Combat Systems Engineer Salary in the United States
How much does a Combat Systems Engineer make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Combat Systems Engineer in the United States is $90,233 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.
However, a Combat Systems Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $111,341
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $80,583 to $101,282
Key Factors That Influence Combat Systems Engineer Salaries
A Combat Systems 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 Combat Systems Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Combat Systems 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 Combat Systems 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 Combat Systems Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $99,906.
California: $99,527.
Massachusetts: $98,201.
District of Columbia$99,906
California$99,527
Massachusetts$98,201
Washington$97,840
New Jersey$97,804
Alaska$97,678
Connecticut$96,432
New York$95,927
Hawaii$94,312
Rhode Island$93,554
Maryland$93,040
Minnesota$92,336
Colorado$92,065
Illinois$91,975
Oregon$91,632
Delaware$91,379
New Hampshire$91,220
Virginia$90,865
Pennsylvania$89,827
Nevada$89,304
North Dakota$89,132
Michigan$88,862
Wisconsin$88,762
Vermont$88,564
Texas$88,014
Maine$87,977
Arizona$87,923
Ohio$87,860
Georgia$87,030
Indiana$86,615
Wyoming$86,534
Utah$86,407
Iowa$86,353
Kansas$85,920
Louisiana$85,794
North Carolina$85,749
Missouri$85,731
Florida$85,379
Montana$85,189
Nebraska$85,009
Kentucky$84,910
South Carolina$84,549
Tennessee$84,323
Idaho$84,233
New Mexico$83,574
Oklahoma$83,430
Alabama$82,897
South Dakota$82,004
Arkansas$81,517
West Virginia$81,255
Mississippi$80,470
Top Paying Cities for Combat Systems 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: $113,811
San Francisco: $112,565
Oakland: $110,193
San Jose, CA$113,811
San Francisco, CA$112,565
Oakland, CA$110,193
New York, NY$103,894
Paramus, NJ$102,630
Queens Village, NY$102,626
Passaic, NJ$102,540
Bergenfield, NJ$102,532
Stamford, CT$102,334
Huntington, NY$102,297
Newark, NJ$101,630
Bridgeport, CT$101,439
Vallejo, CA$101,260
New Brunswick, NJ$101,224
Petaluma, CA$101,170
Middlesex, NJ$100,998
Somerset, NJ$100,935
Santa Cruz, CA$100,818
Boston, MA$100,267
Monterey, CA$99,951
Seattle, WA$99,744
Santa Rosa, CA$99,726
Los Angeles, CA$99,699
Juneau, AK$99,464
Washington, DC$99,365
Orange, CA$99,044
Santa Ana, CA$98,805
Long Beach, CA$98,715
Anaheim, CA$98,697
Anchorage, AK$98,652
Santa Maria, CA$98,381
Everett, WA$98,363
Danbury, CT$98,046
Bremerton, WA$97,921
Tacoma, WA$97,596
New Suffolk, NY$97,595
Sacramento, CA$97,569
Santa Barbara, CA$97,470
Trenton, NJ$97,371
San Diego, CA$97,371
Brockton, MA$97,271
Fairbanks, AK$97,050
Lompoc, CA$96,820
Lowell, MA$96,747
Ventura, CA$96,730
Nashua, NH$96,712
Stockton, CA$96,703
Modesto, CA$96,044
Poughkeepsie, NY$95,846
Olympia, WA$95,674
Kennewick, WA$95,674
New Haven, CT$95,638
Lawrence, MA$95,313
Hartford, CT$95,223
Riverside, CA$95,205
New Bedford, MA$95,115
Richland, WA$95,115
Bakersfield, CA$94,989
San Bernardino, CA$94,953
New Britain, CT$94,943
Atlantic City, NJ$94,943
New London, CT$94,907
Norwich, CT$94,880
Portsmouth, NH$94,862
Boulder, CO$94,671
Portland, OR$94,546
Worcester, MA$94,537
Minneapolis, MN$94,258
Philadelphia, PA$94,131
Honolulu, HI$93,834
Saint Paul, MN$93,790
Vineland, NJ$93,770
Providence, RI$93,509
Chicago, IL$93,247
Bellingham, WA$93,139
Springfield, MA$93,067
Baltimore, MD$93,040
Chico, CA$92,814
Pittsfield, MA$92,570
Manchester, NH$92,399
Spokane, WA$92,002
Denver, CO$91,993
Albany, NY$91,569
Troy, NY$91,533
Nassau, NY$91,436
Schenectady, NY$91,343
Wilmington, DE$91,271
Burlington, VT$91,145
Salem, OR$91,109
Portland, ME$90,829
Yakima, WA$90,739
Rochester, MN$90,459
Reno, NV$90,414
Fresno, CA$90,414
Milwaukee, WI$90,333
Detroit, MI$90,242
Ann Arbor, MI$90,227
Allentown, PA$90,215
Colorado Springs, CO$90,062
Syracuse, NY$90,017
Carson City, NV$90,017
Houston, TX$89,890
Eugene, OR$89,845
