How much does an Autonomous Engineer make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Autonomous Engineer in the United States is $79,234 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $38.
However, an Autonomous Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,777
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $72,299 to $91,034
Key Factors That Influence Autonomous Engineer Salaries
An Autonomous 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
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Autonomous Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Autonomous 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:
How Do Autonomous Engineer 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 Autonomous Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $87,728.
California: $87,395.
Massachusetts: $86,230.
District of Columbia$87,728
California$87,395
Massachusetts$86,230
Washington$85,913
New Jersey$85,882
Alaska$85,771
Connecticut$84,677
New York$84,234
Hawaii$82,815
Rhode Island$82,150
Maryland$81,698
Minnesota$81,080
Colorado$80,842
Illinois$80,763
Oregon$80,462
Delaware$80,240
New Hampshire$80,101
Virginia$79,789
Pennsylvania$78,877
Nevada$78,418
North Dakota$78,267
Michigan$78,030
Wisconsin$77,942
Vermont$77,768
Texas$77,285
Maine$77,253
Arizona$77,206
Ohio$77,150
Georgia$76,421
Indiana$76,057
Wyoming$75,985
Utah$75,874
Iowa$75,827
Kansas$75,447
Louisiana$75,336
North Carolina$75,296
Missouri$75,280
Florida$74,971
Montana$74,805
Nebraska$74,646
Kentucky$74,559
South Carolina$74,242
Tennessee$74,044
Idaho$73,965
New Mexico$73,387
Oklahoma$73,260
Alabama$72,792
South Dakota$72,008
Arkansas$71,580
West Virginia$71,350
Mississippi$70,661
Top Paying Cities for Autonomous Engineers
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: $99,938
San Francisco: $98,844
Oakland: $96,761
San Jose, CA$99,938
San Francisco, CA$98,844
Oakland, CA$96,761
New York, NY$91,229
Paramus, NJ$90,120
Queens Village, NY$90,116
Passaic, NJ$90,041
Bergenfield, NJ$90,034
Stamford, CT$89,859
Huntington, NY$89,827
Newark, NJ$89,241
Bridgeport, CT$89,074
Vallejo, CA$88,916
New Brunswick, NJ$88,885
Petaluma, CA$88,837
Middlesex, NJ$88,687
Somerset, NJ$88,631
Santa Cruz, CA$88,528
Boston, MA$88,045
Monterey, CA$87,767
Seattle, WA$87,585
Santa Rosa, CA$87,569
Los Angeles, CA$87,546
Juneau, AK$87,340
Washington, DC$87,252
Orange, CA$86,970
Santa Ana, CA$86,761
Long Beach, CA$86,682
Anaheim, CA$86,666
Anchorage, AK$86,627
Santa Maria, CA$86,389
Everett, WA$86,373
Danbury, CT$86,094
Bremerton, WA$85,985
Tacoma, WA$85,699
New Suffolk, NY$85,698
Sacramento, CA$85,676
Santa Barbara, CA$85,589
Trenton, NJ$85,501
San Diego, CA$85,501
Brockton, MA$85,414
Fairbanks, AK$85,220
Lompoc, CA$85,018
Lowell, MA$84,954
Ventura, CA$84,939
Nashua, NH$84,923
Stockton, CA$84,915
Modesto, CA$84,337
Poughkeepsie, NY$84,162
Olympia, WA$84,012
Kennewick, WA$84,012
New Haven, CT$83,980
Lawrence, MA$83,695
Hartford, CT$83,616
Riverside, CA$83,600
New Bedford, MA$83,521
Richland, WA$83,521
Bakersfield, CA$83,410
San Bernardino, CA$83,378
New Britain, CT$83,370
Atlantic City, NJ$83,370
New London, CT$83,338
Norwich, CT$83,315
Portsmouth, NH$83,299
Boulder, CO$83,131
Portland, OR$83,021
Worcester, MA$83,013
Minneapolis, MN$82,768
Philadelphia, PA$82,657
Honolulu, HI$82,395
Saint Paul, MN$82,357
Vineland, NJ$82,340
Providence, RI$82,110
Chicago, IL$81,880
Bellingham, WA$81,785
Springfield, MA$81,722
Baltimore, MD$81,698
Chico, CA$81,500
Pittsfield, MA$81,286
Manchester, NH$81,136
Spokane, WA$80,787
Denver, CO$80,779
Albany, NY$80,407
Troy, NY$80,375
Nassau, NY$80,290
Schenectady, NY$80,209
Wilmington, DE$80,145
Burlington, VT$80,034
Salem, OR$80,003
Portland, ME$79,757
Yakima, WA$79,678
Rochester, MN$79,432
Reno, NV$79,392
Fresno, CA$79,392
Milwaukee, WI$79,321
Detroit, MI$79,242
Ann Arbor, MI$79,228
Allentown, PA$79,218
Colorado Springs, CO$79,083
Syracuse, NY$79,044
Carson City, NV$79,044
Houston, TX$78,933
Eugene, OR$78,893
Gary, IN$78,798
Springfield, OR$78,735
Bismarck, ND$78,719
Galveston, TX$78,664
Medford, OR$78,545
Fort Collins, CO$78,513
Concord, NH$78,473
