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Associate research engineer salary
Average associate research engineer salary
$75,950
Understanding Associate Research Engineer Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for an Associate Research Engineer stands at $75,950 per year, or about $37 per hour. This figure reflects a range of salaries that can vary significantly based on factors such as experience, location, and the specific industry. For instance, entry-level positions typically start lower, while experienced engineers can earn significantly more.
To enhance your earning potential, consider relocating to states with higher average salaries for this role. For example, locations such as California and New York often offer competitive salaries that can exceed the national average. Additionally, industries such as technology and pharmaceuticals frequently provide higher compensation compared to others.
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Typically, those with several years of experience command higher salaries. As you gain expertise and take on more complex projects, your value in the job market increases. To gain insights into salary dynamics and job opportunities, explore local job listings and salary estimates tailored to your specific location and experience level.
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Where can an Associate Research Engineer earn more?
Associate research engineer salaries by experience level
Associate research engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average associate research engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for associate research engineers are California, Virginia, and Maryland. The lowest average associate research engineer salary states are South Dakota, Mississippi, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for associate research engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $104,637 | $50.31 |
| 2 | Virginia | $99,775 | $47.97 |
| 3 | Maryland | $92,463 | $44.45 |
| 4 | Oregon | $86,433 | $41.55 |
| 5 | Delaware | $89,729 | $43.14 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $90,807 | $43.66 |
| 7 | Michigan | $84,795 | $40.77 |
| 8 | Arizona | $83,668 | $40.23 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $92,440 | $44.44 |
| 10 | Georgia | $88,441 | $42.52 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $83,651 | $40.22 |
| 12 | Washington | $82,058 | $39.45 |
| 13 | Alabama | $82,201 | $39.52 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $82,378 | $39.60 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $79,495 | $38.22 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $80,687 | $38.79 |
| 17 | New York | $79,771 | $38.35 |
| 18 | Idaho | $77,859 | $37.43 |
| 19 | Nevada | $80,283 | $38.60 |
| 20 | Texas | $74,236 | $35.69 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $73,712 | $35.44 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $73,022 | $35.11 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $78,359 | $37.67 |
| 24 | Illinois | $74,033 | $35.59 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $71,877 | $34.56 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $76,434 | $36.75 |
| 27 | Kansas | $74,001 | $35.58 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $71,916 | $34.58 |
| 29 | Ohio | $71,073 | $34.17 |
| 30 | Indiana | $72,220 | $34.72 |
| 31 | Alaska | $79,012 | $37.99 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $73,753 | $35.46 |
| 33 | Colorado | $68,444 | $32.91 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $69,379 | $33.36 |
| 35 | Iowa | $69,800 | $33.56 |
| 36 | Utah | $65,223 | $31.36 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $69,660 | $33.49 |
| 38 | Maine | $69,276 | $33.31 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $65,812 | $31.64 |
| 40 | Vermont | $65,074 | $31.29 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $65,437 | $31.46 |
| 42 | Missouri | $69,248 | $33.29 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $69,255 | $33.30 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $68,311 | $32.84 |
| 45 | Florida | $66,802 | $32.12 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $64,684 | $31.10 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $62,635 | $30.11 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $62,407 | $30.00 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $62,946 | $30.26 |
| 50 | Montana | $61,557 | $29.59 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $61,131 | $29.39 |
Highest paying cities for associate research engineers
The highest-paying cities for associate research engineers are San Francisco, CA, Arlington, VA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $111,687 | $53.70 |
| 2 | Arlington, VA | $100,608 | $48.37 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $92,497 | $44.47 |
| 4 | Albuquerque, NM | $90,833 | $43.67 |
| 5 | Eugene, OR | $87,235 | $41.94 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $85,133 | $40.93 |
| 7 | Tempe, AZ | $83,732 | $40.26 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $83,408 | $40.10 |
| 9 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $82,127 | $39.48 |
| 10 | Greenwich, CT | $81,345 | $39.11 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $80,086 | $38.50 |
| 12 | Pullman, WA | $78,116 | $37.56 |
| 13 | El Paso, TX | $77,548 | $37.28 |
| 14 | Piscataway, NJ | $76,505 | $36.78 |
| 15 | Stillwater, OK | $73,759 | $35.46 |
| 16 | Burlington, NC | $72,442 | $34.83 |
| 17 | Akron, OH | $71,894 | $34.56 |
| 18 | Oak Ridge, TN | $70,584 | $33.93 |
| 19 | Iowa City, IA | $70,257 | $33.78 |
| 20 | Boulder, CO | $68,342 | $32.86 |
Associate research engineer salary details
An associate research engineer's salary ranges from $54,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $105,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an associate research engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $105,000 | $8,750 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| Average | $75,950 | $6,329 | $37 |
| 25th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
Highest paying associate research engineer jobs
The highest paying types of associate research engineers are senior engineer, research and development engineer, and research engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Engineer | $78,522 | $6,543 | $37.75 | 115,384 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Development Engineer | $93,206 | $7,767 | $44.81 | 224,881 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Research Scientist | $89,998 | $7,500 | $43.27 | 93,013 |
| Chemical Engineer | $89,449 | $7,454 | $43.00 | 42,176 |
Top companies hiring associate research engineers now:
Which companies pay associate research engineers the most?
Associate research engineer salaries at AQR Capital Management and Genentech are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate research engineer salary at companies like JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Brookhaven National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AQR Capital Management | $107,171 | $51.52 |
| 2 | Genentech | $104,556 | $50.27 |
| 3 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $98,195 | $47.21 |
| 4 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $97,784 | $47.01 |
| 5 | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | $94,793 | $45.57 |
| 6 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $94,236 | $45.31 |
| 7 | UBS | $88,307 | $42.46 |
| 8 | Stanford University | $88,278 | $42.44 |
| 9 | MSCI | $86,348 | $41.51 |
| 10 | West Virginia University | $85,409 | $41.06 |
| 11 | Philips Lighting North America | $84,204 | $40.48 |
| 12 | National Radio Astronomy Observatory | $83,691 | $40.24 |
| 13 | Philips | $83,593 | $40.19 |
| 14 | Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc | $82,942 | $39.88 |
| 15 | Ball | $81,408 | $39.14 |
| 16 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $81,189 | $39.03 |
| 17 | The University of Tulsa | $80,838 | $38.86 |
| 18 | Methodist Hospital Of Henderson, Kentucky | $80,540 | $38.72 |
| 19 | UChicago Argonne | $79,938 | $38.43 |
| 20 | University of California-Berkeley | $79,766 | $38.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Associate Research Engineer salary by industry
The average associate research engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average associate research engineer salary in the manufacturing industry is $81,465, the highest of any industry.
- The average associate research engineer salary in the finance industry is $79,692.
- Associate research engineers in the education industry earn an average salary of $71,752, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for associate research engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $81,465 | $39.17 |
| 2 | Professional | $79,692 | $38.31 |
| 3 | Retail | $77,581 | $37.30 |
| 4 | Education | $71,752 | $34.50 |
High paying associate research engineer jobs
Associate research engineer salary trends
The average associate research engineer salary has risen by $9,208 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate research engineer earned $66,742 annually, but today, they earn $75,950 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for associate research engineers over the last decade.
Compare associate research engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average associate research engineer salary over time
Compare associate research engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Associate research engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $75,900 | $36.51 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $74,500 | $35.81 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $73,600 | $35.38 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $72,300 | $34.78 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $70,900 | $34.10 | +0.7% |
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