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

What industry pays the highest salary for Inventor?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Inventor roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

How does experience change An Inventor's salary?

An Inventor's salary grows with experience: an Inventory Control Clerk I (0-1 years)earns $38,057, an Inventor (1-3 years)earns $46,578, an Inventory Control Clerk III (3-5 years)earns $53,676, an Inventory Control Supervisor (5+ years)earns $77,104, an Inventory Control Senior Supervisor (5+ years)earns $85,547,

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 $50,503, California $50,311, Massachusetts $49,641. 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: $68,179.

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 July 01, 2026, the average salary for an Inventor in the United States is $45,613 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): $54,421
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,985 to $50,224
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $36,771

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Inventor Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,224	$4,185	$966	$24
Average	$45,613	$3,801	$877	$22
25th Percentile	$40,985	$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): $38,057
Early Career (1-2 years): $46,578
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $53,676
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $77,104
Expert (over 8 years): $85,547

Levels	Salary
Inventory... Level Inventor	$38,057
Inventor Level Inventor	$46,578
Inventory... Level Inventor	$53,676
Inventory... Level Inventor	$77,104
Inventory... Level Inventor	$85,547

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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: $50,503.
California: $50,311.
Massachusetts: $49,641.

District of Columbia $50,503 California $50,311 Massachusetts $49,641 Washington $49,459 New Jersey $49,440 Alaska $49,376 Connecticut $48,747 New York $48,491

Hawaii $47,675 Rhode Island $47,292 Maryland $47,032 Minnesota $46,676 Colorado $46,539 Illinois $46,494 Oregon $46,320 Delaware $46,193

New Hampshire $46,112 Virginia $45,933 Pennsylvania $45,408 Nevada $45,143 North Dakota $45,057 Michigan $44,920 Wisconsin $44,870 Vermont $44,769

Texas $44,491 Maine $44,473 Arizona $44,446 Ohio $44,414 Georgia $43,994 Indiana $43,784 Wyoming $43,743 Utah $43,679

Iowa $43,652 Kansas $43,433 Louisiana $43,369 North Carolina $43,346 Missouri $43,337 Florida $43,159 Montana $43,064 Nebraska $42,972

Kentucky $42,922 South Carolina $42,740 Tennessee $42,626 Idaho $42,580 New Mexico $42,247 Oklahoma $42,174 Alabama $41,905 South Dakota $41,453

Arkansas $41,207 West Virginia $41,075 Mississippi $40,678

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: $57,532
San Francisco: $56,902
Oakland: $55,703

