What are the main factors that influence a Patent Examiner's salary?

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

How does experience change A Patent Examiner's salary?

A Patent Examiner's salary grows with experience: a Patent Attorney I (0-2 years)earns $102,223, a Patent Examiner (2-4 years)earns $148,566, a Patent Attorney III (4-7 years)earns $169,030, a Patent Attorney IV (7+ years)earns $196,098, a Patent Attorney V (7-10 years)earns $247,356,

What are the highest paying states for a Patent Examiner?

Patent Examiner salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Patent Examiner roles are District of Columbia $165,793, California $165,164, Massachusetts $162,963. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Patent Examiner roles make?

Salaries for Patent Examiner level roles vary by specialization: Patent Associate: $167,960; Patent Counsel: $157,249; Patent Assistant: $152,830; Patent Lawyer: $108,045; Patent Attorney: $106,595.

How do different companies affect a Patent Examiner's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Patent Examiner roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Patent Examiner Salary in the United States

How much does a Patent Examiner make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Patent Examiner in the United States is $149,741 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $72.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $180,280
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $136,288 to $165,726
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $124,040

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Patent Examiner Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$165,726	$13,811	$3,187	$80
Average	$149,741	$12,478	$2,880	$72
25th Percentile	$136,288	$11,357	$2,621	$66

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Key Factors That Influence Patent Examiner Salaries

A Patent Examiner'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 Patent Examiner Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Patent Examiner'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): $102,223
Early Career (1-2 years): $148,566
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $169,030
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $196,098
Expert (over 8 years): $247,356

Levels	Salary
Patent At... Level Patent Examiner	$102,223
Patent Ex... Level Patent Examiner	$148,566
Patent At... Level Patent Examiner	$169,030
Patent At... Level Patent Examiner	$196,098
Patent At... Level Patent Examiner	$247,356

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Patent Examiner 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 Patent Examiners. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $165,793.
California: $165,164.
Massachusetts: $162,963.

District of Columbia $165,793 California $165,164 Massachusetts $162,963 Washington $162,364 New Jersey $162,304 Alaska $162,095 Connecticut $160,028 New York $159,190

Hawaii $156,509 Rhode Island $155,251 Maryland $154,398 Minnesota $153,230 Colorado $152,781 Illinois $152,631 Oregon $152,062 Delaware $151,643

New Hampshire $151,379 Virginia $150,789 Pennsylvania $149,067 Nevada $148,199 North Dakota $147,914 Michigan $147,465 Wisconsin $147,300 Vermont $146,971

Texas $146,057 Maine $145,997 Arizona $145,908 Ohio $145,803 Georgia $144,425 Indiana $143,736 Wyoming $143,602 Utah $143,392

Iowa $143,302 Kansas $142,583 Louisiana $142,374 North Carolina $142,299 Missouri $142,269 Florida $141,685 Montana $141,370 Nebraska $141,071

Kentucky $140,906 South Carolina $140,307 Tennessee $139,933 Idaho $139,783 New Mexico $138,690 Oklahoma $138,451 Alabama $137,567 South Dakota $136,085

Arkansas $135,276 West Virginia $134,842 Mississippi $133,539

Top Paying Cities for Patent Examiners

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: $188,868
San Francisco: $186,800
Oakland: $182,864

