What are the main factors that influence an Inventor's salary?

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

How does experience change An Inventor's salary?

An Inventor's salary grows with experience: an Inventory Control Clerk I (0-1 years)earns $38,063, an Inventor (1-3 years)earns $46,568, an Inventory Control Clerk III (3-5 years)earns $53,657, an Inventory Control Supervisor (5+ years)earns $77,070, an Inventory Control Senior Supervisor (5+ years)earns $85,538,

What are the highest paying states for an Inventor?

Inventor salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Inventor roles are District of Columbia $50,493, California $50,301, Massachusetts $49,631. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Inventor roles make?

Salaries for Inventor level roles vary by specialization: Inventor Designer: $68,185.

How do different companies affect an Inventor's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Inventor 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.

Inventor Salary in the United States

How much does an Inventor make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for an Inventor in the United States is $45,604 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $54,408
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,976 to $50,212
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $36,762

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Inventor Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,212	$4,184	$966	$24
Average	$45,604	$3,800	$877	$22
25th Percentile	$40,976	$3,415	$788	$20

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Key Factors That Influence Inventor Salaries

An Inventor'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 Inventor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Inventor'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): $38,063
Early Career (1-2 years): $46,568
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $53,657
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $77,070
Expert (over 8 years): $85,538

Levels	Salary
Inventory... Level Inventor	$38,063
Inventor Level Inventor	$46,568
Inventory... Level Inventor	$53,657
Inventory... Level Inventor	$77,070
Inventory... Level Inventor	$85,538

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Inventor 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 Inventors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $50,493.
California: $50,301.
Massachusetts: $49,631.

District of Columbia $50,493 California $50,301 Massachusetts $49,631 Washington $49,449 New Jersey $49,430 Alaska $49,367 Connecticut $48,737 New York $48,482

Hawaii $47,666 Rhode Island $47,282 Maryland $47,022 Minnesota $46,667 Colorado $46,530 Illinois $46,484 Oregon $46,311 Delaware $46,183

New Hampshire $46,103 Virginia $45,923 Pennsylvania $45,399 Nevada $45,134 North Dakota $45,048 Michigan $44,911 Wisconsin $44,861 Vermont $44,761

Texas $44,482 Maine $44,464 Arizona $44,437 Ohio $44,405 Georgia $43,985 Indiana $43,775 Wyoming $43,734 Utah $43,671

Iowa $43,643 Kansas $43,424 Louisiana $43,360 North Carolina $43,338 Missouri $43,329 Florida $43,151 Montana $43,055 Nebraska $42,964

Kentucky $42,914 South Carolina $42,731 Tennessee $42,617 Idaho $42,572 New Mexico $42,239 Oklahoma $42,166 Alabama $41,897 South Dakota $41,445

Arkansas $41,199 West Virginia $41,067 Mississippi $40,670

Top Paying Cities for Inventors

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: $57,521
San Francisco: $56,891
Oakland: $55,692

