How much do engineers make?
Updated January 2025
U.S. engineers earn a median of roughly $116,537 per year, but pay varies widely by discipline. Engineering Manager and AI Engineer sit at the top (median over $150,000), while fields like civil engineer are nearer $95,890. Experience, industry, and location each move pay by tens of thousands of dollars.
Median
$116,537
All engineering
Top discipline
$165,370
Engineering Manager
Top 10% reach
$239,200
90th percentile
Disciplines
22
Tracked here
Engineering salary by discipline
Sortable — verified benchmarks and labeled estimates side by side.
| Engineering role | Pay band (10th–90th) | Median | 90th pct | Data | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Manager Architecture & Engineering | $165,370 | $239,200 | Verified | ||
| AI Engineer Emerging | $150,000 | $245,000 | Estimate | ||
| Machine Learning Engineer Emerging | $148,000 | $240,000 | Estimate | ||
| Senior Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $140,000 | $215,000 | Estimate | ||
| Petroleum Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $135,690 | $222,840 | Verified | ||
| Software Engineer Software & Technology | $132,270 | $208,620 | Verified | ||
| DevOps Engineer Emerging | $132,000 | $200,000 | Estimate | ||
| Aerospace Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $130,720 | $175,480 | Verified | ||
| Cloud Engineer Emerging | $128,000 | $198,000 | Estimate | ||
| Data Engineer Emerging | $126,000 | $197,000 | Estimate | ||
| Nuclear Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $125,460 | $185,550 | Verified | ||
| Robotics Engineer Emerging | $118,000 | $180,000 | Estimate | ||
| Systems Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $112,620 | $168,570 | Estimate | ||
| Chemical Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $112,100 | $187,430 | Verified | ||
| Electrical Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $111,910 | $173,910 | Verified | ||
| Materials Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $104,100 | $169,180 | Verified | ||
| Industrial Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $101,140 | $146,850 | Verified | ||
| Biomedical Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $100,730 | $158,040 | Verified | ||
| Environmental Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $100,090 | $153,200 | Verified | ||
| Mechanical Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $99,510 | $157,900 | Verified | ||
| Civil Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $95,890 | $150,640 | Verified | ||
| Entry-Level Engineer Architecture & Engineering | $72,000 | $95,000 | Estimate |
- Verified
Engineering Manager
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$165,370
90th
$239,200
View details - Estimate
AI Engineer
Emerging
Median
$150,000
90th
$245,000
View details - Estimate
Machine Learning Engineer
Emerging
Median
$148,000
90th
$240,000
View details - Estimate
Senior Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$140,000
90th
$215,000
View details - Verified
Petroleum Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$135,690
90th
$222,840
View details - Verified
Software Engineer
Software & Technology
Median
$132,270
90th
$208,620
View details - Estimate
DevOps Engineer
Emerging
Median
$132,000
90th
$200,000
View details - Verified
Aerospace Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$130,720
90th
$175,480
View details - Estimate
Cloud Engineer
Emerging
Median
$128,000
90th
$198,000
View details - Estimate
Data Engineer
Emerging
Median
$126,000
90th
$197,000
View details - Verified
Nuclear Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$125,460
90th
$185,550
View details - Estimate
Robotics Engineer
Emerging
Median
$118,000
90th
$180,000
View details - Estimate
Systems Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$112,620
90th
$168,570
View details - Verified
Chemical Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$112,100
90th
$187,430
View details - Verified
Electrical Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$111,910
90th
$173,910
View details - Verified
Materials Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$104,100
90th
$169,180
View details - Verified
Industrial Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$101,140
90th
$146,850
View details - Verified
Biomedical Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$100,730
90th
$158,040
View details - Verified
Environmental Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$100,090
90th
$153,200
View details - Verified
Mechanical Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$99,510
90th
$157,900
View details - Verified
Civil Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$95,890
90th
$150,640
View details - Estimate
Entry-Level Engineer
Architecture & Engineering
Median
$72,000
90th
$95,000
View details
By experience
Entry-level engineers typically earn 25–40% below the median; senior and staff engineers earn well above it.
Explore →By industry
Oil & gas, semiconductors, and aerospace pay above consumer and civil-infrastructure work.
Explore →By location
Coastal tech hubs pay a 15–45% premium; the South and Mountain West run below the national median.
Explore →Source details
National figures are BLS OEWS May 2024 occupation wages. Emerging roles (AI, data, robotics) are mapped estimates and labeled as such in the table.
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →