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The average salary for a Desktop Engineer as of October 2025 is $102,893 per year. This figure may vary based on factors such as experience, location, and industry. Entry-level positions typically start at lower salaries, while those with extensive experience can earn significantly more.
In states like California and New York, salaries can exceed the national average, often due to the higher cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. For instance, desktop engineers in the San Francisco Bay Area frequently report salaries upwards of $120,000.
Industries such as technology, finance, and healthcare tend to offer the highest salaries. Desktop Engineers working in tech firms often enjoy additional benefits, including flexible working arrangements and bonuses.
As a desktop engineer, opportunities abound across various sectors. With continued advancements in technology, the demand for skilled professionals remains strong. Job seekers can find numerous openings on platforms like Zippia, which provide insights into salary trends and job prospects.
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The average desktop engineer salary in California, Washington, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average desktop engineer salary states are Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Kansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $120,321 | $57.85 |
| 2 | California | $122,304 | $58.80 |
| 3 | Virginia | $110,110 | $52.94 |
| 4 | Oregon | $111,636 | $53.67 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $116,446 | $55.98 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $110,603 | $53.17 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $110,584 | $53.17 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $107,349 | $51.61 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $118,122 | $56.79 |
| 10 | Nevada | $108,852 | $52.33 |
| 11 | Vermont | $102,825 | $49.44 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $109,820 | $52.80 |
| 13 | Iowa | $104,985 | $50.47 |
| 14 | South Carolina | $108,716 | $52.27 |
| 15 | Michigan | $103,386 | $49.70 |
| 16 | Delaware | $99,205 | $47.69 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $102,964 | $49.50 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $98,605 | $47.41 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $100,074 | $48.11 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $105,643 | $50.79 |
| 21 | Georgia | $99,339 | $47.76 |
| 22 | Illinois | $97,855 | $47.05 |
| 23 | Missouri | $102,607 | $49.33 |
| 24 | Montana | $96,644 | $46.46 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $95,422 | $45.88 |
| 26 | Idaho | $92,561 | $44.50 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $87,292 | $41.97 |
| 28 | Indiana | $93,184 | $44.80 |
| 29 | Maryland | $93,441 | $44.92 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $96,261 | $46.28 |
| 31 | Utah | $86,588 | $41.63 |
| 32 | Connecticut | $96,844 | $46.56 |
| 33 | Alaska | $88,817 | $42.70 |
| 34 | New York | $97,323 | $46.79 |
| 35 | Arizona | $85,936 | $41.32 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $84,624 | $40.68 |
| 37 | Alabama | $82,835 | $39.82 |
| 38 | Texas | $85,645 | $41.18 |
| 39 | Colorado | $82,557 | $39.69 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $82,679 | $39.75 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $84,309 | $40.53 |
| 42 | Maine | $88,583 | $42.59 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $83,336 | $40.07 |
| 44 | Ohio | $83,442 | $40.12 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $71,217 | $34.24 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $81,660 | $39.26 |
| 47 | Florida | $74,374 | $35.76 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $79,863 | $38.40 |
| 49 | Kansas | $78,604 | $37.79 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $79,650 | $38.29 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $78,271 | $37.63 |
The highest-paying cities for desktop engineers are San Francisco, CA, Jersey City, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $137,082 | $65.90 |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | $118,388 | $56.92 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $116,902 | $56.20 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $111,757 | $53.73 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $111,290 | $53.50 |
| 6 | Pontiac, MI | $103,623 | $49.82 |
| 7 | Saint Louis, MO | $103,479 | $49.75 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $103,029 | $49.53 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $100,118 | $48.13 |
