Research Summary. Using public government and company data along with information from thousands of job postings, our Zippia data experts have identified a variety of high-earning positions and their average annual salaries. Using that data set, our data scientsts have produced salary estimates for many of the jobs at Caterpillar.
Here is a quick overview of our findings for the highest-paying jobs at Caterpillar:
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Section Manager is the highest-paying job at Caterpillar with an average salary of $112,193 and an average hourly rate of $53.94.
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The second highest-paying job at Caterpillar is project team lead, with an average salary of $109,974.
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The average annual salary at Caterpillar is $57,298 per year, and the average hourly pay is $27.55.
Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs
Background
Sometimes people know which company they want to work for before they know exactly what job they want to do. If you’d like to work for Caterpillar, it helps to have an idea of the highest-paid positions that the company offers. That way, you can see if it’s worth applying.
So, how much do Caterpillar employees make? As with any company, Caterpillar employees’ salaries can fluctuate depending on their role, level of experience, and geographic location, but there are a few standout jobs that tend to pay more than the rest, on average. Here are some of the top salaries at Caterpillar:
Below is a full table of the jobs at Caterpillar that pay the most followed by a more detailed explanation of our methodology.
Highest Paying Jobs At Caterpillar
| Rank | Job Title | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Section Manager | |
| 2 | Project Team Lead | |
| 3 | SAP Consultant | |
| 4 | Android Developer | |
| 5 | Java Developer | |
| 6 | Engineering Specialist | |
| 7 | Senior Design Engineer | |
| 8 | Lean SIX Sigma Black Belt | |
| 9 | Project Manager | |
| 10 | Senior Engineering Associate | |
| 11 | Information Technology Analyst | |
| 12 | Requirements Engineer | |
| 13 | Distribution Supervisor | |
| 14 | Team Leader | |
| 15 | Planning Analyst | |
| 16 | Buyer | |
| 17 | Operation Supervisor | |
| 18 | Human Resources Coordinator | |
| 19 | Machinist | |
| 20 | Welder |
Methodology
Zippia uses publicly published information from government sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create its salary estimates.
Our data science team also checks job postings and company-published resources for additional up-to-date salary information.
Once they’ve gathered the data, the team calculates a weighted average for each job title they’re estimating a salary for. For more details on our salary estimates, you can see a detailed methodology.
Highest Paying Jobs At Caterpillar FAQs
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What is the highest-paid job at Caterpillar?
The highest-paid job at Caterpillar is a section manager. These professionals earn an average salary of $112,193, which works out to about $ 53.94 per hour.
The top 10 highest-paid jobs at Caterpillar are:
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What is a good salary at Caterpillar?
A good salary at Caterpillar is a salary above $57,298 per year. $57,298 is the average salary at Caterpillar, so if you’re earning more than that, you’re typically doing well.
Of course, $57,298 may still be far too low for some positions, so pay close attention to what the going average is for someone in your role with your skill set and experience level. If you find that you’re being paid less, consider asking for a raise or finding out what you need to do to move into the next pay bracket.
Your salary may vary by location as well, as Caterpillar – like many other companies – often adjusts its payscales to account for differences in the cost of living in different states. For example, the average salary of a Caterpillar employee in California will likely be much higher than their counterpart in the midwest.
Check the average salaries of Caterpillar employees in your area to see how your paycheck measures up.
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Do jobs at Caterpillar pay well?
No, jobs at Caterpillar don’t pay well. The average starting salary at Caterpillar is $30,000 a year or $14.42 per hour. The overall average salary at Caterpillar is $57,298 per year ($27.55 per hour), which is 1.3 times the average national salary of about $44,225 per year.
General Electric, one of Caterpillar’s top competitors, pays its employees an average salary of $86,183 per year or $41.43 per hour. This is about $28,885 more than Caterpillar’s average salary, and $13.89 more per hour than Caterpillar’s average hourly pay.