San Jose, CA $57,521

San Francisco, CA $56,891

Oakland, CA $55,692

New York, NY $52,508

Paramus, NJ $51,870

Queens Village, NY $51,867

Passaic, NJ $51,824

Bergenfield, NJ $51,820

Stamford, CT $51,720

Huntington, NY $51,701

Newark, NJ $51,364

Bridgeport, CT $51,268

Vallejo, CA $51,177

New Brunswick, NJ $51,159

Petaluma, CA $51,131

Middlesex, NJ $51,045

Somerset, NJ $51,013

Santa Cruz, CA $50,954

Boston, MA $50,675

Monterey, CA $50,515

Seattle, WA $50,411

Santa Rosa, CA $50,402

Los Angeles, CA $50,388

Juneau, AK $50,270

Washington, DC $50,219

Orange, CA $50,057

Santa Ana, CA $49,937

Long Beach, CA $49,891

Anaheim, CA $49,882

Anchorage, AK $49,859

Santa Maria, CA $49,722

Everett, WA $49,713

Danbury, CT $49,553

Bremerton, WA $49,490

Tacoma, WA $49,326

New Suffolk, NY $49,325

Sacramento, CA $49,312

Santa Barbara, CA $49,262

Trenton, NJ $49,211

San Diego, CA $49,211

Brockton, MA $49,161

Fairbanks, AK $49,050

Lompoc, CA $48,933

Lowell, MA $48,896

Ventura, CA $48,888

Nashua, NH $48,879

Stockton, CA $48,874

Modesto, CA $48,541

Poughkeepsie, NY $48,441

Olympia, WA $48,354

Kennewick, WA $48,354

New Haven, CT $48,336

Lawrence, MA $48,172

Hartford, CT $48,126

Riverside, CA $48,117

New Bedford, MA $48,071

Richland, WA $48,071

Bakersfield, CA $48,008

San Bernardino, CA $47,989

New Britain, CT $47,985

Atlantic City, NJ $47,985

New London, CT $47,966

Norwich, CT $47,953

Portsmouth, NH $47,944

Boulder, CO $47,847

Portland, OR $47,784

Worcester, MA $47,780

Minneapolis, MN $47,638

Philadelphia, PA $47,574

Honolulu, HI $47,424

Saint Paul, MN $47,402

Vineland, NJ $47,392

Providence, RI $47,260

Chicago, IL $47,127

Bellingham, WA $47,073

Springfield, MA $47,036

Baltimore, MD $47,022

Chico, CA $46,908

Pittsfield, MA $46,785

Manchester, NH $46,699

Spokane, WA $46,498

Denver, CO $46,493

Albany, NY $46,279

Troy, NY $46,261

Nassau, NY $46,212

Schenectady, NY $46,165

Wilmington, DE $46,129

Burlington, VT $46,065

Salem, OR $46,047

Portland, ME $45,905

Yakima, WA $45,860

Rochester, MN $45,718

Reno, NV $45,695

Fresno, CA $45,695

Milwaukee, WI $45,654

Detroit, MI $45,609

Ann Arbor, MI $45,601

Allentown, PA $45,595

Colorado Springs, CO $45,518

Syracuse, NY $45,495

Carson City, NV $45,495

Houston, TX $45,431

Eugene, OR $45,408

Gary, IN $45,353

Springfield, OR $45,317

Bismarck, ND $45,308

Galveston, TX $45,276

Medford, OR $45,207

Fort Collins, CO $45,189

Concord, NH $45,166

Austin, TX $45,153

Mesa, AZ $45,057

Reading, PA $45,052

Phoenix, AZ $45,048

Dallas, TX $45,034

Saint Cloud, MN $44,990

Madison, WI $44,929

Utica, NY $44,806

Rochester, NY $44,733

Des Moines, IA $44,729

Raleigh, NC $44,724

Atlanta, GA $44,656

Battle Creek, MI $44,642

Salt Lake City, UT $44,628

Lancaster, PA $44,560

Harrisburg, PA $44,496

Kansas City, MO $44,450

Champaign, IL $44,441

Kansas City, KS $44,441

Fort Worth, TX $44,437

Columbus, OH $44,429

Boca Raton, FL $44,418

Pittsburgh, PA $44,400

Richmond, VA $44,382

Indianapolis, IN $44,373

Cleveland, OH $44,368

Las Vegas, NV $44,314

Cincinnati, OH $44,314

Petersburg, VA $44,245

Huntsville, AL $44,177

Lansing, MI $44,146

Lebanon, PA $44,140

Pueblo, CO $44,136

Appleton, WI $44,122

Buffalo, NY $44,104

Dayton, OH $44,090

Racine, WI $44,081

Charlotte, NC $44,076

Saint Louis, MO $44,063

York, PA $44,035

Elkhart, IN $44,035

Gastonia, NC $44,027

Billings, MT $44,016

Beaumont, TX $44,003

Lorain, OH $43,994

Benton Harbor, MI $43,985

Toledo, OH $43,976

Binghamton, NY $43,953

Rock Hill, SC $43,949

Rockford, IL $43,926

Springfield, IL $43,908

Elyria, OH $43,903

Fargo, ND $43,903

Flagstaff, AZ $43,871

Fort Lauderdale, FL $43,844

Duluth, MN $43,817

Miami, FL $43,817

Cheyenne, WY $43,785

Grand Forks, ND $43,785

Bangor, ME $43,684

Cedar Rapids, IA $43,634

Durham, NC $43,615

Louisville, KY $43,611

Grand Rapids, MI $43,602

Hialeah, FL $43,598

Casper, WY $43,534

Scranton, PA $43,479

New Orleans, LA $43,465

Virginia Beach, VA $43,461

Akron, OH $43,438

Peoria, IL $43,379

Sarasota, FL $43,370

Nashville, TN $43,338

Omaha, NE $43,338

Green Bay, WI $43,338

Baton Rouge, LA $43,315

Charleston, SC $43,306

Jamestown, NY $43,283

Davenport, IA $43,283

Tucson, AZ $43,260

Saint Petersburg, FL $43,233

Tampa, FL $43,224

Evansville, IN $43,196

Port Arthur, TX $43,196

Bradenton, FL $43,178

Santa Fe, NM $43,096

Orlando, FL $43,014

Clearwater, FL $43,000

Canton, OH $42,904

La Crosse, WI $42,904

Albuquerque, NM $42,877

Newport News, VA $42,873

High Point, NC $42,859

Ogden, UT $42,841

Corpus Christi, TX $42,804

Norfolk, VA $42,777

Laramie, WY $42,777

Rock Island, IL $42,749

Saginaw, MI $42,740

Jacksonville, FL $42,736

Salisbury, NC $42,727

Boise, ID $42,717

Moline, IL $42,695

Fort Myers, FL $42,681

Memphis, TN $42,672

Tulsa, OK $42,649

Waterloo, IA $42,622

Spartanburg, SC $42,576

Lincoln, NE $42,553

Fort Wayne, IN $42,544

Provo, UT $42,540