Austin, TX$78,450
Mesa, AZ$78,283
Reading, PA$78,275
Phoenix, AZ$78,267
Dallas, TX$78,244
Saint Cloud, MN$78,168
Madison, WI$78,061
Utica, NY$77,847
Rochester, NY$77,721
Des Moines, IA$77,713
Raleigh, NC$77,705
Atlanta, GA$77,586
Battle Creek, MI$77,562
Salt Lake City, UT$77,538
Lancaster, PA$77,420
Harrisburg, PA$77,309
Kansas City, MO$77,229
Champaign, IL$77,214
Kansas City, KS$77,214
Fort Worth, TX$77,206
Columbus, OH$77,192
Boca Raton, FL$77,174
Pittsburgh, PA$77,142
Richmond, VA$77,111
Indianapolis, IN$77,095
Cleveland, OH$77,087
Las Vegas, NV$76,992
Cincinnati, OH$76,992
Petersburg, VA$76,873
Huntsville, AL$76,754
Lansing, MI$76,701
Lebanon, PA$76,691
Pueblo, CO$76,683
Appleton, WI$76,659
Buffalo, NY$76,627
Dayton, OH$76,603
Racine, WI$76,588
Charlotte, NC$76,580
Saint Louis, MO$76,556
York, PA$76,508
Elkhart, IN$76,508
Gastonia, NC$76,493
Billings, MT$76,474
Beaumont, TX$76,453
Lorain, OH$76,437
Benton Harbor, MI$76,421
Toledo, OH$76,405
Binghamton, NY$76,366
Rock Hill, SC$76,358
Rockford, IL$76,318
Springfield, IL$76,286
Elyria, OH$76,279
Fargo, ND$76,279
Flagstaff, AZ$76,223
Fort Lauderdale, FL$76,176
Duluth, MN$76,128
Miami, FL$76,128
Cheyenne, WY$76,073
Grand Forks, ND$76,073
Bangor, ME$75,898
Cedar Rapids, IA$75,811
Durham, NC$75,778
Louisville, KY$75,771
Grand Rapids, MI$75,756
Hialeah, FL$75,748
Casper, WY$75,637
Scranton, PA$75,542
New Orleans, LA$75,518
Virginia Beach, VA$75,510
Akron, OH$75,470
Peoria, IL$75,367
Sarasota, FL$75,352
Nashville, TN$75,296
Omaha, NE$75,296
Green Bay, WI$75,296
Baton Rouge, LA$75,256
Charleston, SC$75,241
Jamestown, NY$75,201
Davenport, IA$75,201
Tucson, AZ$75,161
Saint Petersburg, FL$75,114
Tampa, FL$75,098
Evansville, IN$75,050
Port Arthur, TX$75,050
Bradenton, FL$75,019
Santa Fe, NM$74,876
Orlando, FL$74,734
Clearwater, FL$74,710
Canton, OH$74,543
La Crosse, WI$74,543
Albuquerque, NM$74,496
Newport News, VA$74,488
High Point, NC$74,464
Ogden, UT$74,432
Corpus Christi, TX$74,369
Norfolk, VA$74,321
Laramie, WY$74,321
Rock Island, IL$74,274
Saginaw, MI$74,258
Jacksonville, FL$74,250
Salisbury, NC$74,234
Boise, ID$74,218
Moline, IL$74,179
Fort Myers, FL$74,155
Memphis, TN$74,139
Tulsa, OK$74,100
Waterloo, IA$74,052
Spartanburg, SC$73,973
Lincoln, NE$73,933
Fort Wayne, IN$73,917
Provo, UT$73,909
Cedar Falls, IA$73,814
San Antonio, TX$73,783
Greensboro, NC$73,751
South Bend, IN$73,743
Savannah, GA$73,656
Muskegon, MI$73,624
Birmingham, AL$73,616
Winston Salem, NC$73,577
Lake Charles, LA$73,387
Anderson, IN$73,371
Lexington, KY$73,347
Augusta, GA$73,323
Greenville, SC$73,323
Lima, OH$73,260
Wichita, KS$73,252
Tuscaloosa, AL$73,252
Columbia, SC$73,181
Springfield, OH$73,165
Asheville, NC$73,038
Bloomington, IN$72,982
Knoxville, TN$72,697
Shreveport, LA$72,689
Wilmington, NC$72,586
Roanoke, VA$72,586
Topeka, KS$72,444
Frankfort, KY$72,435
Oklahoma City, OK$72,380
Chillicothe, OH$72,349
Longview, TX$72,341
Melbourne, FL$72,333
Sioux Falls, SD$72,206
Mobile, AL$72,198
Terre Haute, IN$72,166
Altoona, PA$72,119
Amarillo, TX$72,063
Killeen, TX$72,040
Fayetteville, AR$71,976
Chattanooga, TN$71,952
Sioux City, IA$71,881
Idaho Falls, ID$71,865
Lynchburg, VA$71,802
Gainesville, FL$71,699
Portsmouth, OH$71,659
Little Rock, AR$71,643
Lafayette, LA$71,612
Youngstown, OH$71,612
Daytona Beach, FL$71,564
Clarksville, TN$71,556
Pensacola, FL$71,548
Temple, TX$71,543
Hopkinsville, KY$71,311
Erie, PA$71,295
Florence, SC$71,263
Charleston, WV$71,136
Great Falls, MT$71,097
Macon, GA$70,986
Tallahassee, FL$70,978
Fayetteville, NC$70,962
Waco, TX$70,946
Helena, MT$70,891
Pine Bluff, AR$70,861
Vincennes, IN$70,764
Lubbock, TX$70,732
Alamogordo, NM$70,685
Twin Falls, ID$70,613
Rapid City, SD$70,590
Jackson, MS$70,447
Huntington, WV$70,441
Greenville, MS$70,439
Parkersburg, WV$70,358
Montgomery, AL$70,344
Wichita Falls, TX$70,265
Springfield, MO$70,265
Biloxi, MS$70,225
Monroe, LA$70,146
Johnstown, PA$70,090
Sumter, SC$70,059
Columbus, GA$70,051
Pascagoula, MS$69,900
Abilene, TX$69,900
Kingsport, TN$69,694
Albany, GA$69,694
Gulfport, MS$69,670
Alexandria, LA$69,409
Fort Smith, AR$69,211
El Paso, TX$68,997
Las Cruces, NM$68,640
