What are the main factors that influence a Machine Designer's salary?

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

How does experience change A Machine Designer's salary?

A Machine Designer's salary grows with experience: a CAD Drafter I (0-2 years)earns $66,408, a Machine Designer (2-4 years)earns $75,606, a CAD Drafter III (4-7 years)earns $91,544, a CAD Drafter IV (7+ years)earns $118,323, a CAD Drafter V (7-10 years)earns $138,637,

What are the highest paying states for a Machine Designer?

Machine Designer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Machine Designer roles are District of Columbia $82,501, California $82,188, Massachusetts $81,092. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Machine Designer roles make?

Salaries for Machine Designer level roles vary by specialization: Designer: $61,917; Machine Mechanic: $60,187; Machine Technician: $50,566; Machine Feeder: $49,800; Machine Operator: $45,112.

How do different companies affect a Machine Designer's salary?

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

Machine Designer Salary in the United States

How much does a Machine Designer make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Machine Designer in the United States is $74,513 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $91,573
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $69,265 to $83,443
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $64,487

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Machine Designer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$83,443	$6,954	$1,605	$40
Average	$74,513	$6,209	$1,433	$36
25th Percentile	$69,265	$5,772	$1,332	$33

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Key Factors That Influence Machine Designer Salaries

A Machine 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 Machine Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Machine 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): $66,408
Early Career (1-2 years): $75,606
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,544
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $118,323
Expert (over 8 years): $138,637

Levels	Salary
CAD Draft... Level Machine Designer	$66,408
Machine D... Level Machine Designer	$75,606
CAD Draft... Level Machine Designer	$91,544
CAD Draft... Level Machine Designer	$118,323
CAD Draft... Level Machine Designer	$138,637

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What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $82,501.
California: $82,188.
Massachusetts: $81,092.

District of Columbia $82,501

California $82,188

Massachusetts $81,092

Washington $80,794

New Jersey $80,765

Alaska $80,660

Connecticut $79,632

New York $79,215

Hawaii $77,881

Rhode Island $77,255

Maryland $76,830

Minnesota $76,249

Colorado $76,026

Illinois $75,951

Oregon $75,668

Delaware $75,459

New Hampshire $75,328

Virginia $75,034

Pennsylvania $74,178

Nevada $73,745

North Dakota $73,604

Michigan $73,380

Wisconsin $73,298

Vermont $73,134

Texas $72,680

Maine $72,650

Arizona $72,605

Ohio $72,553

Georgia $71,868

Indiana $71,525

Wyoming $71,458

Utah $71,354

Iowa $71,309

Kansas $70,951

Louisiana $70,847

North Carolina $70,810

Missouri $70,795

Florida $70,504

Montana $70,348

Nebraska $70,199

Kentucky $70,117

South Carolina $69,819

Tennessee $69,632

Idaho $69,558

New Mexico $69,014

Oklahoma $68,895

Alabama $68,455

South Dakota $67,717

Arkansas $67,315

West Virginia $67,099

Mississippi $66,451

Top Paying Cities for Machine 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: $93,983
San Francisco: $93,059
Oakland: $90,995

