How much does an Automation Scientist make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Automation Scientist in the United States is $86,645 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.
However, an Automation Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $111,051
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $77,451 to $99,420
Key Factors That Influence Automation Scientist Salaries
An Automation Scientist'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 Automation Scientist Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Automation Scientist'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:
How Do Automation Scientist 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 Automation Scientists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $109,285
San Francisco: $108,088
Oakland: $105,810
San Jose, CA$109,285
San Francisco, CA$108,088
Oakland, CA$105,810
New York, NY$99,762
Paramus, NJ$98,549
Queens Village, NY$98,544
Passaic, NJ$98,462
Bergenfield, NJ$98,454
Stamford, CT$98,264
Huntington, NY$98,228
Newark, NJ$97,588
Bridgeport, CT$97,405
Vallejo, CA$97,233
New Brunswick, NJ$97,198
Petaluma, CA$97,146
Middlesex, NJ$96,981
Somerset, NJ$96,921
Santa Cruz, CA$96,808
Boston, MA$96,279
Monterey, CA$95,975
Seattle, WA$95,777
Santa Rosa, CA$95,760
Los Angeles, CA$95,734
Juneau, AK$95,508
Washington, DC$95,413
Orange, CA$95,105
Santa Ana, CA$94,876
Long Beach, CA$94,789
Anaheim, CA$94,772
Anchorage, AK$94,729
Santa Maria, CA$94,469
Everett, WA$94,451
Danbury, CT$94,146
Bremerton, WA$94,027
Tacoma, WA$93,715
New Suffolk, NY$93,713
Sacramento, CA$93,689
Santa Barbara, CA$93,593
Trenton, NJ$93,498
San Diego, CA$93,498
Brockton, MA$93,403
Fairbanks, AK$93,191
Lompoc, CA$92,970
Lowell, MA$92,899
Ventura, CA$92,883
Nashua, NH$92,866
Stockton, CA$92,857
Modesto, CA$92,225
Poughkeepsie, NY$92,034
Olympia, WA$91,869
Kennewick, WA$91,869
New Haven, CT$91,835
Lawrence, MA$91,523
Hartford, CT$91,436
Riverside, CA$91,419
New Bedford, MA$91,332
Richland, WA$91,332
Bakersfield, CA$91,211
San Bernardino, CA$91,176
New Britain, CT$91,167
Atlantic City, NJ$91,167
New London, CT$91,133
Norwich, CT$91,107
Portsmouth, NH$91,089
Boulder, CO$90,906
Portland, OR$90,786
Worcester, MA$90,778
Minneapolis, MN$90,509
Philadelphia, PA$90,388
Honolulu, HI$90,102
Saint Paul, MN$90,060
Vineland, NJ$90,041
Providence, RI$89,790
Chicago, IL$89,539
Bellingham, WA$89,435
Springfield, MA$89,365
Baltimore, MD$89,339
Chico, CA$89,123
Pittsfield, MA$88,889
Manchester, NH$88,724
Spokane, WA$88,343
Denver, CO$88,334
Albany, NY$87,927
Troy, NY$87,892
Nassau, NY$87,800
Schenectady, NY$87,710
Wilmington, DE$87,641
Burlington, VT$87,520
Salem, OR$87,485
Portland, ME$87,216
Yakima, WA$87,130
Rochester, MN$86,861
Reno, NV$86,818
Fresno, CA$86,818
Milwaukee, WI$86,740
Detroit, MI$86,653
Ann Arbor, MI$86,639
Allentown, PA$86,627
Colorado Springs, CO$86,480
Syracuse, NY$86,437
Carson City, NV$86,437
Houston, TX$86,315
Eugene, OR$86,272
Gary, IN$86,168
Springfield, OR$86,099
Bismarck, ND$86,081
Galveston, TX$86,021
Medford, OR$85,891
Fort Collins, CO$85,856
Concord, NH$85,813
Austin, TX$85,787
Mesa, AZ$85,605
Reading, PA$85,596
Phoenix, AZ$85,588
Dallas, TX$85,562
Saint Cloud, MN$85,478
Madison, WI$85,362
Utica, NY$85,128
Rochester, NY$84,990
Des Moines, IA$84,981
Raleigh, NC$84,972
Atlanta, GA$84,842
Battle Creek, MI$84,816
Salt Lake City, UT$84,790
Lancaster, PA$84,660
Harrisburg, PA$84,539
Kansas City, MO$84,452
Champaign, IL$84,435
