Find a Job You Really Want In
Research Summary. Comprehensive analysis by the Zippia data science team reveals the current landscape of engineer salaries across the United States for 2026:
-
New Hampshire boasts the highest engineer salary at $97,046
-
Michigan offers the lowest engineer salary at $61,400
-
The national average salary for engineers stands at $92,077
-
The national hourly wage for engineers is $44.27
For more details, please refer to the specific methodology.
Top-Paying States for Engineers in 2026
| Rank | State | Average Engineer Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $97,046 | $69,000 | $134,000 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $94,651 | $68,000 | $131,000 |
| 3 | Oregon | $94,286 | $66,000 | $133,000 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $93,864 | $67,000 | $130,000 |
| 5 | New York | $93,391 | $67,000 | $129,000 |
| 6 | Maryland | $92,244 | $66,000 | $127,000 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $90,701 | $66,000 | $124,000 |
| 8 | Texas | $89,407 | $63,000 | $125,000 |
| 9 | Vermont | $89,074 | $64,000 | $123,000 |
| 10 | Nevada | $88,635 | $61,000 | $126,000 |
| 11 | California | $87,957 | $61,000 | $126,000 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $87,795 | $65,000 | $118,000 |
| 13 | Virginia | $86,648 | $62,000 | $119,000 |
| 14 | Maine | $86,128 | $62,000 | $118,000 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $85,718 | $62,000 | $116,000 |
| 16 | Delaware | $85,112 | $61,000 | $117,000 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $84,814 | $60,000 | $118,000 |
| 18 | Kansas | $84,508 | $61,000 | $115,000 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $84,153 | $61,000 | $115,000 |
| 20 | Washington | $83,605 | $59,000 | $118,000 |
| 21 | Arizona | $83,199 | $59,000 | $116,000 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $82,354 | $60,000 | $112,000 |
| 23 | Idaho | $82,316 | $58,000 | $116,000 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $80,873 | $58,000 | $111,000 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $79,907 | $58,000 | $109,000 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $78,545 | $57,000 | $107,000 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $78,256 | $56,000 | $107,000 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $77,540 | $55,000 | $107,000 |
| 29 | Utah | $77,455 | $54,000 | $109,000 |
| 30 | Alabama | $76,867 | $55,000 | $105,000 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $76,628 | $54,000 | $106,000 |
| 32 | Georgia | $76,574 | $55,000 | $105,000 |
| 33 | Illinois | $76,205 | $55,000 | $103,000 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $75,504 | $55,000 | $102,000 |
| 35 | Montana | $75,309 | $53,000 | $105,000 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $74,480 | $53,000 | $103,000 |
| 37 | Indiana | $73,188 | $53,000 | $100,000 |
| 38 | Iowa | $72,526 | $53,000 | $98,000 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $72,447 | $52,000 | $100,000 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $71,590 | $52,000 | $98,000 |
| 41 | Colorado | $71,342 | $51,000 | $98,000 |
| 42 | Missouri | $70,645 | $51,000 | $96,000 |
| 43 | Florida | $70,393 | $48,000 | $101,000 |
| 44 | Ohio | $68,590 | $50,000 | $93,000 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $67,412 | $54,000 | $83,000 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $67,027 | $47,000 | $94,000 |
| 47 | Alaska | $65,498 | $52,000 | $81,000 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $65,123 | $47,000 | $89,000 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $62,823 | $46,000 | $85,000 |
| 50 | Michigan | $61,400 | $44,000 | $84,000 |
Methodology: Understanding Engineer Salary By State
To accurately assess engineer salaries by state, Zippia aggregates data from various reliable sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Federal Labor Certification (FLC), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This data is complemented by actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team then calculates a weighted average to derive the average engineer salary for each state.
We ranked the states based on these average salary estimates, with the highest average salary recognized as the top-paying state for engineers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Engineer Salaries by State
-
What is the highest-paid state for engineers?
The highest-paid state for engineers is New Hampshire, with an average salary of $97,046 per year.
-
What city offers the highest salaries for engineers?
Huntsville, AL currently offers the highest average salary for engineers at $77,034 per year.
-
Which state has the lowest salaries for engineers?
The state with the lowest average salary for engineers is Michigan, with an average salary of $61,400 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