San Jose, CA $93,983

San Francisco, CA $93,059

Oakland, CA $90,995

New York, NY $86,353

Queens Village, NY $85,794

Paramus, NJ $85,198

Passaic, NJ $85,124

Bergenfield, NJ $85,049

Stamford, CT $84,937

Huntington, NY $84,863

Newark, NJ $84,378

Bridgeport, CT $84,229

New Brunswick, NJ $83,983

Vallejo, CA $83,827

Middlesex, NJ $83,782

Somerset, NJ $83,715

Petaluma, CA $83,544

Santa Cruz, CA $83,253

Boston, MA $83,104

Monterey, CA $82,732

Fairbanks, AK $82,680

Los Angeles, CA $82,538

Washington, DC $82,501

Seattle, WA $82,367

Santa Rosa, CA $82,352

Juneau, AK $82,136

Orange, CA $81,890

Anchorage, AK $81,756

Anaheim, CA $81,703

Santa Ana, CA $81,592

Nassau, NY $81,547

Long Beach, CA $81,517

Danbury, CT $81,495

Santa Maria, CA $81,241

Everett, WA $81,227

Bremerton, WA $80,861

Trenton, NJ $80,720

Sacramento, CA $80,690

San Diego, CA $80,653

Brockton, MA $80,623

Tacoma, WA $80,593

Santa Barbara, CA $80,489

Lowell, MA $80,191

New Suffolk, NY $80,161

Nashua, NH $80,072

Lompoc, CA $79,952

Ventura, CA $79,878

Stockton, CA $79,855

New Haven, CT $79,706

Atlantic City, NJ $79,513

Hartford, CT $79,349

Modesto, CA $79,312

Poughkeepsie, NY $79,148

New Britain, CT $79,110

Olympia, WA $79,006

Kennewick, WA $79,006

New London, CT $78,991

Norwich, CT $78,969

Lawrence, MA $78,932

Bakersfield, CA $78,723

Riverside, CA $78,619

New Bedford, MA $78,619

Richland, WA $78,544

Portsmouth, NH $78,484

Vineland, NJ $78,470

San Bernardino, CA $78,410

Boulder, CO $78,201

Worcester, MA $78,142

Portland, OR $78,075

Saint Paul, MN $77,985

Minneapolis, MN $77,985

Philadelphia, PA $77,881

Honolulu, HI $77,486

Springfield, MA $77,225

Providence, RI $77,218

Chicago, IL $77,002

Bellingham, WA $76,912

Baltimore, MD $76,830

Chico, CA $76,644

Wilmington, DE $76,517

Pittsfield, MA $76,443

Manchester, NH $76,301

Spokane, WA $75,973

Denver, CO $75,966

Albany, NY $75,616

Troy, NY $75,586

Schenectady, NY $75,429

Burlington, VT $75,265

Portland, ME $75,005

Salem, OR $74,945

Yakima, WA $74,930

Ann Arbor, MI $74,908

Rochester, MN $74,699

Fresno, CA $74,662

Reno, NV $74,662

Milwaukee, WI $74,595

Detroit, MI $74,520

Allentown, PA $74,498

Carson City, NV $74,491

Houston, TX $74,379

Colorado Springs, CO $74,371

Syracuse, NY $74,334

Eugene, OR $74,192

Bismarck, ND $74,103

Gary, IN $74,103

Galveston, TX $74,103

Springfield, OR $74,043

Medford, OR $73,865

Fort Collins, CO $73,835

Austin, TX $73,775

Mesa, AZ $73,619

Phoenix, AZ $73,604

Dallas, TX $73,581

Reading, PA $73,537

Saint Cloud, MN $73,507

Concord, NH $73,440

Madison, WI $73,410

Utica, NY $73,209

Raleigh, NC $73,149

Las Vegas, NV $73,142

Rochester, NY $73,090

Des Moines, IA $73,082

Atlanta, GA $72,963

Battle Creek, MI $72,941

Salt Lake City, UT $72,918

Lancaster, PA $72,807

Champaign, IL $72,792

Harrisburg, PA $72,702

Durham, NC $72,635

Kansas City, MO $72,628

Kansas City, KS $72,613

Fort Worth, TX $72,605

Boca Raton, FL $72,576

Cleveland, OH $72,568

Columbus, OH $72,553

Pittsburgh, PA $72,546

Richmond, VA $72,516

Indianapolis, IN $72,501

Cincinnati, OH $72,404

Petersburg, VA $72,292

Billings, MT $72,128

Lansing, MI $72,128

Huntsville, AL $72,128

Lebanon, PA $72,121

Dayton, OH $72,114

Pueblo, CO $72,114

Appleton, WI $72,091

Buffalo, NY $72,061

Racine, WI $72,024

Charlotte, NC $72,017

Saint Louis, MO $71,994

Springfield, IL $71,965

Elkhart, IN $71,950

York, PA $71,950

Gastonia, NC $71,942

Benton Harbor, MI $71,942

Beaumont, TX $71,897

Lorain, OH $71,883

Toledo, OH $71,853

Binghamton, NY $71,816

Rock Hill, SC $71,808

Rockford, IL $71,771

Fargo, ND $71,734

Elyria, OH $71,734

Flagstaff, AZ $71,681

Fort Lauderdale, FL $71,637

Miami, FL $71,592

Duluth, MN $71,473

Bangor, ME $71,376

Cedar Rapids, IA $71,294

Louisville, KY $71,257

Grand Rapids, MI $71,242

Hialeah, FL $71,234

Casper, WY $71,130

Scranton, PA $71,041

New Orleans, LA $71,018

Virginia Beach, VA $71,011

Akron, OH $70,974

Peoria, IL $70,877

Sarasota, FL $70,862

Green Bay, WI $70,810

Baton Rouge, LA $70,772

Charleston, SC $70,757

Nashville, TN $70,735

Jamestown, NY $70,720

Davenport, IA $70,720

Tucson, AZ $70,683

Cheyenne, WY $70,661

Saint Petersburg, FL $70,638

Tampa, FL $70,623

Omaha, NE $70,608

Port Arthur, TX $70,579

Evansville, IN $70,579

Bradenton, FL $70,549

Santa Fe, NM $70,415

Orlando, FL $70,340

Clearwater, FL $70,258

Canton, OH $70,102

La Crosse, WI $70,102

Grand Forks, ND $70,079

Albuquerque, NM $70,057

Tulsa, OK $70,057

Newport News, VA $70,050

High Point, NC $70,027

Ogden, UT $69,997

Corpus Christi, TX $69,938

Laramie, WY $69,893

Norfolk, VA $69,893

Rock Island, IL $69,848

Saginaw, MI $69,833

Jacksonville, FL $69,826

Salisbury, NC $69,811

Memphis, TN $69,796

Moline, IL $69,759

Fort Myers, FL $69,737

Waterloo, IA $69,640

Spartanburg, SC $69,565

Lincoln, NE $69,528

Fort Wayne, IN $69,513

Birmingham, AL $69,431

Cedar Falls, IA $69,416

Provo, UT $69,409

Springfield, OH $69,401

San Antonio, TX $69,386

Greensboro, NC $69,357

South Bend, IN $69,349

Winston Salem, NC $69,342

Boise, ID $69,319

Savannah, GA $69,267

Muskegon, MI $69,133

Lima, OH $69,044

Lake Charles, LA $69,014

Anderson, IN $68,999

Lexington, KY $68,977

Augusta, GA $68,954

Greenville, SC $68,954

Wichita, KS $68,887

Tuscaloosa, AL $68,887

Columbia, SC $68,820

Bloomington, IN $68,634

Roanoke, VA $68,589

Asheville, NC $68,492

Knoxville, TN $68,366

Shreveport, LA $68,358

Wilmington, NC $68,261

Frankfort, KY $68,120

Oklahoma City, OK $68,068

Chillicothe, OH $68,038

Longview, TX $68,030

Topeka, KS $68,008

Mobile, AL $67,896

Terre Haute, IN $67,866

Erie, PA $67,859

Altoona, PA $67,822

Melbourne, FL $67,799

Amarillo, TX $67,769

Killeen, TX $67,747

Fayetteville, AR $67,688

Sioux Falls, SD $67,635

Chattanooga, TN $67,591

Idaho Falls, ID $67,583

Gainesville, FL $67,427

Portsmouth, OH $67,389

Little Rock, AR $67,375

Lynchburg, VA $67,375

Lafayette, LA $67,345

Youngstown, OH $67,345

Temple, TX $67,315

Daytona Beach, FL $67,300

Clarksville, TN $67,293

Pensacola, FL $67,285

Hopkinsville, KY $67,062

Charleston, WV $67,054

Florence, SC $67,017

Sioux City, IA $66,972

Macon, GA $66,756

Tallahassee, FL $66,749

Fayetteville, NC $66,734

Waco, TX $66,719

Wichita Falls, TX $66,719

Pine Bluff, AR $66,689

Vincennes, IN $66,547

Lubbock, TX $66,518

Great Falls, MT $66,473

Alamogordo, NM $66,466

Abilene, TX $66,406

Rapid City, SD $66,309

Monroe, LA $66,309

Albany, GA $66,264

Huntington, WV $66,257

Jackson, MS $66,249

Greenville, MS $66,242

Parkersburg, WV $66,167

Montgomery, AL $66,153

Johnstown, PA $66,138

Springfield, MO $66,078

Biloxi, MS $66,041

Sumter, SC $65,884

Columbus, GA $65,877

Twin Falls, ID $65,832

Pascagoula, MS $65,735

Kingsport, TN $65,542

Gulfport, MS $65,519

Alexandria, LA $65,273

Fort Smith, AR $65,087

El Paso, TX $64,886

Helena, MT $64,789

Las Cruces, NM $64,551

Harlingen, TX $64,342

Pocatello, ID $64,275

Florence, AL $64,252

Brownsville, TX $64,238

Dothan, AL $64,118

Mcallen, TX $64,081

Columbus, MS $63,530

Altus, OK $63,187

Lawton, OK $63,045

Pierre, SD $62,777

What Skills Can Increase a Machine Designer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Attention to Detail (Mentioned in 1.96% Job Postings): Executing and completing a task with a high level of accuracy.
3D CAD (Mentioned in 1.49% Job Postings): CAD is short for Computer-aided design. It's the use of computers to aid in the creation and optimization of a design. Designs made through 3D CAD software focus on the three dimensional quality of design of characters and objects.
Installation (Mentioned in 1.17% Job Postings): The action or process of installing someone or something, or of being installed. the act of installing the state of being installed, something that is installed for use.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Attention to Detail	1.96%
3D CAD	1.49%
Installation	1.17%

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 a Machine Designer's salary.

Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Analysis	$78,984	6%
Collaboration	$77,493	4%
Presentation	$77,493	4%
Telecommunications	$76,748	3%
Software Design	$76,748	3%
Innovation	$76,748	3%

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How Education impacts a Machine Designer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Machine Designers 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 Machine Designer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $75,297 and $80,219).

Machine Designer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Machine Designer

No Diploma 0.9%

High School 21.0%

Associates 54.0%

Bachelors 21.9%

Masters 1.9%

Doctorate 0.3%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.9%
High School	21.0%
Associates	54.0%
Bachelors	21.9%
Masters	1.9%
Doctorate	0.3%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Machine 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 April 01, 2026

$69,265

Average $74,513/year

$83,443

$5,772

Average $6,209/month

$6,954

$1,332

Average $1,433/week

$1,605

$33

Average $36/hour

$40

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$83,443	$6,954	$1,605	$40
Average	$74,513	$6,209	$1,433	$36
25th Percentile	$69,265	$5,772	$1,332	$33

Salaries of jobs related to Machine Designer

Salary Trends for Machine Designer

Salaries for a Machine Designer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $80,968 in 2023 to around $78,953 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Machine Designer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Machine Designer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$80,968

2024

$80,193

2025

$78,953

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$80,968
2024	$80,193
2025	$78,953
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Machine Designer

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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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