Robotics Engineer salary

Q: How much does a robotics engineer make?

The median robotics engineer salary in the U.S. is about $118,000 per year. Most robotics engineers earn between $78,000 and $180,000, and top earners (90th percentile) make $180,000 or more. Robotics Engineer is a newer title that standard salary surveys don't track on its own, so these figures are labeled, mapped estimates benchmarked against closely related engineering work.

Q: How much do entry-level robotics engineers make?

Entry-level robotics engineers (0–2 years) earn about $92,000 per year, rising to roughly $127,500 at mid-level and $159,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do robotics engineers make good money?

Yes. The median robotics engineer salary of $118,000 is 1% above the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced robotics engineers can earn $180,000 or more.

Q: Which cities pay robotics engineers the most?

Estimated robotics engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($174,640), San Francisco ($167,560), Seattle ($153,400). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Mapped est.

Updated January 2025

Robotics engineers design and build robots and robotic systems, blending mechanical, electrical, and software engineering into machines that sense, decide, and move.

Median pay

$118,000

U.S. typical

Top earners

$180,000

90th percentile

Entry level

$92,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$159,500

15+ yrs

The median robotics engineer salary in the U.S. is about $118,000 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $78,000, while top earners (90th percentile) make $180,000 or more. Robotics Engineeris a newer title that standard salary surveys don't track on its own, so this figure is a labeled estimate benchmarked against closely related engineering work.

Median annual wage

$118,000

Mean

$124,000

10th pct · $78,00090th pct · $180,000

What robotics engineers do

Design robot mechanisms and control systems, develop perception and motion software, and integrate and test full systems.

Robotics engineers design and build robots and robotic systems, blending mechanical, electrical, and software engineering into machines that sense, decide, and move.

What affects robotics engineer pay

▹Hardware vs. software/perception focus
▹Industry (autonomous vehicles, warehouse, surgical)
▹Years of experience and specialization
▹Equity at robotics startups
▹Metro cost of labor

Robotics Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $92,000 for entry level engineers to $159,500+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$92,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$111,000

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$127,500

Senior 10–14 yrs

$144,000

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$159,500

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for robotics engineers

Estimated robotics engineer pay in the top-paying metros, vs the national median.

8results

Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
San Jose California	CA	$174,640	$266,400	+48%	Estimate
San Francisco California	CA	$167,560	$255,600	+42%	Estimate
Seattle Washington	WA	$153,400	$234,000	+30%	Estimate
New York City New York	NY	$148,680	$226,800	+26%	Estimate
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$143,960	$219,600	+22%	Estimate
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$141,600	$216,000	+20%	Estimate
Los Angeles California	CA	$139,240	$212,400	+18%	Estimate
San Diego California	CA	$135,700	$207,000	+15%	Estimate

Robotics Engineer salary by state

State	Est. median	Est. 90th pct
California	$146,320	$223,200
Texas	$122,720	$187,200
New York	$134,520	$205,200
Washington	$139,240	$212,400
Massachusetts	$136,880	$208,800

State figures are estimates — open a state for its full city-by-city breakdown.

Robotics Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does a robotics engineer make?

The median robotics engineer salary in the U.S. is about $118,000 per year. Most robotics engineers earn between $78,000 and $180,000, and top earners (90th percentile) make $180,000 or more. Robotics Engineer is a newer title that standard salary surveys don't track on its own, so these figures are labeled, mapped estimates benchmarked against closely related engineering work.

What is the highest robotics engineer salary?

Top-earning robotics engineers (90th percentile) make about $180,000 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $174,640 in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level robotics engineers make?

Entry-level robotics engineers (0–2 years) earn about $92,000 per year, rising to roughly $127,500 at mid-level and $159,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do robotics engineers make good money?

Yes. The median robotics engineer salary of $118,000 is 1% above the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced robotics engineers can earn $180,000 or more.

Which cities pay robotics engineers the most?

Estimated robotics engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($174,640), San Francisco ($167,560), and Seattle ($153,400). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can a robotics engineer earn more?

Robotics Engineer pay rises most with hardware vs. software/perception focus, industry (autonomous vehicles, warehouse, surgical), and years of experience and specialization. Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.

Source details

Robotics Engineer is not a BLS-tracked title and blends mechanical, electrical, and software work. Mapped to BLS SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other / 15-1252. Not a direct BLS-tracked title — treat as an estimate.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →