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Certified Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Certified Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Certified Engineer in the United States is $78,540 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $38.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $89,067
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $72,643 to $84,050
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $67,275
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Certified Engineer Salaries

A Certified 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 Certified Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Certified 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): $78,135
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $90,359
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $108,615
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $137,481
  • Expert (over 8 years): $158,731
Levels Salary
Certified... Level Certified Engineer$78,135
Engineer ... Level Certified Engineer$90,359
Engineer ... Level Certified Engineer$108,615
Engineer ... Level Certified Engineer$137,481
Engineer ... Level Certified Engineer$158,731
View as Graph

How Do Certified 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 Certified Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $86,959.
  • California: $86,629.
  • Massachusetts: $85,475.

Top Paying Cities for Certified 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: $99,062
  • San Francisco: $97,977
  • Oakland: $95,913

What Skills Can Increase a Certified Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 6.26% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Carpentry (Mentioned in 2.27% Job Postings): Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenters traditionally worked with natural wood and did the rougher work such as framing, but today many other materials are also used and sometimes the finer trades of cabinetmaking and furniture building are considered carpentry. In the United States, 98.5% of carpenters are male, and it was the fourth most male-dominated occupation in the country in 1999. In 2006 in the United States, there were about 1.5 million carpentry positions. Carpenters are usually the first tradesmen on a job and the last to leave. Carpenters normally framed post-and-beam buildings until the end of the 19th century; now this old fashioned carpentry is called timber framing. Carpenters learn this trade by being employed through an apprenticeship training—normally 4 years—and qualify by successfully completing that country's competence test in places such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and South Africa. It is also common that the skill can be learned by gaining work experience other than a formal training program, which may be the case in many places.
  • Python (Mentioned in 1.69% Job Postings): Applying the concepts and algorithms of Python to design, develop and maintain software applications to comply with business requirements.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 6.26%
Carpentry 2.27%
Python 1.69%
See More Skills

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 Certified Engineer's salary.

  • JavaScript: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • AWS: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • API: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
JavaScript $87,179
11%
AWS $87,179
11%
API $86,394
10%
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Certified Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Certified Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Certified Engineer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Certified Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Certified Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$98,175$47.025%
Energy & Utilities$94,248$45.020%
Aerospace & Defense$90,321$43.015%
Internet$90,321$43.015%
Chemicals$86,394$42.010%

How Education impacts a Certified Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Certified 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 a Certified Engineer with a Associate's Degree is between $73,281 and $76,434).

Certified Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Certified Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.6%
High School 5.4%
Associates 6.4%
Bachelors 57.2%
Masters 26.5%
Doctorate 3.9%
View as Graph

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

Understanding how a Certified 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
$72,643
Average $78,540/year
$84,050
$6,054
Average $6,545/month
$7,004
$1,397
Average $1,510/week
$1,616
$35
Average $38/hour
$40
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $84,050 $7,004 $1,616 $40
Average $78,540 $6,545 $1,510 $38
25th Percentile $72,643 $6,054 $1,397 $35

Most common benefits for Certified Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Certified Engineer

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

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FAQ about Certified Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Certified Engineer?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Certified Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 25% 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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