| 10 | Alpharetta, GA | $99,746 | $47.95 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $97,996 | $47.11 |
| 12 | New York, NY | $97,375 | $46.81 |
| 13 | Farmington, CT | $96,711 | $46.50 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $96,356 | $46.33 |
| 15 | Washington, DC | $95,477 | $45.90 |
| 16 | El Paso, TX | $89,473 | $43.02 |
| 17 | Omaha, NE | $85,009 | $40.87 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $83,115 | $39.96 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $82,549 | $39.69 |
| 20 | West Palm Beach, FL | $73,449 | $35.31 |
A desktop engineer's salary ranges from $77,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $136,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $136,000 | $11,333 | $65 |
| 75th Percentile | $119,000 | $9,917 | $57 |
| Average | $102,893 | $8,574 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
The highest paying types of desktop engineers are senior infrastructure engineer, technical support senior engineer, and information engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Support Technician | $41,852 | $3,488 | $20.12 | 121,180 |
| Desktop Support Analyst | $48,674 | $4,056 | $23.40 | 99,621 |
| Desktop/Network Support | $49,480 | $4,123 | $23.79 | 119,310 |
| Desktop Support Consultant | $46,733 | $3,894 | $22.47 | 100,650 |
| Desktop Support Technician | $41,792 | $3,483 | $20.09 | 108,944 |
| Technical Support Engineer | $85,716 | $7,143 | $41.21 | 184,542 |
Top companies hiring desktop engineers now:
Desktop engineer salaries at Ropes & Gray and Lord Abbett are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average desktop engineer salary at companies like Two Sigma and GMO are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ropes & Gray | $142,391 | $68.46 |
| 2 | Lord Abbett | $131,630 | $63.28 |
| 3 | Two Sigma | $127,144 | $61.13 |
| 4 | GMO | $119,146 | $57.28 |
| 5 | Barclays | $117,573 | $56.53 |
| 6 | Enphase Energy | $117,456 | $56.47 |
| 7 | BNP Paribas | $117,311 | $56.40 |
| 8 | AT&T | $115,189 | $55.38 |
| 9 | BNY Mellon | $114,305 | $54.95 |
| 10 | Bank of the West | $113,377 | $54.51 |
| 11 | Southwest Key Programs | $112,717 | $54.19 |
| 12 | TD Securities | $111,587 | $53.65 |
| 13 | Five Nines | $111,304 | $53.51 |
| 14 | A+E Networks | $110,986 | $53.36 |
| 15 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $110,928 | $53.33 |
| 16 | Red Wing Shoes | $108,786 | $52.30 |
| 17 | Summit Health Oregon | $107,872 | $51.86 |
| 18 | Encore Capital Group | $107,698 | $51.78 |
| 19 | BMO Capital Markets | $106,569 | $51.24 |
| 20 | Charles Schwab | $106,548 | $51.23 |
The average desktop engineer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $105,574 | $50.76 |
| 2 | Telecommunication | $94,571 | $45.47 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $94,560 | $45.46 |
| 4 | Professional | $94,289 | $45.33 |
| 5 | Technology | $93,610 | $45.00 |
| 6 | Health Care | $90,684 | $43.60 |
The average desktop engineer salary has risen by $15,723 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average desktop engineer earned $87,170 annually, but today, they earn $102,893 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for desktop engineers over the last decade.
Compare desktop engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare desktop engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $103,000 | $49.47 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $99,500 | $47.84 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $97,300 | $46.75 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $95,800 | $46.05 | +1.6% |
| 2021 | $94,200 | $45.30 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cha Health Systems | Desktop Engineer I | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $55,000 |
| Teksystems | Intune Desktop Administrator | Denver, CO | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| Hub International | Junior Azure Virtual Desktop Engineer | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $105,000 |
| Teksystems | Desktop Engineer/Endpoint Admin | Cincinnati, OH | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Inceed | Desktop Engineer | Kansas City, KS | 06/27/2025 | $60,000 |
| Ropes & Gray LLP | Desktop Engineer II | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $88,700 |
| Seneca Resorts | Desktop Engineer | Niagara Falls, NY | 06/26/2025 | $58,883 |
| Ropes & Gray | Desktop Engineer II | Washington, DC | 06/25/2025 | $88,700 |
| Ropes & Gray | Desktop Engineer II | Chicago, IL | 06/25/2025 | $88,700 |
| Ropes & Gray | Desktop Engineer II | San Francisco, CA | 06/25/2025 | $88,700 |
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