Automotive Design Engineer Salary in the United States

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

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Automotive Design Engineer in the United States is $101,911 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $49.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $117,025
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $94,416 to $109,822
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $87,592

Key Factors That Influence Automotive Design Engineer Salaries

An Automotive 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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Automotive Design Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Automotive 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): $75,860
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $88,984
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $101,330
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $122,870
  • Expert (over 8 years): $144,854
Levels Salary
Tool Desi... Level Automotive Design Engineer$75,860
Tool Desi... Level Automotive Design Engineer$88,984
Automotiv... Level Automotive Design Engineer$101,330
Tool Desi... Level Automotive Design Engineer$122,870
Tool Desi... Level Automotive Design Engineer$144,854

Top Paying Cities for Automotive 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: $128,540
  • San Francisco: $127,133
  • Oakland: $124,454

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 7.61% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Architectural Drawing (Mentioned in 3.09% Job Postings): Architectural drawing or architect's drawing is a technical drawing of a building (or building project) that falls within the definition of architecture.
  • Work Ethic (Mentioned in 2.06% Job Postings): A belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. A set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination or desire to work hard.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 7.61%
Architectural Drawing 3.09%
Work Ethic 2.06%

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 Automotive Design Engineer's salary.

  • Customer Communications: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Strategic Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Business Ethics: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Customer Communications $110,064
8%
Strategic Planning $110,064
8%
Business Ethics $108,026
6%

Automotive Design Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Automotive Design Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 75% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Automotive Design Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Automotive Design Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Automotive Design Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$132,484$64.030%
Financial Services$127,389$61.025%
Biotechnology$122,293$59.020%
Pharmaceuticals$122,293$59.020%
Energy & Utilities$117,198$56.015%

How Education impacts an Automotive Design Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Automotive Design Engineers enter the field with a Associate's Degree 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 Automotive Design Engineer with a Associate's Degree is between $105,182 and $112,527).

Automotive Design Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Automotive Design Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 7.7%
High School 23.1%
Associates 30.8%
Bachelors 30.8%
Masters 7.7%
Doctorate 0.0%

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

Understanding how an Automotive 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 September 01, 2026
$94,416
Average $101,911/year
$109,822
$7,868
Average $8,493/month
$9,152
$1,816
Average $1,960/week
$2,112
$45
Average $49/hour
$53
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $109,822 $9,152 $2,112 $53
Average $101,911 $8,493 $1,960 $49
25th Percentile $94,416 $7,868 $1,816 $45

Most common benefits for Automotive Design Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Automotive Design Engineer

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

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FAQ about Automotive Design Engineer

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

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Automotive 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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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