103,832

Montgomery, AL $103,811

Wichita Falls, TX $103,694

Springfield, MO $103,694

Biloxi, MS $103,636

Monroe, LA $103,519

Johnstown, PA $103,437

Sumter, SC $103,390

Columbus, GA $103,379

Pascagoula, MS $103,157

Abilene, TX $103,157

Kingsport, TN $102,853

Albany, GA $102,853

Gulfport, MS $102,817

Alexandria, LA $102,432

Fort Smith, AR $102,139

El Paso, TX $101,824

Las Cruces, NM $101,297

Harlingen, TX $101,000

Pocatello, ID $100,982

Florence, AL $100,830

Brownsville, TX $100,806

Mcallen, TX $100,561

Dothan, AL $100,397

Columbus, MS $99,702

Altus, OK $99,157

Lawton, OK $98,935

Pierre, SD $98,514

What Skills Can Increase a Research and Development Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 8.08% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Computer Vision (Mentioned in 2.84% Job Postings): Designing and utilizing digital systems process, analyze, and interpret visual data.
Deep Learning (Mentioned in 2.06% Job Postings): Analyzing, developing, and applying big data and algorithms to imitate how humans think and learn.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	8.08%
Computer Vision	2.84%
Deep Learning	2.06%

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 Research and Development Engineer's salary.

Deep Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Computer Vision: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Artificial Intelligence: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Deep Learning	$127,455	9%
Computer Vision	$125,116	7%
Artificial Intelligence	$123,947	6%

Get Latest Data

Research and Development Engineer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Research and Development Engineer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $130,898. While startup companies pay approximate $110,736.

Research and Development Engineer Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$110,736
Growth Stage	51~500	$117,117
Established	501~5000	$126,405
Enterprise	5000+	$130,898

Research and Development Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Research and Development Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Research and Development Engineer positions in Telecom or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Research and Development Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Research and Development Engineer

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$175,396	$84.0	50%

How Education impacts an Research and Development Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Research and Development Engineer 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 Research and Development Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $115,563 and $123,542.

Research and Development Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

$125,200
$123,800
$122,500
$121,100
$119,700
$118,400
$117,000
$115,600

Typical Education for Research and Development Engineer
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.9%
High School	14.7%
Associates	0.9%
Bachelors	14.7%
Masters	25.7%
Doctorate	58.7%

View as Graph

Research and Development Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Research and Development Engineer'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.

$108,126

Average $116,931/year

$126,868

$9,011

Average $9,744/month

$10,572

$2,079

Average $2,249/week

$2,440

$52

Average $56/hour

$61

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$126,868	$10,572	$2,440	$61
Average	$116,931	$9,744	$2,249	$56
25th Percentile	$108,126	$9,011	$2,079	$52

Research and Development Engineer Salary Growth & Career Path

Research and Development Engineer

Next Role

Advancement

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Research and Development Engineer, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Research and Development Engineer Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role	Estimate Salary	Projected Raise
Human Factors Researcher IV	$134,661	15%
Research and Development Associate IV	$131,399	12%

Salary Trends for Research and Development Engineer

Salaries for a Research and Development Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $120,204 in 2023 to around $118,915 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Research and Development Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Research and Development Engineer Over Time

$???
$120,204
$120,607
$118,915
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$120,204
2024	$120,607
2025	$118,915
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Research and Development Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Research and Development Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Research and Development Engineer 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 Research and Development Engineer

1. Where can a Research and Development Engineer earn the most?

A Research and Development Engineer'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 Research and Development Engineer earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Research and Development Engineer is $147,485.

2. What is the highest pay for Research and Development Engineer?

The highest pay for Research and Development Engineer is $135,915.

3. What is the lowest pay for Research and Development Engineer?

The lowest pay for Research and Development Engineer is $100,110.

4. What are the responsibilities of Research and Development Engineer?

Conducts research and development activities for an organization. Applies research theories, principles, and models when conducting experiments and research activities. Summarizes research results and communicates findings to internal and external bodies. Assesses the scope of research projects and ensures projects are on time and within budget. Develops technical documentation for all projects. May require an advanced degree. 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 Research and Development Engineer?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Research and Development Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 50% 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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