San Jose, CA $188,868

San Francisco, CA $186,800

Oakland, CA $182,864

New York, NY $172,410

Paramus, NJ $170,314

Queens Village, NY $170,306

Passaic, NJ $170,164

Bergenfield, NJ $170,151

Stamford, CT $169,821

Huntington, NY $169,760

Newark, NJ $168,653

Bridgeport, CT $168,337

Vallejo, CA $168,039

New Brunswick, NJ $167,979

Petaluma, CA $167,890

Middlesex, NJ $167,605

Somerset, NJ $167,500

Santa Cruz, CA $167,306

Boston, MA $166,392

Monterey, CA $165,867

Seattle, WA $165,524

Santa Rosa, CA $165,494

Los Angeles, CA $165,449

Juneau, AK $165,060

Washington, DC $164,895

Orange, CA $164,362

Santa Ana, CA $163,966

Long Beach, CA $163,817

Anaheim, CA $163,787

Anchorage, AK $163,712

Santa Maria, CA $163,263

Everett, WA $163,233

Danbury, CT $162,706

Bremerton, WA $162,499

Tacoma, WA $161,960

New Suffolk, NY $161,957

Sacramento, CA $161,915

Santa Barbara, CA $161,750

Trenton, NJ $161,586

San Diego, CA $161,586

Brockton, MA $161,421

Fairbanks, AK $161,054

Lompoc, CA $160,672

Lowell, MA $160,551

Ventura, CA $160,522

Nashua, NH $160,492

Stockton, CA $160,477

Modesto, CA $159,384

Poughkeepsie, NY $159,055

Olympia, WA $158,770

Kennewick, WA $158,770

New Haven, CT $158,710

Lawrence, MA $158,171

Hartford, CT $158,022

Riverside, CA $157,992

New Bedford, MA $157,842

Richland, WA $157,842

Bakersfield, CA $157,632

San Bernardino, CA $157,572

New Britain, CT $157,557

Atlantic City, NJ $157,557

New London, CT $157,498

Norwich, CT $157,453

Portsmouth, NH $157,423

Boulder, CO $157,105

Portland, OR $156,899

Worcester, MA $156,884

Minneapolis, MN $156,419

Philadelphia, PA $156,210

Honolulu, HI $155,716

Saint Paul, MN $155,644

Vineland, NJ $155,611

Providence, RI $155,177

Chicago, IL $154,742

Bellingham, WA $154,563

Springfield, MA $154,443

Baltimore, MD $154,398

Chico, CA $154,024

Pittsfield, MA $153,619

Manchester, NH $153,335

Spokane, WA $152,676

Denver, CO $152,661

Albany, NY $151,957

Troy, NY $151,897

Nassau, NY $151,737

Schenectady, NY $151,583

Wilmington, DE $151,463

Burlington, VT $151,253

Salem, OR $151,193

Portland, ME $150,729

Yakima, WA $150,580

Rochester, MN $150,115

Reno, NV $150,040

Fresno, CA $150,040

Milwaukee, WI $149,906

Detroit, MI $149,756

Ann Arbor, MI $149,731

Allentown, PA $149,711

Colorado Springs, CO $149,456

Syracuse, NY $149,382

Carson City, NV $149,382

Houston, TX $149,172

Eugene, OR $149,097

Gary, IN $148,917

Springfield, OR $148,798

Bismarck, ND $148,768

Galveston, TX $148,663

Medford, OR $148,438

Fort Collins, CO $148,378

Concord, NH $148,303

Austin, TX $148,259

Mesa, AZ $147,944

Reading, PA $147,929

Phoenix, AZ $147,914

Dallas, TX $147,869

Saint Cloud, MN $147,725

Madison, WI $147,525

Utica, NY $147,121

Rochester, NY $146,881

Des Moines, IA $146,866

Raleigh, NC $146,851

Atlanta, GA $146,626

Battle Creek, MI $146,581

Salt Lake City, UT $146,537

Lancaster, PA $146,312

Harrisburg, PA $146,102

Kansas City, MO $145,953

Champaign, IL $145,923

Kansas City, KS $145,923

Fort Worth, TX $145,908

Columbus, OH $145,882

Boca Raton, FL $145,848

Pittsburgh, PA $145,788

Richmond, VA $145,728

Indianapolis, IN $145,698

Cleveland, OH $145,683

Las Vegas, NV $145,503

Cincinnati, OH $145,503

Petersburg, VA $145,279

Huntsville, AL $145,054

Lansing, MI $144,954

Lebanon, PA $144,934

Pueblo, CO $144,919

Appleton, WI $144,874

Buffalo, NY $144,815

Dayton, OH $144,770

Racine, WI $144,740

Charlotte, NC $144,725

Saint Louis, MO $144,680

York, PA $144,590

Elkhart, IN $144,590

Gastonia, NC $144,561

Billings, MT $144,526

Beaumont, TX $144,485

Lorain, OH $144,455

Benton Harbor, MI $144,425

Toledo, OH $144,395

Binghamton, NY $144,320

Rock Hill, SC $144,305

Rockford, IL $144,231

Springfield, IL $144,171

Elyria, OH $144,156

Fargo, ND $144,156

Flagstaff, AZ $144,051

Fort Lauderdale, FL $143,961

Duluth, MN $143,871

Miami, FL $143,871

Cheyenne, WY $143,766

Grand Forks, ND $143,766

Bangor, ME $143,437

Cedar Rapids, IA $143,272

Durham, NC $143,209

Louisville, KY $143,197

Grand Rapids, MI $143,167

Hialeah, FL $143,152

Casper, WY $142,943

Scranton, PA $142,763

New Orleans, LA $142,718

Virginia Beach, VA $142,703

Akron, OH $142,628

Peoria, IL $142,434

Sarasota, FL $142,404

Nashville, TN $142,299

Omaha, NE $142,299

Green Bay, WI $142,299

Baton Rouge, LA $142,224

Charleston, SC $142,194

Jamestown, NY $142,119

Davenport, IA $142,119

Tucson, AZ $142,044

Saint Petersburg, FL $141,954

Tampa, FL $141,925

Evansville, IN $141,835

Port Arthur, TX $141,835

Bradenton, FL $141,775

Santa Fe, NM $141,505

Orlando, FL $141,236

Clearwater, FL $141,191

Canton, OH $140,876

La Crosse, WI $140,876

Albuquerque, NM $140,786

Newport News, VA $140,772

High Point, NC $140,727

Ogden, UT $140,667

Corpus Christi, TX $140,547

Norfolk, VA $140,457

Laramie, WY $140,457

Rock Island, IL $140,367

Saginaw, MI $140,337

Jacksonville, FL $140,322

Salisbury, NC $140,292

Boise, ID $140,262

Moline, IL $140,188

Fort Myers, FL $140,143

Memphis, TN $140,113

Tulsa, OK $140,038

Waterloo, IA $139,948

Spartanburg, SC $139,798

Lincoln, NE $139,723

Fort Wayne, IN $139,693

Provo, UT $139,678

Cedar Falls, IA $139,499

San Antonio, TX $139,439

Greensboro, NC $139,379

South Bend, IN $139,364

Savannah, GA $139,199

Muskegon, MI $139,139

Birmingham, AL $139,124

Winston Salem, NC $139,051

Lake Charles, LA $138,690

Anderson, IN $138,660

Lexington, KY $138,615

Augusta, GA $138,570

Greenville, SC $138,570

Lima, OH $138,451

Wichita, KS $138,436

Tuscaloosa, AL $138,436

Columbia, SC $138,301

Springfield, OH $138,271

Asheville, NC $138,031

Bloomington, IN $137,926

Knoxville, TN $137,387

Shreveport, LA $137,372

Wilmington, NC $137,178

Roanoke, VA $137,178

Topeka, KS $136,908

Frankfort, KY $136,892

Oklahoma City, OK $136,788

Chillicothe, OH $136,729

Longview, TX $136,714

Melbourne, FL $136,699

Sioux Falls, SD $136,459

Mobile, AL $136,444

Terre Haute, IN $136,384

Altoona, PA $136,294

Amarillo, TX $136,189

Killeen, TX $136,145

Fayetteville, AR $136,025

Chattanooga, TN $135,980

Sioux City, IA $135,845

Idaho Falls, ID $135,815

Lynchburg, VA $135,695

Gainesville, FL $135,501

Portsmouth, OH $135,426

Little Rock, AR $135,396

Lafayette, LA $135,336

Youngstown, OH $135,336

Daytona Beach, FL $135,246

Clarksville, TN $135,231

Pensacola, FL $135,216

Temple, TX $135,206

Hopkinsville, KY $134,767

Erie, PA $134,737

Florence, SC $134,677

Charleston, WV $134,437

Great Falls, MT $134,363

Macon, GA $134,153

Tallahassee, FL $134,138

Fayetteville, NC $134,108

Waco, TX $134,078

Helena, MT $133,973

Pine Bluff, AR $133,916

Vincennes, IN $133,734

Lubbock, TX $133,674

Alamogordo, NM $133,584

Twin Falls, ID $133,449

Rapid City, SD $133,404

Jackson, MS $133,135

Huntington, WV $133,124

Greenville, MS $133,120

Parkersburg, WV $132,967

Montgomery, AL $132,940

Wichita Falls, TX $132,790

Springfield, MO $132,790

Biloxi, MS $132,715

Monroe, LA $132,566

Johnstown, PA $132,461

Sumter, SC $132,401

