Mission Systems Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Mission Systems Engineer make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Mission Systems Engineer in the United States is $79,476 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $38.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $96,326
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $70,491 to $88,296
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $62,310
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $70,491 10% $62,310 90% $96,326 75% $88,296 $79,476 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Mission Systems Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $88,296 $7,358 $1,698 $42
Average $79,476 $6,623 $1,528 $38
25th Percentile $70,491 $5,874 $1,356 $34
Check out Mission Systems Engineer Job Openings in the United States
Rust Systems Engineer Mission

Phase2 Technology - Beavercreek, OH

Systems Engineer Mid &amp Mission

Phase2 Technology - Dayton, OH

Software Engineer Airborne Mission Systems AI

helsing.ai - New Bremen, OH

Senior Systems Administrator Mission

RPMGlobal - Dayton, OH

Search More Mission Systems Engineer Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Mission Systems Engineer Salaries

A Mission Systems 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 Mission Systems Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Mission Systems 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): $80,100
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $105,130
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $121,042
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $128,115
  • Expert (over 8 years): $152,614
Levels Salary
Mission S... Level Mission Systems Engineer$80,100
Sustainab... Level Mission Systems Engineer$105,130
Sustainab... Level Mission Systems Engineer$121,042
Sustainab... Level Mission Systems Engineer$128,115
Sustainab... Level Mission Systems Engineer$152,614
$80,100 0 yr
$105,130 < 2 yrs
$121,042 2-4 yrs
$128,115 5-8 yrs
$152,614 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Mission Systems 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 Mission Systems Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $87,996.
  • California: $87,662.
  • Massachusetts: $86,494.

Top Paying Cities for Mission Systems 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: $100,244
  • San Francisco: $99,258
  • Oakland: $97,057

What Skills Can Increase a Mission Systems Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 4.67% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Energy Efficiency (Mentioned in 1.06% Job Postings): Energy efficiency is the use of less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result. Energy efficient homes and buildings use less energy to heat, cool, and run appliances and electronics
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 0.85% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 4.67%
Energy Efficiency 1.06%
Microsoft Office 0.85%
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 Mission Systems Engineer's salary.
  • Process Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Benchmarking: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Process Consulting
$89,808
13%
Insight
$83,450
5%
Benchmarking
$83,450
5%
Content Development
$82,655
4%
Corporate Governance
$82,655
4%
Teamwork
$82,655
4%
Get Latest Data

Mission Systems Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Mission Systems 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 April 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Mission Systems Engineer

Salaries for a Mission Systems Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $64,702 in 2023 to around $64,984 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Mission Systems Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Mission Systems Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$64,702
2024
$65,090
2025
$64,984
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $64,702
2024 $65,090
2025 $64,984
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Mission Systems Engineer

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

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Mission Systems Engineer

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

Find Your Next Mission Systems Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Mission Systems Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst