Lead Process Engineer Salary in the United States

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

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Process Engineer in the United States is $183,339 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $88.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $201,882
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $169,258 to $193,045
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $156,438
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View as table View as graph 25% $169,258 10% $156,438 90% $201,882 75% $193,045 $183,339 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lead Process Engineer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $193,045 $16,087 $3,712 $93
Average $183,339 $15,278 $3,526 $88
25th Percentile $169,258 $14,105 $3,255 $81
Check out Lead Process Engineer Job Openings in the United States
Lead Material Process Engineer

L3Harris Technologies - HUNTSVILLE, AL

Material and Process Engineer

Lockheed Martin - HUNTSVILLE, AL

Business Process Engineer

Arcfield - HERNDON, VA

Senior Business Process Engineer

Greystones Group - WASHINGTON, DC

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Key Factors That Influence Lead Process Engineer Salaries

A Lead Process 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 Lead Process Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Process 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): $109,697
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $134,063
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $117,018
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $142,061
  • Expert (over 8 years): $182,625
Levels Salary
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$109,697
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$134,063
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$117,018
Process E... Level Lead Process Engineer$142,061
Lead Proc... Level Lead Process Engineer$182,625
$109,697 0 yr
$134,063 < 2 yrs
$117,018 2-4 yrs
$142,061 5-8 yrs
$182,625 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Lead Process 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: $231,245
  • San Francisco: $228,972
  • Oakland: $223,894

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Initiative (Mentioned in 8.24% Job Postings): Taking decisive action and initiating plans independently to address problems, improve professional life, and achieve goals.
  • Chemical Engineering (Mentioned in 2.59% Job Postings): Chemical engineering is a branch of engineering that uses principles of chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and economics to efficiently use, produce, design, transport and transform energy and materials. The work of chemical engineers can range from the utilisation of nano-technology and nano-materials in the laboratory to large-scale industrial processes that convert chemicals, raw materials, living cells, microorganisms, and energy into useful forms and products. Chemical engineers are involved in many aspects of plant design and operation, including safety and hazard assessments, process design and analysis, modeling, control engineering, chemical reaction engineering, nuclear engineering, biological engineering, construction specification, and operating instructions. Chemical engineers typically hold a degree in Chemical Engineering or Process Engineering. Practising engineers may have professional certification and be accredited members of a professional body. Such bodies include the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) or the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). A degree in chemical engineering is directly linked with all of the other engineering disciplines, to various extents.
  • Agile (Mentioned in 1.41% Job Postings): Agile is a development process where feedback is continuously gathered from users to create the best user experience.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Initiative 8.24%
Chemical Engineering 2.59%
Agile 1.41%
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 Process Engineer's salary.
  • Actuarial Science: Can increase your salary by up to 66%.
  • Financial Services Industry: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
  • Microbiology: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Actuarial Science
$304,343
66%
Financial Services Industry
$229,174
25%
Microbiology
$199,840
9%
Cell Culture
$199,840
9%
Partnering
$196,173
7%
Business Process Management
$196,173
7%
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Lead Process Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Process 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 February 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Lead Process Engineer

Salaries for a Lead Process Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $181,652 in 2023 to around $177,481 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead Process Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead Process Engineer Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$181,652
2024
$179,859
2025
$177,481
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $181,652
2024 $179,859
2025 $177,481
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Lead Process Engineer

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

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

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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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