Gary, IN$89,737
Springfield, OR$89,665
Bismarck, ND$89,647
Galveston, TX$89,584
Medford, OR$89,448
Fort Collins, CO$89,412
Concord, NH$89,367
Austin, TX$89,340
Mesa, AZ$89,151
Reading, PA$89,141
Phoenix, AZ$89,132
Dallas, TX$89,105
Saint Cloud, MN$89,019
Madison, WI$88,898
Utica, NY$88,654
Rochester, NY$88,510
Des Moines, IA$88,501
Raleigh, NC$88,492
Atlanta, GA$88,356
Battle Creek, MI$88,329
Salt Lake City, UT$88,302
Lancaster, PA$88,167
Harrisburg, PA$88,041
Kansas City, MO$87,950
Champaign, IL$87,932
Kansas City, KS$87,932
Fort Worth, TX$87,923
Columbus, OH$87,908
Boca Raton, FL$87,887
Pittsburgh, PA$87,851
Richmond, VA$87,815
Indianapolis, IN$87,797
Cleveland, OH$87,788
Las Vegas, NV$87,680
Cincinnati, OH$87,680
Petersburg, VA$87,544
Huntsville, AL$87,409
Lansing, MI$87,349
Lebanon, PA$87,337
Pueblo, CO$87,328
Appleton, WI$87,301
Buffalo, NY$87,265
Dayton, OH$87,238
Racine, WI$87,220
Charlotte, NC$87,210
Saint Louis, MO$87,183
York, PA$87,129
Elkhart, IN$87,129
Gastonia, NC$87,112
Billings, MT$87,090
Beaumont, TX$87,066
Lorain, OH$87,048
Benton Harbor, MI$87,030
Toledo, OH$87,012
Binghamton, NY$86,967
Rock Hill, SC$86,958
Rockford, IL$86,913
Springfield, IL$86,877
Elyria, OH$86,868
Fargo, ND$86,868
Flagstaff, AZ$86,804
Fort Lauderdale, FL$86,750
Duluth, MN$86,696
Miami, FL$86,696
Cheyenne, WY$86,633
Grand Forks, ND$86,633
Bangor, ME$86,434
Cedar Rapids, IA$86,335
Durham, NC$86,297
Louisville, KY$86,290
Grand Rapids, MI$86,272
Hialeah, FL$86,263
Casper, WY$86,137
Scranton, PA$86,028
New Orleans, LA$86,001
Virginia Beach, VA$85,992
Akron, OH$85,947
Peoria, IL$85,830
Sarasota, FL$85,812
Nashville, TN$85,749
Omaha, NE$85,749
Green Bay, WI$85,749
Baton Rouge, LA$85,704
Charleston, SC$85,686
Jamestown, NY$85,640
Davenport, IA$85,640
Tucson, AZ$85,595
Saint Petersburg, FL$85,541
Tampa, FL$85,523
Evansville, IN$85,469
Port Arthur, TX$85,469
Bradenton, FL$85,433
Santa Fe, NM$85,270
Orlando, FL$85,108
Clearwater, FL$85,081
Canton, OH$84,891
La Crosse, WI$84,891
Albuquerque, NM$84,837
Newport News, VA$84,828
High Point, NC$84,801
Ogden, UT$84,765
Corpus Christi, TX$84,693
Norfolk, VA$84,639
Laramie, WY$84,639
Rock Island, IL$84,585
Saginaw, MI$84,567
Jacksonville, FL$84,558
Salisbury, NC$84,540
Boise, ID$84,522
Moline, IL$84,476
Fort Myers, FL$84,449
Memphis, TN$84,431
Tulsa, OK$84,386
Waterloo, IA$84,332
Spartanburg, SC$84,242
Lincoln, NE$84,197
Fort Wayne, IN$84,179
Provo, UT$84,170
Cedar Falls, IA$84,061
San Antonio, TX$84,025
Greensboro, NC$83,989
South Bend, IN$83,980
Savannah, GA$83,881
Muskegon, MI$83,845
Birmingham, AL$83,836
Winston Salem, NC$83,792
Lake Charles, LA$83,574
Anderson, IN$83,556
Lexington, KY$83,529
Augusta, GA$83,502
Greenville, SC$83,502
Lima, OH$83,430
Wichita, KS$83,421
Tuscaloosa, AL$83,421
Columbia, SC$83,339
Springfield, OH$83,321
Asheville, NC$83,177
Bloomington, IN$83,114
Knoxville, TN$82,789
Shreveport, LA$82,780
Wilmington, NC$82,663
Roanoke, VA$82,663
Topeka, KS$82,500
Frankfort, KY$82,490
Oklahoma City, OK$82,428
Chillicothe, OH$82,392
Longview, TX$82,383
Melbourne, FL$82,374
Sioux Falls, SD$82,230
Mobile, AL$82,221
Terre Haute, IN$82,184
Altoona, PA$82,130
Amarillo, TX$82,067
Killeen, TX$82,040
Fayetteville, AR$81,968
Chattanooga, TN$81,941
Sioux City, IA$81,860
Idaho Falls, ID$81,842
Lynchburg, VA$81,769
Gainesville, FL$81,652
Portsmouth, OH$81,607
Little Rock, AR$81,589
Lafayette, LA$81,553
Youngstown, OH$81,553
Daytona Beach, FL$81,499
Clarksville, TN$81,490
Pensacola, FL$81,481
Temple, TX$81,474
Hopkinsville, KY$81,210
Erie, PA$81,192
Florence, SC$81,156
Charleston, WV$81,011
Great Falls, MT$80,966
Macon, GA$80,840
Tallahassee, FL$80,831
Fayetteville, NC$80,813
Waco, TX$80,795
Helena, MT$80,732
Pine Bluff, AR$80,697
Vincennes, IN$80,587
Lubbock, TX$80,551
Alamogordo, NM$80,497
Twin Falls, ID$80,416
Rapid City, SD$80,389
Jackson, MS$80,226
Huntington, WV$80,220
Greenville, MS$80,217
Parkersburg, WV$80,125
Montgomery, AL$80,109
Wichita Falls, TX$80,019
Springfield, MO$80,019
Biloxi, MS$79,974
Monroe, LA$79,884
