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Director of applications engineering salary
Average director of applications engineering salary
$164,007
Understanding the Salary of a Director of Applications Engineering
The salary for a Director of Applications Engineering is an essential consideration for professionals aiming to advance their careers. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $164,007 annually, translating to approximately $79 per hour. Salaries can vary based on several factors, including experience level, geographic location, and the specific industry.
For instance, directors with more years of experience often command higher salaries. Additionally, certain states and cities offer competitive compensation. For example, locations with a high demand for tech talent tend to have salaries that exceed the national average. Understanding these dynamics allows prospective candidates to gauge their earning potential and seek opportunities that align with their career goals.
Furthermore, candidates should consider the full compensation package, which may include bonuses, stock options, and other benefits that can enhance overall earnings. This knowledge equips job seekers with the insights necessary for effective salary negotiations, ensuring they receive fair compensation for their expertise and leadership in technology.
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Where can a Director Of Applications Engineering earn more?
Director of applications engineering salaries by experience level
Average director of applications engineering salary by state
The highest-paying states for directors of applications engineering are Nevada, California, and Washington. The lowest average director of applications engineering salary states are Iowa, Minnesota, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for directors of applications engineering
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $175,372 | $84.31 |
| 2 | Oregon | $167,131 | $80.35 |
| 3 | Alaska | $165,630 | $79.63 |
| 4 | Idaho | $158,218 | $76.07 |
| 5 | California | $183,301 | $88.13 |
| 6 | Nevada | $187,576 | $90.18 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $159,045 | $76.46 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $157,220 | $75.59 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $156,989 | $75.48 |
| 10 | Montana | $152,458 | $73.30 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $146,817 | $70.59 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $168,517 | $81.02 |
| 13 | Maine | $145,027 | $69.72 |
| 14 | Arizona | $146,804 | $70.58 |
| 15 | New York | $157,187 | $75.57 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $134,858 | $64.84 |
| 17 | Utah | $139,030 | $66.84 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $145,550 | $69.98 |
| 19 | Alabama | $133,707 | $64.28 |
| 20 | Delaware | $142,207 | $68.37 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $145,552 | $69.98 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $134,612 | $64.72 |
| 23 | Illinois | $146,215 | $70.30 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $137,193 | $65.96 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $154,789 | $74.42 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $132,806 | $63.85 |
| 27 | Colorado | $141,358 | $67.96 |
| 28 | Indiana | $137,028 | $65.88 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $123,922 | $59.58 |
| 30 | Texas | $136,910 | $65.82 |
| 31 | Michigan | $132,899 | $63.89 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $128,927 | $61.98 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $134,682 | $64.75 |
| 34 | Ohio | $133,669 | $64.26 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $134,433 | $64.63 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $123,912 | $59.57 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $126,127 | $60.64 |
| 38 | Georgia | $133,662 | $64.26 |
| 39 | Virginia | $129,535 | $62.28 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $115,925 | $55.73 |
| 41 | Florida | $133,403 | $64.14 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $114,794 | $55.19 |
| 43 | Vermont | $133,382 | $64.13 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $125,475 | $60.32 |
| 45 | Maryland | $129,590 | $62.30 |
| 46 | Kansas | $123,979 | $59.61 |
| 47 | Iowa | $118,413 | $56.93 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $119,953 | $57.67 |
| 49 | Minnesota | $116,667 | $56.09 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $113,251 | $54.45 |
| 51 | Missouri | $111,684 | $53.69 |
Highest paying cities for directors of applications engineering
The highest-paying cities for directors of applications engineering are San Francisco, CA, Albany, NY, and Madison, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $201,542 | $96.90 |
| 2 | Albany, NY | $159,675 | $76.77 |
| 3 | Madison, WI | $157,442 | $75.69 |
| 4 | Waukegan, IL | $148,140 | $71.22 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $141,910 | $68.23 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $141,344 | $67.95 |
| 7 | Salt Lake City, UT | $139,394 | $67.02 |
| 8 | Greensboro, NC | $135,092 | $64.95 |
| 9 | Tampa, FL | $135,084 | $64.94 |
| 10 | Troy, MI | $133,670 | $64.26 |
Director of applications engineering salary details
A director of applications engineering's salary ranges from $112,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $238,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a director of applications engineering's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $238,000 | $19,833 | $114 |
| 75th Percentile | $199,000 | $16,583 | $96 |
| Average | $164,007 | $13,667 | $79 |
| 25th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| 10th Percentile | $112,000 | $9,333 | $54 |
Highest paying director of applications engineering jobs
The highest paying types of directors of applications engineering are engineering director, senior engineering manager, and vice president of engineering.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research And Development Director | $137,944 | $11,495 | $66.32 | 102,901 |
| Research And Development Manager | $117,507 | $9,792 | $56.49 | 125,447 |
| Design Manager | $102,637 | $8,553 | $49.34 | 61,273 |
| Engineering/Maintenance Manager | $99,907 | $8,326 | $48.03 | 125,639 |
| Engineering Operations Manager | $122,682 | $10,223 | $58.98 | 125,798 |
| Engineering Services Manager | $132,039 | $11,003 | $63.48 | 141,613 |
Top companies hiring directors of applications engineering now:
Which companies pay directors of applications engineering the most?
