Engineering Project Leader Salary in the United States

How much does an Engineering Project Leader make in the United States?

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for an Engineering Project Leader in the United States is $158,674 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $76.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $163,230
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $150,825 to $161,059
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $143,679
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View as table View as graph 25% $150,825 10% $143,679 90% $163,230 75% $161,059 $158,674 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Engineering Project Leader Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $161,059 $13,422 $3,097 $77
Average $158,674 $13,223 $3,051 $76
25th Percentile $150,825 $12,569 $2,900 $73
Check out Engineering Project Leader Job Openings in the United States
Project Leader

Koniag Government Services - WASHINGTON, DC

Deputy Project Leader

M9 Solutions - WASHINGTON, DC

Technical Project Leader

Serco Inc. - SAN DIEGO, CA

Principal Project Leader

MITRE Corporation - BETHESDA, MD

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Key Factors That Influence Engineering Project Leader Salaries

An Engineering Project Leader'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 Engineering Project Leader Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Engineering Project Leader'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): $118,572
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $135,653
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $159,220
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $83,926
  • Expert (over 8 years): $118,793
Levels Salary
Project E... Level Engineering Project Leader$118,572
Project E... Level Engineering Project Leader$135,653
Engineeri... Level Engineering Project Leader$159,220
Project E... Level Engineering Project Leader$83,926
Project E... Level Engineering Project Leader$118,793
$118,572 0 yr
$135,653 < 2 yrs
$159,220 2-4 yrs
$83,926 5-8 yrs
$118,793 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Engineering Project Leader 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 Engineering Project Leaders. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $175,684.
  • California: $175,017.
  • Massachusetts: $172,685.

Top Paying Cities for Engineering Project Leaders

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: $200,136
  • San Francisco: $198,168
  • Oakland: $193,773

What Skills Can Increase an Engineering Project Leader's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Project Management (Mentioned in 7.83% Job Postings): Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.
  • Installation (Mentioned in 2.73% 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.
  • Land Development (Mentioned in 1.47% Job Postings): Land development is the alteration of landscape in any number of ways such as: Changing landforms from a natural or semi-natural state for a purpose
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Project Management 7.83%
Installation 2.73%
Land Development 1.47%
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 Engineering Project Leader's salary.
  • Systems Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Quality Control: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Data Collection: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Systems Engineering
 $165,021
4%
Quality Control
 $163,434
3%
Data Collection
 $161,847
2%
Coordination
 $161,847
2%
Initiative
 $161,847
2%
Presentation
 $161,847
2%
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How Education impacts an Engineering Project Leader's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Engineering Project Leaders enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Engineering Project Leader with a No Diploma is between $138,898 and $147,916).

Engineering Project Leader Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Engineering Project Leader
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 6.7%
High School 13.3%
Associates 13.3%
Bachelors 46.7%
Masters 33.3%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Engineering Project Leader Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Engineering Project Leader'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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on February 01, 2026
$150,825
Average $158,674/year
$161,059
$12,569
Average $13,223/month
$13,422
$2,900
Average $3,051/week
$3,097
$73
Average $76/hour
$77
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $161,059 $13,422 $3,097 $77
Average $158,674 $13,223 $3,051 $76
25th Percentile $150,825 $12,569 $2,900 $73

Salaries of jobs related to Engineering Project Leader

Salary Trends for Engineering Project Leader

Salaries for an Engineering Project Leader can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $167,782 in 2023 to around $159,100 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Engineering Project Leader salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Engineering Project Leader Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$167,782
2024
$163,996
2025
$159,100
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $167,782
2024 $163,996
2025 $159,100
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Engineering Project Leader

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