Automation Design Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does an Automation Design Engineer make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Automation Design Engineer in the United States is $82,755 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $95,860
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $76,037 to $89,615
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $69,921
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View as table View as graph 25% $76,037 10% $69,921 90% $95,860 75% $89,615 $82,755 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Automation Design Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $89,615 $7,468 $1,723 $43
Average $82,755 $6,896 $1,591 $40
25th Percentile $76,037 $6,336 $1,462 $37
Check out Automation Design Engineer Job Openings in the United States
Design Engineer

giftHEALTH Inc - Columbus, OH

Design Engineer

ISAT Total Support - Columbus, OH

Design Engineer

Goken - Columbus, OH

Design Engineer

Goken - Columbus, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Automation Design Engineer Salaries

An Automation Design 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 Automation Design Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Automation Design 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): $82,250
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $103,498
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $129,028
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $163,198
  • Expert (over 8 years): $193,359
Levels Salary
Automatio... Level Automation Design Engineer$82,250
Digital D... Level Automation Design Engineer$103,498
Digital D... Level Automation Design Engineer$129,028
Digital D... Level Automation Design Engineer$163,198
Digital D... Level Automation Design Engineer$193,359
$82,250 0 yr
$103,498 < 2 yrs
$129,028 2-4 yrs
$163,198 5-8 yrs
$193,359 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Automation Design 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: $104,379
  • San Francisco: $103,236
  • Oakland: $101,060

What Skills Can Increase an Automation Design Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 2.63% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
  • Typography (Mentioned in 3.27% Job Postings): Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and appealing when displayed. The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths, line-spacing (leading), and letter-spacing (tracking), and adjusting the space between pairs of letters (kerning). The term typography is also applied to the style, arrangement, and appearance of the letters, numbers, and symbols created by the process. Type design is a closely related craft, sometimes considered part of typography; most typographers do not design typefaces, and some type designers do not consider themselves typographers. Typography also may be used as a decorative device, unrelated to communication of information. Typography is the work of typesetters (also known as compositors), typographers, graphic designers, art directors, manga artists, comic book artists, graffiti artists, and, now, anyone who arranges words, letters, numbers, and symbols for publication, display, or distribution, from clerical workers and newsletter writers to anyone self-publishing materials. Until the Digital Age, typography was a specialized occupation. Digitization opened up typography to new generations of previously unrelated designers and lay users. As the capability to create typography has become ubiquitous, the application of principles and best practices developed over generations of skilled workers and professionals has diminished. So at a time when scientific techniques can support the proven traditions (e.g., greater legibility with the use of serifs, upper and lower case, contrast, etc.) through understanding the limitations of human vision, typography as often encountered may fail to achieve its principal objective: effective communication.
  • InDesign (Mentioned in 2.37% Job Postings): nDesign is a desktop publishing software application for creating flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers, and books. Projects created using InDesign can be shared in both digital and print formats.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 2.63%
Typography 3.27%
InDesign 2.37%
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 Automation Design Engineer's salary.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Prototyping: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Analysis
$87,720
6%
Prototyping
$86,893
5%
Innovation
$85,237
3%
Collaboration
$84,410
2%
Commitment
$84,410
2%
Integrity
$84,410
2%
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Automation Design Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Automation Design Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Automation Design Engineer positions in Telecom. or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Automation Design Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Automation Design Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$107,581$52.030%
Energy & Utilities$103,444$50.025%
Pharmaceuticals$99,306$48.020%
Aerospace & Defense$95,168$46.015%
Internet$91,030$44.010%

Automation Design Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Automation Design 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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Automation Design Engineer

Salaries for an Automation Design Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $92,858 in 2023 to around $86,894 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Automation Design Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Automation Design Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$92,858
2024
$89,818
2025
$86,894
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $92,858
2024 $89,818
2025 $86,894
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Automation Design Engineer

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

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

Find Your Next Automation Design Engineer Job

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

United States
  • The Misch Group

    Columbus, OH

    The Misch Group | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Description. We are seeking a full-time electrical engineer or electrical designer with at least 3 years of experience to... more

    3 Days Ago

  • Pop-Up Talent

    Columbus, OH

    Pop-Up Talent | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Electrical Design/Controls Engineer – Experienced. Gahanna, OH 43230. MJ Engineering & Consulting, Inc. is a full-service... more

    7 Days Ago

  • MRINetwork

    Columbus, OH

    MRINetwork | Columbus, OH

    Work From Home Sales Representative. In this role, you will work out of your home office to serve an existing customer territory within three hours of Colu... more

    7 Days Ago

  • STAQ Pharma Inc

    Columbus, OH

    STAQ Pharma Inc | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Position Summary. We are seeking an Automation Controls Engineer to support the technical aspects of facility automation ... more

    7 Days Ago

  • Blue Star Partners LLC

    Columbus, OH

    Blue Star Partners LLC | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Job Title: Senior Tosca Automation Engineer. Location. Columbus, OH (Hybrid – Onsite Tuesday–Thursday). Contract Type. 1-... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Corporate One FCU

    Columbus, OH

    Corporate One FCU | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Location. Candidates in the Columbus, Ohio and Jacksonville, Florida area are preferred. remote employment is also possib... more

    6 Days Ago

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FAQ about Automation Design Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Automation Design Engineer?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Automation Design Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 30% 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.)

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