Columbus, GA $132,386

Pascagoula, MS $132,102

Abilene, TX $132,102

Kingsport, TN $131,712

Albany, GA $131,712

Gulfport, MS $131,667

Alexandria, LA $131,173

Fort Smith, AR $130,799

El Paso, TX $130,394

Las Cruces, NM $129,721

Harlingen, TX $129,340

Pocatello, ID $129,316

Florence, AL $129,122

Brownsville, TX $129,092

Mcallen, TX $128,777

Dothan, AL $128,568

Columbus, MS $127,678

Altus, OK $126,980

Lawton, OK $126,696

Pierre, SD $126,157

What Skills Can Increase a Patent Examiner's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Negotiating (Mentioned in 4% Job Postings): Applying negotiation concepts and techniques in a dialogue between two or more parties to reach a win-win solution.
Cost Control (Mentioned in 3.03% Job Postings): Managing and analyzing financial data in determining and reducing business expenses to increase revenue and profitability.
Blockchain (Mentioned in 2.06% Job Postings): Blockchain is the grow list of records, called blocks, which are securely linked together using cryptography.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Negotiating	4%
Cost Control	3.03%
Blockchain	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 a Patent Examiner's salary.

Cost Control: Can increase your salary by up to 23%.
Mediation: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Confidentiality: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Cost Control	$184,181	23%
Mediation	$158,725	6%
Confidentiality	$157,228	5%
Negotiating	$157,228	5%
Collaboration	$157,228	5%
Commitment	$155,731	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Patent Examiner's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Patent Examiners enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent 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 Patent Examiner with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $152,043 and $170,869).

Patent Examiner Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Patent Examiner

No Diploma 2.4%

High School 2.4%

Associates 9.5%

Bachelors 7.1%

Masters 9.5%

Doctorate 81.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	2.4%
High School	2.4%
Associates	9.5%
Bachelors	7.1%
Masters	9.5%
Doctorate	81.0%

view as graph

Patent Examiner Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Patent Examiner'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

$136,288

Average $149,741/year

$165,726

$11,357

Average $12,478/month

$13,811

$2,621

Average $2,880/week

$3,187

$66

Average $72/hour

$80

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$165,726	$13,811	$3,187	$80
Average	$149,741	$12,478	$2,880	$72
25th Percentile	$136,288	$11,357	$2,621	$66

Salaries of jobs related to Patent Examiner

Salary Trends for Patent Examiner

Salaries for a Patent Examiner can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $147,031 in 2023 to around $142,914 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Patent Examiner salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Patent Examiner Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$147,031

2024

$147,635

2025

$142,914

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$147,031
2024	$147,635
2025	$142,914
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Patent Examiner

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Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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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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