Johnstown, PA$79,820
Sumter, SC$79,784
Columbus, GA$79,775
Pascagoula, MS$79,604
Abilene, TX$79,604
Kingsport, TN$79,369
Albany, GA$79,369
Gulfport, MS$79,342
Alexandria, LA$79,044
Fort Smith, AR$78,819
El Paso, TX$78,575
Las Cruces, NM$78,169
Harlingen, TX$77,940
Pocatello, ID$77,925
Florence, AL$77,808
Brownsville, TX$77,790
Mcallen, TX$77,601
Dothan, AL$77,474
Columbus, MS$76,938
Altus, OK$76,518
Lawton, OK$76,346
Pierre, SD$76,022
What Skills Can Increase a Combat Systems Engineer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Leadership (Mentioned in 8.63% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Inventory Management (Mentioned in 2.33% Job Postings): Overseeing and controlling supplies and stock to ensure that an organization maintains an adequate stock quantity.
Packaging (Mentioned in 1.39% Job Postings): Preparing products through wrapping or bottling to protect the goods from damages during transportation and storage.
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 Combat Systems Engineer's salary.
Event Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
KPI: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Services Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Combat Systems Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Combat Systems Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Biotechnology and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Combat Systems Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Combat Systems Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Combat Systems Engineer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$108,280
$52.0
20%
Financial Services
$108,280
$52.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$108,280
$52.0
20%
Software & Networking
$103,768
$50.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$94,745
$46.0
5%
How Education impacts a Combat Systems Engineer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Combat Systems Engineers 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 a Combat Systems Engineer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$89,098
and $96,988).
Combat Systems Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Combat Systems 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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$80,583
Average$90,233/year
$101,282
$6,715
Average$7,519/month
$8,440
$1,550
Average$1,735/week
$1,948
$39
Average$43/hour
$49
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$101,282
$8,440
$1,948
$49
Average
$90,233
$7,519
$1,735
$43
25th Percentile
$80,583
$6,715
$1,550
$39
Salaries of Jobs related to Combat Systems Engineer
Systems Engineer$118,930
Combat Engineer$108,560
Combat Controller$89,430
Combat Systems Officer$81,148
Combat Soldier$49,307
Army Combat Medic$48,966
Combat Medic$48,500
Combat Photographer$47,891
Combat Medic Specialist$47,299
68w Combat Medic$43,909
12b Combat Engineer$43,514
Salary Trends for Combat Systems Engineer
Salaries for a Combat Systems Engineer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $89,450 in 2023
to around $88,524 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Combat Systems Engineer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Combat Systems Engineer Over Time
$???
$89,450
$89,007
$88,524
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$89,450
2024
$89,007
2025
$88,524
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Combat Systems Engineer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Combat Systems Engineer
Here are companies hiring for Combat Systems Engineer 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 Combat Systems Engineer Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Combat Systems 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 Combat Systems Engineer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Combat Systems Engineer?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Combat Systems 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.
