Medical Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Medical Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Medical Engineer in the United States is $83,056 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $92,382
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $69,995 to $87,937
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $58,104

Key Factors That Influence Medical Engineer Salaries

A Medical 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 Medical Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Medical 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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $81,786
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $82,149
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $85,997
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $87,232
  • Expert (over 8 years): $87,320
Levels Salary
Entry Level Medical Engineer$81,786
Intermediate Level Medical Engineer$82,149
Senior Level Medical Engineer$85,997
Specialist Level Medical Engineer$87,232
Expert Level Medical Engineer$87,320

Top Paying Cities for Medical 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: $104,758
  • San Francisco: $103,611
  • Oakland: $101,428

What Skills Can Increase a Medical Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 10.06% 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.
  • Candidate Sourcing (Mentioned in 2.12% Job Postings): Sourcing, identifying, and engaging potential candidates online and offline to build a talent pipeline for an organization.
  • Work Ethic (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): A belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. A set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination or desire to work hard.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 10.06%
Candidate Sourcing 2.12%
Work Ethic 1.25%

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 Medical Engineer's salary.

  • Candidate Screening: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Problem Solving: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Work Ethic: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Candidate Screening $88,870
7%
Problem Solving $88,870
7%
Work Ethic $88,039
6%

Medical Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Medical Engineer roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Medical Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Medical Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Medical Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$99,667$48.020%

How Education impacts a Medical Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Medical 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 Medical Engineer with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $86,940 and $92,465).

Medical Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Medical Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.5%
High School 12.0%
Associates 6.9%
Bachelors 63.6%
Masters 17.1%
Doctorate 0.0%

Medical Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Medical 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.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$69,995
Average $83,056/year
$87,937
$5,833
Average $6,921/month
$7,328
$1,346
Average $1,597/week
$1,691
$34
Average $40/hour
$42
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $87,937 $7,328 $1,691 $42
Average $83,056 $6,921 $1,597 $40
25th Percentile $69,995 $5,833 $1,346 $34

Most common benefits for Medical Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Medical Engineer

Here are companies hiring for Medical Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Medical Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Medical Engineer?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Medical 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.

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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