How much does a Systems Engineering make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Systems Engineering in the United States is $62,143 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.
However, a Systems Engineering's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $78,592
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,534 to $70,753
Key Factors That Influence Systems Engineering Salaries
A Systems Engineering'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 Systems Engineering Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Systems Engineering'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:
How Do Systems Engineering 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 Systems Engineerings. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $78,381
San Francisco: $77,523
Oakland: $75,889
San Jose, CA$78,381
San Francisco, CA$77,523
Oakland, CA$75,889
New York, NY$71,551
Paramus, NJ$70,681
Queens Village, NY$70,678
Passaic, NJ$70,619
Bergenfield, NJ$70,613
Stamford, CT$70,476
Huntington, NY$70,451
Newark, NJ$69,992
Bridgeport, CT$69,861
Vallejo, CA$69,737
New Brunswick, NJ$69,712
Petaluma, CA$69,675
Middlesex, NJ$69,557
Somerset, NJ$69,513
Santa Cruz, CA$69,432
Boston, MA$69,053
Monterey, CA$68,835
Seattle, WA$68,693
Santa Rosa, CA$68,680
Los Angeles, CA$68,662
Juneau, AK$68,500
Washington, DC$68,432
Orange, CA$68,211
Santa Ana, CA$68,047
Long Beach, CA$67,984
Anaheim, CA$67,972
Anchorage, AK$67,941
Santa Maria, CA$67,755
Everett, WA$67,742
Danbury, CT$67,523
Bremerton, WA$67,438
Tacoma, WA$67,214
New Suffolk, NY$67,213
Sacramento, CA$67,195
Santa Barbara, CA$67,127
Trenton, NJ$67,059
San Diego, CA$67,059
Brockton, MA$66,990
Fairbanks, AK$66,838
Lompoc, CA$66,679
Lowell, MA$66,629
Ventura, CA$66,617
Nashua, NH$66,605
Stockton, CA$66,599
Modesto, CA$66,145
Poughkeepsie, NY$66,008
Olympia, WA$65,890
Kennewick, WA$65,890
New Haven, CT$65,865
Lawrence, MA$65,642
Hartford, CT$65,580
Riverside, CA$65,567
New Bedford, MA$65,505
Richland, WA$65,505
Bakersfield, CA$65,418
San Bernardino, CA$65,393
New Britain, CT$65,387
Atlantic City, NJ$65,387
New London, CT$65,362
Norwich, CT$65,343
Portsmouth, NH$65,331
Boulder, CO$65,199
Portland, OR$65,113
Worcester, MA$65,107
Minneapolis, MN$64,915
Philadelphia, PA$64,828
Honolulu, HI$64,623
Saint Paul, MN$64,593
Vineland, NJ$64,579
Providence, RI$64,399
Chicago, IL$64,219
Bellingham, WA$64,144
Springfield, MA$64,094
Baltimore, MD$64,076
Chico, CA$63,920
Pittsfield, MA$63,753
Manchester, NH$63,634
Spokane, WA$63,361
Denver, CO$63,355
Albany, NY$63,063
Troy, NY$63,038
Nassau, NY$62,971
Schenectady, NY$62,907
Wilmington, DE$62,858
Burlington, VT$62,771
Salem, OR$62,746
Portland, ME$62,553
Yakima, WA$62,491
Rochester, MN$62,298
Reno, NV$62,267
Fresno, CA$62,267
Milwaukee, WI$62,211
Detroit, MI$62,149
Ann Arbor, MI$62,139
Allentown, PA$62,131
Colorado Springs, CO$62,025
Syracuse, NY$61,994
Carson City, NV$61,994
Houston, TX$61,907
Eugene, OR$61,876
Gary, IN$61,801
Springfield, OR$61,751
Bismarck, ND$61,739
Galveston, TX$61,696
Medford, OR$61,602
Fort Collins, CO$61,577
Concord, NH$61,546
Austin, TX$61,528
Mesa, AZ$61,397
Reading, PA$61,391
Phoenix, AZ$61,385
Dallas, TX$61,366
Saint Cloud, MN$61,307
Madison, WI$61,223
Utica, NY$61,055
Rochester, NY$60,956
Des Moines, IA$60,950
Raleigh, NC$60,944
Atlanta, GA$60,850
Battle Creek, MI$60,832
Salt Lake City, UT$60,813
Lancaster, PA$60,720
Harrisburg, PA$60,633
