What are the main factors that influence an Automotive Engineer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change An Automotive Engineer's salary?

An Automotive Engineer's salary grows with experience: an Engineer II (2-4 years)earns $95,037, an Engineer III (4-7 years)earns $114,240, an Automotive Engineer (7+ years)earns $144,563, an Engineer V (7-10 years)earns $166,941, an Engineer VI (10-12 years)earns $192,947,

What are the highest paying states for an Automotive Engineer?

Automotive Engineer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Automotive Engineer roles are District of Columbia $155,042, California $154,454, Massachusetts $152,396. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Automotive Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Automotive Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Society of Automotive Engineer Account Supervisor: $131,403; Automotive Software Engineer: $130,217; Automotive Design: $112,765; Automotive Design Engineer: $101,918; Automotive Quality Engineer: $100,194.

Automotive Engineer Salary in Rhode Island

How much does an Automotive Engineer make in Rhode Island?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for an Automotive Engineer in Rhode Island is $145,184 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $70.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $161,327
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $135,657 to $153,634
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $126,983

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Automotive Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$153,634	$12,803	$2,955	$74
Average	$145,184	$12,099	$2,792	$70
25th Percentile	$135,657	$11,305	$2,609	$65

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Key Factors That Influence Automotive Engineer Salaries

An Automotive 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 Automotive Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Automotive 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): $95,037
Early Career (1-2 years): $114,240
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $144,563
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $166,941
Expert (over 8 years): $192,947

Levels	Salary
Engineer ... Level Automotive Engineer	$95,037
Engineer ... Level Automotive Engineer	$114,240
Automotiv... Level Automotive Engineer	$144,563
Engineer ... Level Automotive Engineer	$166,941
Engineer ... Level Automotive Engineer	$192,947

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What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $155,042.
California: $154,454.
Massachusetts: $152,396.

District of Columbia $155,042 California $154,454 Massachusetts $152,396 Washington $151,836 New Jersey $151,780 Alaska $151,584 Connecticut $149,651 New York $148,867

Hawaii $146,360 Rhode Island $145,184 Maryland $144,386 Minnesota $143,294 Colorado $142,874 Illinois $142,734 Oregon $142,201 Delaware $141,809

New Hampshire $141,563 Virginia $141,011 Pennsylvania $139,401 Nevada $138,589 North Dakota $138,323 Michigan $137,903 Wisconsin $137,748 Vermont $137,440

Texas $136,586 Maine $136,530 Arizona $136,446 Ohio $136,348 Georgia $135,060 Indiana $134,416 Wyoming $134,290 Utah $134,094

Iowa $134,010 Kansas $133,338 Louisiana $133,141 North Carolina $133,071 Missouri $133,043 Florida $132,497 Montana $132,203 Nebraska $131,923

Kentucky $131,769 South Carolina $131,209 Tennessee $130,859 Idaho $130,719 New Mexico $129,697 Oklahoma $129,473 Alabama $128,646 South Dakota $127,260

Arkansas $126,504 West Virginia $126,098 Mississippi $124,880

Top Paying Cities for Automotive 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:

Adamsville: $146,999
Albion: $145,757
Ashaway: $146,720

Adamsville, RI $146,999 Albion, RI $145,757 Ashaway, RI $146,720 Barrington, RI $145,373 Block Island, RI $146,183 Bradford, RI $146,632 Bristol, RI $145,933 Carolina, RI $146,390

Charlestown, RI $146,443 Chepachet, RI $146,152 Clayville, RI $145,744 Coventry, RI $145,751 West Greenwich, RI $146,153 East Greenwich, RI $145,653 Exeter, RI $146,113 Fiskeville, RI $145,370

Forestdale, RI $146,491 Foster, RI $146,075 Glendale, RI $146,502 Greene, RI $146,267 Greenville, RI $145,426 Harmony, RI $145,614 Harrisville, RI $146,439 Hope, RI $145,461

Hope Valley, RI $146,591 Hopkinton, RI $146,785 Jamestown, RI $146,295 Kenyon, RI $146,372 Little Compton, RI $146,977 Manville, RI $145,949 Mapleville, RI $146,180 Newport, RI $146,442

Middletown, RI $146,506 North Kingstown, RI $145,904 North Scituate, RI $145,615 Oakland, RI $146,338 Pascoag, RI $146,535 Pawtucket, RI $145,156 Central Falls, RI $145,221 Cumberland, RI $146,045

Lincoln, RI $145,366 Portsmouth, RI $146,426 Prudence Island, RI $146,125 Rockville, RI $146,762 Saunderstown, RI $146,206 Shannock, RI $146,380 Slatersville, RI $146,492 Slocum, RI $146,202

Tiverton, RI $146,872 Wakefield, RI $146,331 Kingston, RI $146,275 Narragansett, RI $146,372 Peace Dale, RI $146,313 Warren, RI $145,748 Warwick, RI $145,342 Westerly, RI $146,755

West Kingston, RI $146,321 West Warwick, RI $145,520 Wood River Junction, RI $146,530 Woonsocket, RI $146,499 North Smithfield, RI $146,166 Wyoming, RI $146,380 Providence, RI $145,114 Cranston, RI $145,134

North Providence, RI $145,151 East Providence, RI $145,124 Riverside, RI $145,170 Rumford, RI $145,149 Smithfield, RI $145,443 Johnston, RI $145,200

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

Understanding how an Automotive 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 May 01, 2026

$135,657

Average $145,184/year

$153,634

$11,305

Average $12,099/month

$12,803

$2,609

Average $2,792/week

$2,955

$65

Average $70/hour

$74

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$153,634	$12,803	$2,955	$74
Average	$145,184	$12,099	$2,792	$70
25th Percentile	$135,657	$11,305	$2,609	$65

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