Cedar Falls, IA $42,485

San Antonio, TX $42,467

Greensboro, NC $42,448

South Bend, IN $42,444

Savannah, GA $42,394

Muskegon, MI $42,375

Birmingham, AL $42,371

Winston Salem, NC $42,349

Lake Charles, LA $42,239

Anderson, IN $42,229

Lexington, KY $42,216

Augusta, GA $42,202

Greenville, SC $42,202

Lima, OH $42,166

Wichita, KS $42,161

Tuscaloosa, AL $42,161

Columbia, SC $42,120

Springfield, OH $42,111

Asheville, NC $42,038

Bloomington, IN $42,006

Knoxville, TN $41,842

Shreveport, LA $41,837

Wilmington, NC $41,778

Roanoke, VA $41,778

Topeka, KS $41,696

Frankfort, KY $41,691

Oklahoma City, OK $41,659

Chillicothe, OH $41,641

Longview, TX $41,637

Melbourne, FL $41,632

Sioux Falls, SD $41,559

Mobile, AL $41,555

Terre Haute, IN $41,536

Altoona, PA $41,509

Amarillo, TX $41,477

Killeen, TX $41,463

Fayetteville, AR $41,427

Chattanooga, TN $41,413

Sioux City, IA $41,372

Idaho Falls, ID $41,363

Lynchburg, VA $41,327

Gainesville, FL $41,267

Portsmouth, OH $41,244

Little Rock, AR $41,235

Lafayette, LA $41,217

Youngstown, OH $41,217

Daytona Beach, FL $41,190

Clarksville, TN $41,185

Pensacola, FL $41,181

Temple, TX $41,177

Hopkinsville, KY $41,044

Erie, PA $41,035

Florence, SC $41,016

Charleston, WV $40,943

Great Falls, MT $40,921

Macon, GA $40,857

Tallahassee, FL $40,852

Fayetteville, NC $40,843

Waco, TX $40,834

Helena, MT $40,802

Pine Bluff, AR $40,785

Vincennes, IN $40,729

Lubbock, TX $40,711

Alamogordo, NM $40,684

Twin Falls, ID $40,642

Rapid City, SD $40,629

Jackson, MS $40,547

Huntington, WV $40,544

Greenville, MS $40,542

Parkersburg, WV $40,496

Montgomery, AL $40,487

Wichita Falls, TX $40,442

Springfield, MO $40,442

Biloxi, MS $40,419

Monroe, LA $40,373

Johnstown, PA $40,341

Sumter, SC $40,323

Columbus, GA $40,319

Pascagoula, MS $40,232

Abilene, TX $40,232

Kingsport, TN $40,113

Albany, GA $40,113

Gulfport, MS $40,100

Alexandria, LA $39,949

Fort Smith, AR $39,835

El Paso, TX $39,712

Las Cruces, NM $39,507

Harlingen, TX $39,391

Pocatello, ID $39,384

Florence, AL $39,325

Brownsville, TX $39,315

Mcallen, TX $39,220

Dothan, AL $39,156

Columbus, MS $38,885

Altus, OK $38,672

Lawton, OK $38,586

Pierre, SD $38,422

What Skills Can Increase an Inventor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 10.53% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Food Safety (Mentioned in 2.26% Job Postings): Applying procedures during food preparation, processing, storage, and distribution to ensure consumers are safe from foodborne illnesses.
Auditing (Mentioned in 1.64% Job Postings): Auditing refers to the independent examination of financial information of any entity whether profit oriented or not. It is a safeguard measure that prevents corruption.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	10.53%
Food Safety	2.26%
Auditing	1.64%

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 Inventor's salary.

Brand Awareness: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Cash Handling: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Brand Awareness	$50,621	11%
Cash Handling	$48,796	7%
Analysis	$48,796	7%
Inventory Management	$48,340	6%
Presentation	$48,340	6%
ERP	$47,884	5%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts an Inventor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Inventors 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 Inventor with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $43,911 and $46,657).

Inventor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Inventor

No Diploma 1.0%

High School 42.7%

Associates 29.2%

Bachelors 25.0%

Masters 2.1%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.0%
High School	42.7%
Associates	29.2%
Bachelors	25.0%
Masters	2.1%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Inventor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Inventor'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 May 01, 2026

$40,976

Average $45,604/year

$50,212

$3,415

Average $3,800/month

$4,184

$788

Average $877/week

$966

$20

Average $22/hour

$24

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,212	$4,184	$966	$24
Average	$45,604	$3,800	$877	$22
25th Percentile	$40,976	$3,415	$788	$20

Salaries of jobs related to Inventor

Salary Trends for Inventor

Salaries for an Inventor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $42,327 in 2023 to around $41,941 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Inventor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Inventor Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$42,327

2024

$42,230

2025

$41,941

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$42,327
2024	$42,230
2025	$41,941
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Inventor

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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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.)

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