Kansas City, MO$60,571
Champaign, IL$60,558
Kansas City, KS$60,558
Fort Worth, TX$60,552
Columbus, OH$60,542
Boca Raton, FL$60,527
Pittsburgh, PA$60,502
Richmond, VA$60,478
Indianapolis, IN$60,465
Cleveland, OH$60,459
Las Vegas, NV$60,384
Cincinnati, OH$60,384
Petersburg, VA$60,291
Huntsville, AL$60,198
Lansing, MI$60,156
Lebanon, PA$60,148
Pueblo, CO$60,142
Appleton, WI$60,123
Buffalo, NY$60,098
Dayton, OH$60,080
Racine, WI$60,067
Charlotte, NC$60,061
Saint Louis, MO$60,043
York, PA$60,005
Elkhart, IN$60,005
Gastonia, NC$59,993
Billings, MT$59,979
Beaumont, TX$59,962
Lorain, OH$59,949
Benton Harbor, MI$59,937
Toledo, OH$59,924
Binghamton, NY$59,893
Rock Hill, SC$59,887
Rockford, IL$59,856
Springfield, IL$59,831
Elyria, OH$59,825
Fargo, ND$59,825
Flagstaff, AZ$59,782
Fort Lauderdale, FL$59,744
Duluth, MN$59,707
Miami, FL$59,707
Cheyenne, WY$59,663
Grand Forks, ND$59,663
Bangor, ME$59,527
Cedar Rapids, IA$59,458
Durham, NC$59,432
Louisville, KY$59,427
Grand Rapids, MI$59,415
Hialeah, FL$59,409
Casper, WY$59,322
Scranton, PA$59,247
New Orleans, LA$59,228
Virginia Beach, VA$59,222
Akron, OH$59,191
Peoria, IL$59,110
Sarasota, FL$59,098
Nashville, TN$59,054
Omaha, NE$59,054
Green Bay, WI$59,054
Baton Rouge, LA$59,023
Charleston, SC$59,011
Jamestown, NY$58,980
Davenport, IA$58,980
Tucson, AZ$58,949
Saint Petersburg, FL$58,912
Tampa, FL$58,899
Evansville, IN$58,862
Port Arthur, TX$58,862
Bradenton, FL$58,837
Santa Fe, NM$58,725
Orlando, FL$58,613
Clearwater, FL$58,595
Canton, OH$58,464
La Crosse, WI$58,464
Albuquerque, NM$58,427
Newport News, VA$58,421
High Point, NC$58,402
Ogden, UT$58,377
Corpus Christi, TX$58,327
Norfolk, VA$58,290
Laramie, WY$58,290
Rock Island, IL$58,253
Saginaw, MI$58,240
Jacksonville, FL$58,234
Salisbury, NC$58,222
Boise, ID$58,209
Moline, IL$58,178
Fort Myers, FL$58,160
Memphis, TN$58,147
Tulsa, OK$58,116
Waterloo, IA$58,079
Spartanburg, SC$58,017
Lincoln, NE$57,986
Fort Wayne, IN$57,973
Provo, UT$57,967
Cedar Falls, IA$57,892
San Antonio, TX$57,868
Greensboro, NC$57,843
South Bend, IN$57,836
Savannah, GA$57,768
Muskegon, MI$57,743
Birmingham, AL$57,737
Winston Salem, NC$57,707
Lake Charles, LA$57,557
Anderson, IN$57,544
Lexington, KY$57,526
Augusta, GA$57,507
Greenville, SC$57,507
Lima, OH$57,457
Wichita, KS$57,451
Tuscaloosa, AL$57,451
Columbia, SC$57,395
Springfield, OH$57,383
Asheville, NC$57,283
Bloomington, IN$57,240
Knoxville, TN$57,016
Shreveport, LA$57,010
Wilmington, NC$56,929
Roanoke, VA$56,929
Topeka, KS$56,817
Frankfort, KY$56,811
Oklahoma City, OK$56,768
Chillicothe, OH$56,743
Longview, TX$56,737
Melbourne, FL$56,730
Sioux Falls, SD$56,631
Mobile, AL$56,625
Terre Haute, IN$56,600
Altoona, PA$56,563
Amarillo, TX$56,519
Killeen, TX$56,500
Fayetteville, AR$56,451
Chattanooga, TN$56,432
Sioux City, IA$56,376
Idaho Falls, ID$56,364
Lynchburg, VA$56,314
Gainesville, FL$56,233
Portsmouth, OH$56,202
Little Rock, AR$56,190
Lafayette, LA$56,165
Youngstown, OH$56,165
Daytona Beach, FL$56,128
Clarksville, TN$56,121
Pensacola, FL$56,115
Temple, TX$56,111
Hopkinsville, KY$55,929
Erie, PA$55,916
Florence, SC$55,891
Charleston, WV$55,792
Great Falls, MT$55,761
Macon, GA$55,674
Tallahassee, FL$55,668
Fayetteville, NC$55,655
Waco, TX$55,643
Helena, MT$55,599
Pine Bluff, AR$55,576
Vincennes, IN$55,500
Lubbock, TX$55,475
Alamogordo, NM$55,438
Twin Falls, ID$55,382
Rapid City, SD$55,363
Jackson, MS$55,251
Huntington, WV$55,247
Greenville, MS$55,245
Parkersburg, WV$55,182
