Systems Engineer salary

Q: How much does a systems engineer make?

The median systems engineer salary in the U.S. is about $112,620 per year. Most systems engineers earn between $73,020 and $168,570, and top earners (90th percentile) make $168,570 or more. Systems 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: What is the highest systems engineer salary?

Top-earning systems engineers (90th percentile) make about $168,570 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated systems engineer pay can run even higher — for example around $166,678 (median) in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

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

Entry-level systems engineers (0–2 years) earn about $88,000 per year, rising to roughly $121,500 at mid-level and $152,000+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do systems engineers make good money?

Yes. The median systems engineer salary of $112,620 is 3% below the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced systems engineers can earn $168,570 or more.

Q: Which cities pay systems engineers the most?

Estimated systems engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($166,678), San Francisco ($159,920), Seattle ($146,406). 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

Systems engineers design and manage complex systems across their full life cycle, integrating hardware, software, and processes so the whole thing works as one.

Median pay

$112,620

U.S. typical

Top earners

$168,570

90th percentile

Entry level

$88,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$152,000

15+ yrs

The median systems engineer salary in the U.S. is about $112,620 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $73,020, while top earners (90th percentile) make $168,570 or more. Systems 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

$112,620

Mean

$117,900

10th pct · $73,02090th pct · $168,570

What systems engineers do

Define system requirements, manage interfaces and integration across subsystems, and verify that complete systems meet objectives.

Systems engineers design and manage complex systems across their full life cycle, integrating hardware, software, and processes so the whole thing works as one.

What affects systems engineer pay

▹Defense/aerospace clearance
▹INCOSE certification
▹Years of experience
▹Hardware-heavy vs. IT/software systems
▹Metro cost of labor

Systems Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $88,000 for entry level engineers to $152,000+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$88,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$106,000

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$121,500

Senior 10–14 yrs

$137,500

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$152,000

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

Highest-paying cities for systems engineers

Estimated systems 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	$166,678	$249,484	+48%	Estimate
San Francisco California	CA	$159,920	$239,369	+42%	Estimate
Seattle Washington	WA	$146,406	$219,141	+30%	Estimate
New York City New York	NY	$141,901	$212,398	+26%	Estimate
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$137,396	$205,655	+22%	Estimate
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$135,144	$202,284	+20%	Estimate
Los Angeles California	CA	$132,892	$198,913	+18%	Estimate
San Diego California	CA	$129,513	$193,855	+15%	Estimate

Systems Engineer salary by state

State	Est. median	Est. 90th pct
California	$139,649	$209,027
Texas	$117,125	$175,313
New York	$128,387	$192,170
Washington	$132,892	$198,913
Massachusetts	$130,639	$195,541

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

Systems Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does a systems engineer make?

The median systems engineer salary in the U.S. is about $112,620 per year. Most systems engineers earn between $73,020 and $168,570, and top earners (90th percentile) make $168,570 or more. Systems 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 systems engineer salary?

Top-earning systems engineers (90th percentile) make about $168,570 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $166,678 in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level systems engineers make?

Entry-level systems engineers (0–2 years) earn about $88,000 per year, rising to roughly $121,500 at mid-level and $152,000+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do systems engineers make good money?

Yes. The median systems engineer salary of $112,620 is 3% below the roughly $116,537 median across engineering occupations, and experienced systems engineers can earn $168,570 or more.

Which cities pay systems engineers the most?

Estimated systems engineer pay is highest in San Jose ($166,678), San Francisco ($159,920), and Seattle ($146,406). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can a systems engineer earn more?

Systems Engineer pay rises most with defense/aerospace clearance, incose certification, and years of experience. 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

Systems engineering spans multiple occupations and is not a standalone BLS title. Mapped to BLS SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other. 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 →