Director of applications engineering salaries at Rambus and Synaptics are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director of applications engineering salary at companies like Cadence Design Systems and Infineon Technologies are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rambus | $215,852 | $103.78 |
| 2 | Synaptics | $210,499 | $101.20 |
| 3 | Cadence Design Systems | $194,941 | $93.72 |
| 4 | Infineon Technologies | $182,366 | $87.68 |
| 5 | Synopsys | $170,080 | $81.77 |
| 6 | ResMed | $164,625 | $79.15 |
| 7 | Qorvo | $160,234 | $77.04 |
| 8 | GlobalFoundries | $156,864 | $75.42 |
| 9 | Luna | $156,611 | $75.29 |
| 10 | Ansys | $156,117 | $75.06 |
| 11 | Visa | $155,459 | $74.74 |
| 12 | CDPHP | $150,845 | $72.52 |
| 13 | Marriott International | $148,714 | $71.50 |
| 14 | STANDARD HOLDING INC. | $144,657 | $69.55 |
| 15 | Blue Cross & Blue Shield | $144,657 | $69.55 |
| 16 | JLL | $142,022 | $68.28 |
| 17 | HCSC | $126,901 | $61.01 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Director Of Applications Engineering salary by industry
The average director of applications engineering salary varies across industries:
- The average director of applications engineering salary in the technology industry is $172,042, the highest of any industry.
- The average director of applications engineering salary in the finance industry is $159,460.
- Directors of applications engineering in the retail industry earn an average salary of $142,945, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for directors of applications engineering
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $172,042 | $82.71 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $159,460 | $76.66 |
| 3 | Finance | $145,972 | $70.18 |
| 4 | Automotive | $144,191 | $69.32 |
| 5 | Retail | $142,945 | $68.72 |
High paying director of applications engineering jobs
Director of applications engineering salary trends
The average director of applications engineering salary has risen by $29,987 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director of applications engineering earned $134,020 annually, but today, they earn $164,007 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for directors of applications engineering over the last decade.
Compare director of applications engineering salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average director of applications engineering salary over time
Compare director of applications engineering salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Director of applications engineering salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $164,000 | $78.85 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $159,000 | $76.37 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $154,000 | $74.22 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $151,000 | $72.62 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $148,000 | $71.05 | +1.4% |
Recently added director of applications engineering salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C3 Ai | Director, Applications Engineering | Redwood City, CA | 06/26/2025 | $224,000 |
| Synopsys, Inc. | SR. Director Applications Engineering | Sunnyvale, CA | 04/25/2025 | $227,000 |
| Siemens | Application Engineering Director | Plano, TX | 04/23/2025 | $195,400 |
| Synopsys, Inc. | Applications Engineering, Director | Austin, TX | 04/17/2025 | $186,000 |
| Infineon Technologies | SR Director, Applications Engineering | San Jose, CA | 04/14/2025 | $218,160 |
| Billgo | Senior Director, Application Engineering | Fort Collins, CO | 04/13/2025 | $210,000 |
| Meredith | Engineering Director, Mobile Applications | Day, NY | 03/28/2025 | $190,000 |
| Super Micro Computer, Inc. | Director, Field Applications Engineering | San Jose, CA | 03/15/2025 | $214,000 |
| C3.Ai, Inc. | Director, Application Engineering | Redwood City, CA | 03/03/2025 | $285,750 |
| Lead Mts Firmware Engineer | SR DIR Field Applications Engineering | San Jose, CA | 02/28/2025 | $266,400 |
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