Montgomery, AL$55,171
Wichita Falls, TX$55,108
Springfield, MO$55,108
Biloxi, MS$55,077
Monroe, LA$55,015
Johnstown, PA$54,972
Sumter, SC$54,947
Columbus, GA$54,941
Pascagoula, MS$54,823
Abilene, TX$54,823
Kingsport, TN$54,661
Albany, GA$54,661
Gulfport, MS$54,642
Alexandria, LA$54,437
Fort Smith, AR$54,282
El Paso, TX$54,114
Las Cruces, NM$53,834
Harlingen, TX$53,677
Pocatello, ID$53,667
Florence, AL$53,586
Brownsville, TX$53,573
Mcallen, TX$53,443
Dothan, AL$53,356
Columbus, MS$52,987
Altus, OK$52,697
Lawton, OK$52,579
Pierre, SD$52,355
What Skills Can Increase a Systems Engineering's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 7.88% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Business Administration (Mentioned in 2.61% Job Postings): It is the management of all aspects of a business's performance, decisions, and organization. It includes the day to day operations, aspects including finances and human resources, and ensures the company stays aligned to the goal or mission.
ERP Systems (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Leveraging advanced tools and software systems to automate and manage core business functions cost-effectively to maximize performance.
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 Systems Engineering's salary.
UAT: Can increase your salary by up to 23%.
System Requirements: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Systems Engineering Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Systems Engineering roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Internet
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 22% above the average.
In contrast, Systems Engineering positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Systems Engineering as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Systems Engineering
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$75,814
$36.0
22%
Internet
$73,329
$35.0
18%
Energy & Utilities
$69,600
$33.0
12%
Telecom
$68,979
$33.0
11%
Financial Services
$68,357
$33.0
10%
How Education impacts a Systems Engineering's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Systems Engineerings 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 Systems Engineering with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$56,677
and $61,875).
Systems Engineering Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Systems Engineering'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.
Salaries for a Systems Engineering can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $53,022 in 2023
to around $51,360 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Systems Engineering salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Systems Engineering Over Time
$???
$53,022
$51,845
$51,360
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$53,022
2024
$51,845
2025
$51,360
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Systems Engineering
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Systems Engineering
Here are companies hiring for Systems Engineering and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Systems Engineering Job
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FAQ about Systems Engineering
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Systems Engineering?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Systems Engineering roles,
with salaries approximately 22% 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.