Harlingen, TX$68,439
Pocatello, ID$68,426
Florence, AL$68,323
Brownsville, TX$68,308
Mcallen, TX$68,141
Dothan, AL$68,030
Columbus, MS$67,560
Altus, OK$67,190
Lawton, OK$67,040
Pierre, SD$66,755
Autonomous Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Autonomous Engineer roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Retail & Wholesale,
offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely,
Autonomous Engineer positions in MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Autonomous Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for an Autonomous Engineer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Retail & Wholesale
$95,081
$46.0
20%
Autonomous Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an Autonomous 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.
Vice President of Autonomous Vehicle Development$75,301
Autonomous Vehicle Operations Specialist$72,980
Ship Engineer$65,368
Autonomous Vehicle Technician$61,855
Autonomous Vehicle Operator$41,267
Salary Trends for Autonomous Engineer
Salaries for an Autonomous Engineer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $61,610 in 2023
to around $61,173 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Autonomous Engineer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Autonomous Engineer Over Time
$???
$61,610
$61,775
$61,173
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$61,610
2024
$61,775
2025
$61,173
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Autonomous Engineer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Autonomous Engineer
Here are companies hiring for Autonomous Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.
L$106,714/per year
L3 Technologies IncMFG Durablethe United States
L$106,353/per year
L-3 Communications CorpMFG Durablethe United States
C$104,622/per year
Chery Automobile Co.( LLCMFG Durablethe United States
R$103,889/per year
Raytheon Intelligence & SpaceMFG Durablethe United States
S$100,180/per year
SanyoMFG Durablethe United States
M$99,945/per year
Motorola Mobility LLCMFG Durablethe United States
O$98,405/per year
OSRAM SYLVANIA IncMFG Durablethe United States
S$95,776/per year
Saras LLCMFG Durablethe United States
J$93,552/per year
Jsw Steel IncMFG Durablethe United States
C$93,115/per year
Collins Aerospace CompaniesMFG Durablethe United States
C$92,955/per year
CarrierMFG Durablethe United States
A$92,540/per year
Alpine Co. LtdMFG Durablethe United States
V$92,343/per year
Vanguard National Trailer CorpMFG Durablethe United States
A$92,265/per year
Asia Pulp & PaperMFG Durablethe United States
C$91,920/per year
ChryslerMFG Durablethe United States
D$90,518/per year
Daimler Truck North America LLCMFG Durablethe United States
S$90,363/per year
Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing Co., Ltd (DSBJ)MFG Durablethe United States
R$89,132/per year
Raytheon Missiles & DefenseMFG Durablethe United States
L$88,262/per year
Louis PoulsenMFG Durablethe United States
T$88,219/per year
Toyota Boshoku America IncMFG Durablethe United States
A$87,299/per year
ABB Installation Products IncMFG Durablethe United States
R$86,213/per year
Regal RexnordMFG Durablethe United States
T$84,081/per year
Tesla Motors IncMFG Durablethe United States
C$83,582/per year
Clarios LLCMFG Durablethe United States
K$83,024/per year
Kobelco Construction Machinery USA IncMFG Durablethe United States
Find Your Next Autonomous Engineer Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Autonomous Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
For Employees
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Get a Salary Increase
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Search Job Openings
For Employers
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Adjust Employee Salary
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Price My Industry Jobs
FAQ about Autonomous Engineer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Autonomous Engineer?
The Retail & Wholesale industry offers the highest average compensation for Autonomous Engineer 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.