San Jose, CA $57,532

San Francisco, CA $56,902

Oakland, CA $55,703

New York, NY $52,519

Paramus, NJ $51,880

Queens Village, NY $51,878

Passaic, NJ $51,834

Bergenfield, NJ $51,830

Stamford, CT $51,730

Huntington, NY $51,711

Newark, NJ $51,374

Bridgeport, CT $51,278

Vallejo, CA $51,187

New Brunswick, NJ $51,169

Petaluma, CA $51,142

Middlesex, NJ $51,055

Somerset, NJ $51,023

Santa Cruz, CA $50,964

Boston, MA $50,685

Monterey, CA $50,525

Seattle, WA $50,421

Santa Rosa, CA $50,412

Los Angeles, CA $50,398

Juneau, AK $50,280

Washington, DC $50,229

Orange, CA $50,067

Santa Ana, CA $49,947

Long Beach, CA $49,901

Anaheim, CA $49,892

Anchorage, AK $49,869

Santa Maria, CA $49,732

Everett, WA $49,723

Danbury, CT $49,562

Bremerton, WA $49,500

Tacoma, WA $49,335

New Suffolk, NY $49,334

Sacramento, CA $49,322

Santa Barbara, CA $49,271

Trenton, NJ $49,221

San Diego, CA $49,221

Brockton, MA $49,171

Fairbanks, AK $49,059

Lompoc, CA $48,943

Lowell, MA $48,906

Ventura, CA $48,897

Nashua, NH $48,888

Stockton, CA $48,884

Modesto, CA $48,551

Poughkeepsie, NY $48,450

Olympia, WA $48,364

Kennewick, WA $48,364

New Haven, CT $48,346

Lawrence, MA $48,181

Hartford, CT $48,136

Riverside, CA $48,127

New Bedford, MA $48,081

Richland, WA $48,081

Bakersfield, CA $48,017

San Bernardino, CA $47,999

New Britain, CT $47,994

Atlantic City, NJ $47,994

New London, CT $47,976

Norwich, CT $47,962

Portsmouth, NH $47,953

Boulder, CO $47,857

Portland, OR $47,794

Worcester, MA $47,789

Minneapolis, MN $47,648

Philadelphia, PA $47,584

Honolulu, HI $47,433

Saint Paul, MN $47,411

Vineland, NJ $47,401

Providence, RI $47,269

Chicago, IL $47,137

Bellingham, WA $47,082

Springfield, MA $47,046

Baltimore, MD $47,032

Chico, CA $46,918

Pittsfield, MA $46,795

Manchester, NH $46,708

Spokane, WA $46,507

Denver, CO $46,503

Albany, NY $46,288

Troy, NY $46,270

Nassau, NY $46,221

Schenectady, NY $46,174

Wilmington, DE $46,138

Burlington, VT $46,074

Salem, OR $46,056

Portland, ME $45,914

Yakima, WA $45,869

Rochester, MN $45,727

Reno, NV $45,705

Fresno, CA $45,705

Milwaukee, WI $45,663

Detroit, MI $45,618

Ann Arbor, MI $45,610

Allentown, PA $45,604

Colorado Springs, CO $45,527

Syracuse, NY $45,504

Carson City, NV $45,504

Houston, TX $45,440

Eugene, OR $45,417

Gary, IN $45,362

Springfield, OR $45,326

Bismarck, ND $45,317

Galveston, TX $45,285

Medford, OR $45,216

Fort Collins, CO $45,198

Concord, NH $45,175

Austin, TX $45,162

Mesa, AZ $45,066

Reading, PA $45,061

Phoenix, AZ $45,057

Dallas, TX $45,043

Saint Cloud, MN $44,999

Madison, WI $44,938

Utica, NY $44,815

Rochester, NY $44,742

Des Moines, IA $44,738

Raleigh, NC $44,733

Atlanta, GA $44,665

Battle Creek, MI $44,651

Salt Lake City, UT $44,637

Lancaster, PA $44,569

Harrisburg, PA $44,505

Kansas City, MO $44,459

Champaign, IL $44,450

Kansas City, KS $44,450

Fort Worth, TX $44,446

Columbus, OH $44,438

Boca Raton, FL $44,427

Pittsburgh, PA $44,409

Richmond, VA $44,391

Indianapolis, IN $44,382

Cleveland, OH $44,377

Las Vegas, NV $44,322

Cincinnati, OH $44,322

Petersburg, VA $44,254

Huntsville, AL $44,186

Lansing, MI $44,155

Lebanon, PA $44,149

Pueblo, CO $44,145

Appleton, WI $44,131

Buffalo, NY $44,113

Dayton, OH $44,099

Racine, WI $44,090

Charlotte, NC $44,085

Saint Louis, MO $44,072

York, PA $44,044

Elkhart, IN $44,044

Gastonia, NC $44,036

Billings, MT $44,025

Beaumont, TX $44,012

Lorain, OH $44,003

Benton Harbor, MI $43,994

Toledo, OH $43,985

Binghamton, NY $43,962

Rock Hill, SC $43,958

Rockford, IL $43,935

Springfield, IL $43,916

Elyria, OH $43,912

Fargo, ND $43,912

Flagstaff, AZ $43,880

Fort Lauderdale, FL $43,853

Duluth, MN $43,825

Miami, FL $43,825

Cheyenne, WY $43,793

Grand Forks, ND $43,793

Bangor, ME $43,693

Cedar Rapids, IA $43,643

Durham, NC $43,624

Louisville, KY $43,620

Grand Rapids, MI $43,611

Hialeah, FL $43,606

Casper, WY $43,542

Scranton, PA $43,488

New Orleans, LA $43,474

Virginia Beach, VA $43,469

Akron, OH $43,447

Peoria, IL $43,387

Sarasota, FL $43,378

Nashville, TN $43,346

Omaha, NE $43,346

Green Bay, WI $43,346

Baton Rouge, LA $43,324

