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This question is about systems engineer salaries.
What is a good starting salary for a Systems Engineer?
A good starting salary for a systems engineer is $68,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a systems engineer in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for systems engineers is $90,107, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a systems engineer can vary by state, as we show below.
What Is A Good Entry-Level Systems Engineer Salary By State?
The following table shows how much an entry level systems engineer earns in each state. Zippia used data from the BLS, public records, and job postings to create these estimates.
| State | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| Washington | $72,000 | $6,000 | $1,384 | $34.62 |
| Nebraska | $72,000 | $6,000 | $1,384 | $34.62 |
| California | $72,000 | $6,000 | $1,384 | $34.62 |
| District of Columbia | $70,000 | $5,833 | $1,346 | $33.65 |
| Maryland | $69,000 | $5,750 | $1,326 | $33.17 |
| Delaware | $67,000 | $5,583 | $1,288 | $32.21 |
| Virginia | $67,000 | $5,583 | $1,288 | $32.21 |
| Oregon | $66,000 | $5,500 | $1,269 | $31.73 |
| Hawaii | $66,000 | $5,500 | $1,269 | $31.73 |
| West Virginia | $65,000 | $5,416 | $1,250 | $31.25 |
| New York | $65,000 | $5,416 | $1,250 | $31.25 |
| New Jersey | $65,000 | $5,416 | $1,250 | $31.25 |
| Vermont | $64,000 | $5,333 | $1,230 | $30.77 |
| Nevada | $64,000 | $5,333 | $1,230 | $30.77 |
| Texas | $64,000 | $5,333 | $1,230 | $30.77 |
| Michigan | $64,000 | $5,333 | $1,230 | $30.77 |
| Massachusetts | $64,000 | $5,333 | $1,230 | $30.77 |
| Pennsylvania | $64,000 | $5,333 | $1,230 | $30.77 |
| Arkansas | $64,000 | $5,333 | $1,230 | $30.77 |
| Idaho | $63,000 | $5,250 | $1,211 | $30.29 |
| Iowa | $63,000 | $5,250 | $1,211 | $30.29 |
| Colorado | $62,000 | $5,166 | $1,192 | $29.81 |
| Ohio | $62,000 | $5,166 | $1,192 | $29.81 |
| Tennessee | $62,000 | $5,166 | $1,192 | $29.81 |
| Georgia | $62,000 | $5,166 | $1,192 | $29.81 |
| Illinois | $62,000 | $5,166 | $1,192 | $29.81 |
| New Hampshire | $61,000 | $5,083 | $1,173 | $29.33 |
| Alabama | $61,000 | $5,083 | $1,173 | $29.33 |
| Kansas | $61,000 | $5,083 | $1,173 | $29.33 |
| Mississippi | $61,000 | $5,083 | $1,173 | $29.33 |
| Indiana | $61,000 | $5,083 | $1,173 | $29.33 |
| Arizona | $60,000 | $5,000 | $1,153 | $28.85 |
| Connecticut | $60,000 | $5,000 | $1,153 | $28.85 |
| Minnesota | $60,000 | $5,000 | $1,153 | $28.85 |
| South Carolina | $60,000 | $5,000 | $1,153 | $28.85 |
| Oklahoma | $60,000 | $5,000 | $1,153 | $28.85 |
| Utah | $59,000 | $4,916 | $1,134 | $28.37 |
| South Dakota | $59,000 | $4,916 | $1,134 | $28.37 |
| Florida | $59,000 | $4,916 | $1,134 | $28.37 |
| North Carolina | $59,000 | $4,916 | $1,134 | $28.37 |
| Wisconsin | $59,000 | $4,916 | $1,134 | $28.37 |
| Louisiana | $59,000 | $4,916 | $1,134 | $28.37 |
| Kentucky | $59,000 | $4,916 | $1,134 | $28.37 |
| Missouri | $59,000 | $4,916 | $1,134 | $28.37 |
| Rhode Island | $58,000 | $4,833 | $1,115 | $27.88 |
| New Mexico | $58,000 | $4,833 | $1,115 | $27.88 |
| Wyoming | $57,000 | $4,750 | $1,096 | $27.4 |
| Montana | $56,000 | $4,666 | $1,076 | $26.92 |
| Alaska | $56,000 | $4,666 | $1,076 | $26.92 |
| North Dakota | $55,000 | $4,583 | $1,057 | $26.44 |
| Maine | $55,000 | $4,583 | $1,057 | $26.44 |
What are The 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry-Level Systems Engineer Jobs?
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an entry level systems engineer job is above the national average. Topping the list is San Francisco, CA.
| City | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| San Francisco, CA | $88,000 | $7,333 | $1,692 | $42.31 |
| Seattle, WA | $84,000 | $7,000 | $1,615 | $40.38 |
| Bellevue, NE | $81,000 | $6,750 | $1,557 | $38.94 |
| Washington, DC | $78,000 | $6,500 | $1,500 | $37.5 |
| Reston, VA | $75,000 | $6,250 | $1,442 | $36.06 |
| Englewood, NJ | $74,000 | $6,166 | $1,423 | $35.58 |
| New York, NY | $73,000 | $6,083 | $1,403 | $35.1 |
| Houston, TX | $72,000 | $6,000 | $1,384 | $34.62 |
| Middletown, PA | $72,000 | $6,000 | $1,384 | $34.62 |
| Washington, MI | $72,000 | $6,000 | $1,384 | $34.62 |
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