Kansas City, KS$84,435
Fort Worth, TX$84,426
Columbus, OH$84,412
Boca Raton, FL$84,392
Pittsburgh, PA$84,357
Richmond, VA$84,323
Indianapolis, IN$84,305
Cleveland, OH$84,297
Las Vegas, NV$84,193
Cincinnati, OH$84,193
Petersburg, VA$84,063
Huntsville, AL$83,933
Lansing, MI$83,875
Lebanon, PA$83,863
Pueblo, CO$83,855
Appleton, WI$83,829
Buffalo, NY$83,794
Dayton, OH$83,768
Racine, WI$83,751
Charlotte, NC$83,742
Saint Louis, MO$83,716
York, PA$83,664
Elkhart, IN$83,664
Gastonia, NC$83,648
Billings, MT$83,627
Beaumont, TX$83,603
Lorain, OH$83,586
Benton Harbor, MI$83,569
Toledo, OH$83,551
Binghamton, NY$83,508
Rock Hill, SC$83,499
Rockford, IL$83,456
Springfield, IL$83,421
Elyria, OH$83,413
Fargo, ND$83,413
Flagstaff, AZ$83,352
Fort Lauderdale, FL$83,300
Duluth, MN$83,248
Miami, FL$83,248
Cheyenne, WY$83,187
Grand Forks, ND$83,187
Bangor, ME$82,997
Cedar Rapids, IA$82,902
Durham, NC$82,865
Louisville, KY$82,858
Grand Rapids, MI$82,841
Hialeah, FL$82,832
Casper, WY$82,711
Scranton, PA$82,607
New Orleans, LA$82,581
Virginia Beach, VA$82,572
Akron, OH$82,529
Peoria, IL$82,416
Sarasota, FL$82,399
Nashville, TN$82,338
Omaha, NE$82,338
Green Bay, WI$82,338
Baton Rouge, LA$82,295
Charleston, SC$82,278
Jamestown, NY$82,234
Davenport, IA$82,234
Tucson, AZ$82,191
Saint Petersburg, FL$82,139
Tampa, FL$82,122
Evansville, IN$82,070
Port Arthur, TX$82,070
Bradenton, FL$82,035
Santa Fe, NM$81,879
Orlando, FL$81,723
Clearwater, FL$81,697
Canton, OH$81,515
La Crosse, WI$81,515
Albuquerque, NM$81,463
Newport News, VA$81,455
High Point, NC$81,429
Ogden, UT$81,394
Corpus Christi, TX$81,325
Norfolk, VA$81,273
Laramie, WY$81,273
Rock Island, IL$81,221
Saginaw, MI$81,203
Jacksonville, FL$81,195
Salisbury, NC$81,177
Boise, ID$81,160
Moline, IL$81,117
Fort Myers, FL$81,091
Memphis, TN$81,073
Tulsa, OK$81,030
Waterloo, IA$80,978
Spartanburg, SC$80,891
Lincoln, NE$80,848
Fort Wayne, IN$80,831
Provo, UT$80,822
Cedar Falls, IA$80,718
San Antonio, TX$80,683
Greensboro, NC$80,649
South Bend, IN$80,640
Savannah, GA$80,545
Muskegon, MI$80,510
Birmingham, AL$80,501
Winston Salem, NC$80,459
Lake Charles, LA$80,250
Anderson, IN$80,233
Lexington, KY$80,207
Augusta, GA$80,181
Greenville, SC$80,181
Lima, OH$80,112
Wichita, KS$80,103
Tuscaloosa, AL$80,103
Columbia, SC$80,025
Springfield, OH$80,008
Asheville, NC$79,869
Bloomington, IN$79,808
Knoxville, TN$79,496
Shreveport, LA$79,488
Wilmington, NC$79,375
Roanoke, VA$79,375
Topeka, KS$79,219
Frankfort, KY$79,210
Oklahoma City, OK$79,150
Chillicothe, OH$79,115
Longview, TX$79,107
Melbourne, FL$79,098
Sioux Falls, SD$78,959
Mobile, AL$78,951
Terre Haute, IN$78,916
Altoona, PA$78,864
Amarillo, TX$78,803
Killeen, TX$78,777
Fayetteville, AR$78,708
Chattanooga, TN$78,682
Sioux City, IA$78,604
Idaho Falls, ID$78,587
Lynchburg, VA$78,517
Gainesville, FL$78,405
Portsmouth, OH$78,361
Little Rock, AR$78,344
Lafayette, LA$78,309
Youngstown, OH$78,309
Daytona Beach, FL$78,257
Clarksville, TN$78,249
Pensacola, FL$78,240
Temple, TX$78,234
Hopkinsville, KY$77,980
Erie, PA$77,963
Florence, SC$77,928
Charleston, WV$77,790
Great Falls, MT$77,746
Macon, GA$77,625
Tallahassee, FL$77,616
Fayetteville, NC$77,599
Waco, TX$77,582
Helena, MT$77,521
Pine Bluff, AR$77,488
Vincennes, IN$77,382
Lubbock, TX$77,348
Alamogordo, NM$77,296
Twin Falls, ID$77,218
Rapid City, SD$77,192
Jackson, MS$77,036
Huntington, WV$77,030
Greenville, MS$77,027
Parkersburg, WV$76,939
Montgomery, AL$76,923
Wichita Falls, TX$76,836
Springfield, MO$76,836
Biloxi, MS$76,793
Monroe, LA$76,706