Charleston, SC $43,314

Jamestown, NY $43,292

Davenport, IA $43,292

Tucson, AZ $43,269

Saint Petersburg, FL $43,241

Tampa, FL $43,232

Evansville, IN $43,205

Port Arthur, TX $43,205

Bradenton, FL $43,187

Santa Fe, NM $43,105

Orlando, FL $43,022

Clearwater, FL $43,009

Canton, OH $42,913

La Crosse, WI $42,913

Albuquerque, NM $42,886

Newport News, VA $42,881

High Point, NC $42,867

Ogden, UT $42,849

Corpus Christi, TX $42,813

Norfolk, VA $42,785

Laramie, WY $42,785

Rock Island, IL $42,758

Saginaw, MI $42,749

Jacksonville, FL $42,744

Salisbury, NC $42,735

Boise, ID $42,726

Moline, IL $42,703

Fort Myers, FL $42,689

Memphis, TN $42,680

Tulsa, OK $42,658

Waterloo, IA $42,630

Spartanburg, SC $42,585

Lincoln, NE $42,562

Fort Wayne, IN $42,553

Provo, UT $42,548

Cedar Falls, IA $42,493

San Antonio, TX $42,475

Greensboro, NC $42,457

South Bend, IN $42,452

Savannah, GA $42,402

Muskegon, MI $42,384

Birmingham, AL $42,379

Winston Salem, NC $42,357

Lake Charles, LA $42,247

Anderson, IN $42,238

Lexington, KY $42,224

Augusta, GA $42,211

Greenville, SC $42,211

Lima, OH $42,174

Wichita, KS $42,169

Tuscaloosa, AL $42,169

Columbia, SC $42,128

Springfield, OH $42,119

Asheville, NC $42,046

Bloomington, IN $42,014

Knoxville, TN $41,850

Shreveport, LA $41,846

Wilmington, NC $41,786

Roanoke, VA $41,786

Topeka, KS $41,704

Frankfort, KY $41,699

Oklahoma City, OK $41,668

Chillicothe, OH $41,650

Longview, TX $41,645

Melbourne, FL $41,640

Sioux Falls, SD $41,567

Mobile, AL $41,563

Terre Haute, IN $41,545

Altoona, PA $41,517

Amarillo, TX $41,485

Killeen, TX $41,472

Fayetteville, AR $41,435

Chattanooga, TN $41,421

Sioux City, IA $41,380

Idaho Falls, ID $41,371

Lynchburg, VA $41,335

Gainesville, FL $41,275

Portsmouth, OH $41,253

Little Rock, AR $41,244

Lafayette, LA $41,225

Youngstown, OH $41,225

Daytona Beach, FL $41,198

Clarksville, TN $41,193

Pensacola, FL $41,189

Temple, TX $41,186

Hopkinsville, KY $41,052

Erie, PA $41,043

Florence, SC $41,025

Charleston, WV $40,952

Great Falls, MT $40,929

Macon, GA $40,865

Tallahassee, FL $40,860

Fayetteville, NC $40,851

Waco, TX $40,842

Helena, MT $40,810

Pine Bluff, AR $40,793

Vincennes, IN $40,737

Lubbock, TX $40,719

Alamogordo, NM $40,692

Twin Falls, ID $40,651

Rapid City, SD $40,637

Jackson, MS $40,555

Huntington, WV $40,552

Greenville, MS $40,550

Parkersburg, WV $40,504

Montgomery, AL $40,495

Wichita Falls, TX $40,450

Springfield, MO $40,450

Biloxi, MS $40,427

Monroe, LA $40,381

Johnstown, PA $40,350

Sumter, SC $40,331

Columbus, GA $40,327

Pascagoula, MS $40,240

Abilene, TX $40,240

Kingsport, TN $40,121

Albany, GA $40,121

Gulfport, MS $40,108

Alexandria, LA $39,957

Fort Smith, AR $39,843

El Paso, TX $39,720

Las Cruces, NM $39,515

Harlingen, TX $39,399

Pocatello, ID $39,392

Florence, AL $39,332

Brownsville, TX $39,323

Mcallen, TX $39,227

Dothan, AL $39,164

Columbus, MS $38,893

Altus, OK $38,680

Lawton, OK $38,593

Pierre, SD $38,429

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	$50,631	11%
Cash Handling	$48,806	7%
Analysis	$48,806	7%
Inventory Management	$48,350	6%
Presentation	$48,350	6%
ERP	$47,894	5%

Get Latest Data

Inventor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Inventor roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Inventor positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Inventor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Inventor

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense	$50,175	$24.0	10%
Biotechnology	$50,175	$24.0	10%
Business Services	$50,175	$24.0	10%
Chemicals	$50,175	$24.0	10%
Construction	$50,175	$24.0	10%

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 July 01, 2026

$40,985

Average $45,613/year

$50,224

$3,415

Average $3,801/month

$4,185

$788

Average $877/week

$966

$20

Average $22/hour

$24

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,224	$4,185	$966	$24
Average	$45,613	$3,801	$877	$22
25th Percentile	$40,985	$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?

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.)

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