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Lead Design Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Lead Design Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Design Engineer in the United States is $138,584 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $67.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $160,881
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $125,976 to $150,255
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $114,497
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Lead Design Engineer Salaries

A Lead 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 Lead Design Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead 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): $90,228
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $112,796
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $137,726
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $161,336
  • Expert (over 8 years): $147,673
Levels Salary
Product D... Level Lead Design Engineer$90,228
Product D... Level Lead Design Engineer$112,796
Lead Desi... Level Lead Design Engineer$137,726
Product D... Level Lead Design Engineer$161,336
Product D... Level Lead Design Engineer$147,673
View as Graph

How Do Lead Design 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 Lead Design Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $153,440.
  • California: $152,858.
  • Massachusetts: $150,821.

Top Paying Cities for Lead 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: $174,796
  • San Francisco: $172,882
  • Oakland: $169,239

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Design Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 8.25% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Manufacturing Processes (Mentioned in 2.06% Job Postings): Applying manufacturing methods, technologies and processes to execute, plan, manage and monitor the entire manufacturing process.
  • Casting (Mentioned in 1.03% Job Postings): Casting is a manufacturing process in which a liquid material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. It is used for making complex shapes that would be otherwise difficult.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 8.25%
Manufacturing Processes 2.06%
Casting 1.03%
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 Lead Design Engineer's salary.

  • Design of Experiments: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Process Management: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Interface Design: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Design of Experiments $156,600
13%
Process Management $151,057
9%
Interface Design $149,671
8%
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Lead Design Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lead Design Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 46% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Insurance and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 18% above the average. In contrast, Lead Design Engineer positions in Transportation or Internet typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Lead Design Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Lead Design Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Insurance$163,529$79.018%
Aerospace & Defense$159,372$77.015%
Business Services$159,372$77.015%
Biotechnology$152,442$73.010%
Media$152,442$73.010%

How Education impacts a Lead Design Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lead Design Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor'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 Lead Design Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $136,049 and $143,102).

Lead Design Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lead Design Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.7%
High School 3.7%
Associates 8.2%
Bachelors 41.6%
Masters 36.2%
Doctorate 9.6%
View as Graph

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

Understanding how a Lead 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
$125,976
Average $138,584/year
$150,255
$10,498
Average $11,549/month
$12,521
$2,423
Average $2,665/week
$2,890
$61
Average $67/hour
$72
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $150,255 $12,521 $2,890 $72
Average $138,584 $11,549 $2,665 $67
25th Percentile $125,976 $10,498 $2,423 $61

Most common benefits for Lead Design Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Lead Design Engineer

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

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FAQ about Lead Design Engineer

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

The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for Lead Design Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 18% 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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