Junior Desktop Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Junior Desktop Engineer make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Junior Desktop Engineer in the United States is $70,882 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $34.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $80,493
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $65,011 to $75,913
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $59,665
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View as table View as graph 25% $65,011 10% $59,665 90% $80,493 75% $75,913 $70,882 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Junior Desktop Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $75,913 $6,326 $1,460 $36
Average $70,882 $5,907 $1,363 $34
25th Percentile $65,011 $5,418 $1,250 $31
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Key Factors That Influence Junior Desktop Engineer Salaries

A Junior Desktop 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Junior Desktop Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Junior Desktop 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): $70,882
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $71,450
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $72,645
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $72,884
  • Expert (over 8 years): $73,044
Levels Salary
Entry Level Junior Desktop Engineer$70,882
Intermediate Level Junior Desktop Engineer$71,450
Senior Level Junior Desktop Engineer$72,645
Specialist Level Junior Desktop Engineer$72,884
Expert Level Junior Desktop Engineer$73,044
$70,882 0 yr
$71,450 < 2 yrs
$72,645 2-4 yrs
$72,884 5-8 yrs
$73,044 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Junior Desktop Engineer 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 Junior Desktop Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $78,481.
  • California: $78,183.
  • Massachusetts: $77,141.

Top Paying Cities for Junior Desktop 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: $89,404
  • San Francisco: $88,525
  • Oakland: $86,562

What Skills Can Increase a Junior Desktop Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 1.93% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Web Applications (Mentioned in 3.76% Job Postings): A web application is application software that runs in a web browser, unlike software programs that run locally and natively on the operating system of the device. They are delivered on the World Wide Web to users with an active network connection.
  • Software Development (Mentioned in 2.81% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 1.93%
Web Applications 3.76%
Software Development 2.81%
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 Junior Desktop Engineer's salary.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Solution Design: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Consulting
$75,135
6%
Commitment
$73,718
4%
Solution Design
$73,718
4%
Agile
$73,009
3%
Leadership
$73,009
3%
Innovation
$73,009
3%
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Junior Desktop Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Junior Desktop 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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Junior Desktop Engineer

Salaries for a Junior Desktop Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $78,829 in 2023 to around $78,475 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Junior Desktop Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Junior Desktop Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$78,829
2024
$79,398
2025
$78,475
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $78,829
2024 $79,398
2025 $78,475
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Junior Desktop Engineer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Junior Desktop Engineer

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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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