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Engine Designer Salary in the United States

How much does an Engine Designer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Engine Designer in the United States is $107,277 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $52.

However, an Engine Designer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $121,758
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $99,267 to $114,857
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $91,975
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Engine Designer Salaries

An Engine Designer'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 Engine Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Engine Designer'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): $79,945
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $94,271
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $108,946
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $129,815
  • Expert (over 8 years): $149,363
Levels Salary
Mechanica... Level Engine Designer$79,945
Mechanica... Level Engine Designer$94,271
Engine De... Level Engine Designer$108,946
Mechanica... Level Engine Designer$129,815
Mechanica... Level Engine Designer$149,363
View as Graph

How Do Engine Designer 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 Engine Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $118,777.
  • California: $118,327.
  • Massachusetts: $116,750.

Top Paying Cities for Engine Designers

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: $135,308
  • San Francisco: $133,827
  • Oakland: $131,007

What Skills Can Increase an Engine Designer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 9% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Design Engineering (Mentioned in 2.54% Job Postings): Creating a system, component, or process to develop new products and systems.
  • AutoCAD (Mentioned in 1.84% Job Postings): AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design and drafting software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk, AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 9%
Design Engineering 2.54%
AutoCAD 1.84%
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 an Engine Designer's salary.

  • Prototyping: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Computer Vision: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Salesforce: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Prototyping $111,568
4%
Computer Vision $111,568
4%
Salesforce $110,495
3%
Get Latest Data

Engine Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Engine Designer 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 Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Engine Designer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Engine Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Engine Designer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$128,732$62.020%
Biotechnology$128,732$62.020%
Business Services$128,732$62.020%
Chemicals$128,732$62.020%
Construction$128,732$62.020%

How Education impacts an Engine Designer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Engine Designers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Engine Designer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $110,889 and $116,664).

Engine Designer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Engine Designer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.1%
High School 0.4%
Associates 1.6%
Bachelors 48.7%
Masters 38.9%
Doctorate 10.3%
View as Graph

Engine Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Engine Designer'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.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$99,267
Average $107,277/year
$114,857
$8,272
Average $8,940/month
$9,571
$1,909
Average $2,063/week
$2,209
$48
Average $52/hour
$55
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $114,857 $9,571 $2,209 $55
Average $107,277 $8,940 $2,063 $52
25th Percentile $99,267 $8,272 $1,909 $48

Most common benefits for Engine Designer

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

Common company salaries for Engine Designer

Here are companies hiring for Engine Designer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Engine Designer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Engine Designer?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Engine Designer 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.

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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