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Test and Evaluation Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Test and Evaluation Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Test and Evaluation Engineer in the United States is $102,191 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $49.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $119,108
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $94,592 to $111,046
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $87,674
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Test and Evaluation Engineer Salaries

A Test and Evaluation 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 Test and Evaluation Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Test and Evaluation 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): $76,274
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $89,774
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $101,540
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $126,299
  • Expert (over 8 years): $151,527
Levels Salary
Quality A... Level Test and Evaluation Engineer$76,274
Quality A... Level Test and Evaluation Engineer$89,774
Test and ... Level Test and Evaluation Engineer$101,540
Quality A... Level Test and Evaluation Engineer$126,299
Quality A... Level Test and Evaluation Engineer$151,527
View as Graph

How Do Test and Evaluation 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 Test and Evaluation Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $113,146.
  • California: $112,717.
  • Massachusetts: $111,214.

Top Paying Cities for Test and Evaluation 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: $128,894
  • San Francisco: $127,482
  • Oakland: $124,796

What Skills Can Increase a Test and Evaluation Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Team Development (Mentioned in 3.93% Job Postings): Building and developing effective teams to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way.
  • Software Development (Mentioned in 2.98% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
  • JavaScript (Mentioned in 1.84% Job Postings): Using JavaScript in the development and maintenance of Web-based application systems.
Skills Demand Percentage
Team Development 3.93%
Software Development 2.98%
JavaScript 1.84%
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 Test and Evaluation Engineer's salary.

  • Python: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Android: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Linux: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Python $108,322
6%
Android $107,301
5%
Linux $107,301
5%
Get Latest Data

Test and Evaluation Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Test and Evaluation Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Test and Evaluation Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Test and Evaluation Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Test and Evaluation Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$153,286$74.050%

How Education impacts a Test and Evaluation Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Test and Evaluation 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 Test and Evaluation Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $102,178 and $106,839).

Test and Evaluation Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Test and Evaluation Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.6%
High School 2.8%
Associates 6.1%
Bachelors 52.6%
Masters 36.4%
Doctorate 1.4%
View as Graph

Test and Evaluation Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Test and Evaluation 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
$94,592
Average $102,191/year
$111,046
$7,883
Average $8,516/month
$9,254
$1,819
Average $1,965/week
$2,136
$45
Average $49/hour
$53
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $111,046 $9,254 $2,136 $53
Average $102,191 $8,516 $1,965 $49
25th Percentile $94,592 $7,883 $1,819 $45

Most common benefits for Test and Evaluation Engineer

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

Common company salaries for Test and Evaluation Engineer

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

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FAQ about Test and Evaluation Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Test and Evaluation Engineer?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Test and Evaluation Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 50% 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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