Johnstown, PA$76,646
Sumter, SC$76,611
Columbus, GA$76,602
Pascagoula, MS$76,438
Abilene, TX$76,438
Kingsport, TN$76,213
Albany, GA$76,213
Gulfport, MS$76,187
Alexandria, LA$75,901
Fort Smith, AR$75,684
El Paso, TX$75,450
Las Cruces, NM$75,060
Harlingen, TX$74,840
Pocatello, ID$74,826
Florence, AL$74,714
Brownsville, TX$74,696
Mcallen, TX$74,514
Dothan, AL$74,393
Columbus, MS$73,878
Altus, OK$73,475
Lawton, OK$73,310
Pierre, SD$72,998
What Skills Can Increase an Automation Scientist's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Problem Solving (Mentioned in 5.36% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
Career Development (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Refers to the process an individual may undergo to evolve their occupational status. It is the process of making decisions for long term learning, to align personal needs of physical or psychological fulfillment with career advancement opportunities.
Business Administration (Mentioned in 1.19% Job Postings): It is the management of all aspects of a business's performance, decisions, and organization. It includes the day to day operations, aspects including finances and human resources, and ensures the company stays aligned to the goal or mission.
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 an Automation Scientist's salary.
Visio: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Data Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Automation Scientist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Automation Scientist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 69% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Automation Scientist positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Automation Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an Automation Scientist
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$112,638
$54.0
30%
Pharmaceuticals
$108,306
$52.0
25%
Internet
$103,974
$50.0
20%
Energy & Utilities
$99,641
$48.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$97,042
$47.0
12%
How Education impacts an Automation Scientist's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Automation Scientists enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Automation Scientist with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$72,281
and $77,748).
Automation Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an Automation Scientist'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.
Salaries for an Automation Scientist can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $59,530 in 2023
to around $59,399 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Automation Scientist salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Automation Scientist Over Time
$???
$59,530
$59,783
$59,399
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$59,530
2024
$59,783
2025
$59,399
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Automation Scientist
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Automation Scientist
Here are companies hiring for Automation Scientist and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Automation Scientist Job
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FAQ about Automation Scientist
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Automation Scientist?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Automation Scientist roles,
with salaries approximately 30% 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.
