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As of October 2025, Generation Engineers earn an average salary of $89,736 per year. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as experience, location, and the specific sector within the energy industry. For those just starting, entry-level positions typically offer lower compensation, while seasoned professionals see higher earnings.
Location plays a critical role in salary differences. For instance, Generation Engineers in states like California and Texas may earn significantly more than their counterparts in other regions. Major cities often provide additional financial incentives, making urban areas attractive for job seekers.
With a growing emphasis on sustainable energy solutions, demand for Generation Engineers is on the rise. Positions in renewable energy and power generation offer promising career paths. Those interested can explore roles that not only provide competitive salaries but also contribute to innovative projects that shape the future of energy.
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The highest-paying states for generation engineers are California, Idaho, and Maryland. The lowest average generation engineer salary states are South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $120,235 | $57.81 |
| 2 | Idaho | $109,615 | $52.70 |
| 3 | Michigan | $100,036 | $48.09 |
| 4 | Washington | $98,804 | $47.50 |
| 5 | Delaware | $97,435 | $46.84 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $100,093 | $48.12 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $106,006 | $50.96 |
| 8 | Maryland | $101,528 | $48.81 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $95,203 | $45.77 |
| 10 | Virginia | $95,483 | $45.91 |
| 11 | Colorado | $94,773 | $45.56 |
| 12 | Oregon | $93,056 | $44.74 |
| 13 | Arizona | $92,257 | $44.35 |
| 14 | Alaska | $96,284 | $46.29 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $94,913 | $45.63 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $92,400 | $44.42 |
| 17 | Alabama | $90,782 | $43.65 |
| 18 | Iowa | $93,328 | $44.87 |
| 19 | Utah | $87,391 | $42.01 |
| 20 | Texas | $89,086 | $42.83 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $90,006 | $43.27 |
| 22 | Ohio | $88,665 | $42.63 |
| 23 | New York | $90,975 | $43.74 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $91,782 | $44.13 |
| 25 | Georgia | $89,275 | $42.92 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $87,502 | $42.07 |
| 27 | Maine | $90,609 | $43.56 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $89,135 | $42.85 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $87,106 | $41.88 |
| 30 | Nevada | $85,550 | $41.13 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $82,396 | $39.61 |
| 32 | Florida | $86,995 | $41.82 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $80,767 | $38.83 |
| 34 | Vermont | $80,510 | $38.71 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $83,751 | $40.26 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $83,824 | $40.30 |
| 37 | Illinois | $82,181 | $39.51 |
| 38 | New Jersey | $84,385 | $40.57 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $80,005 | $38.46 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $76,202 | $36.64 |
| 41 | Montana | $77,480 | $37.25 |
| 42 | Indiana | $76,105 | $36.59 |
| 43 | Missouri | $79,309 | $38.13 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $73,902 | $35.53 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $76,111 | $36.59 |
| 46 | Minnesota | $71,446 | $34.35 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $75,368 | $36.23 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $76,557 | $36.81 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $70,149 | $33.73 |
| 50 | Kansas | $69,425 | $33.38 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $68,651 | $33.01 |
The highest-paying cities for generation engineers are Oakland, CA, Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $129,258 | $62.14 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $106,073 | $51.00 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $101,839 | $48.96 |
| 4 | Natick, MA | $100,179 | $48.16 |
| 5 | Novi, MI | $100,063 | $48.11 |
| 6 | Bremerton, WA | $99,423 | $47.80 |
| 7 | Anchorage, AK | $97,155 | $46.71 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $96,029 | $46.17 |
| 9 | Albuquerque, NM | $95,189 | $45.76 |
| 10 | Albany, OR | $93,965 | $45.18 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $92,889 | $44.66 |
| 12 | Chandler, AZ | $92,118 | $44.29 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $91,167 | $43.83 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $89,694 | $43.12 |
| 15 | Cleveland, OH | $89,465 | $43.01 |
| 16 | Huntsville, AL | $89,192 | $42.88 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $88,981 | $42.78 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $87,003 | $41.83 |
| 19 | Jacksonville, FL | $86,076 | $41.38 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $84,230 | $40.50 |
A generation engineer's salary ranges from $63,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $126,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $126,000 | $10,500 | $61 |
| 75th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| Average | $89,736 | $7,478 | $43 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
The highest paying types of generation engineers are contracting engineer, senior engineer, and staff engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Design Engineer | $94,827 | $7,902 | $45.59 | 170,485 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Staff Engineer | $107,530 | $8,961 | $51.70 | 277,011 |
| Facility Engineer | $89,623 | $7,469 | $43.09 | 94,268 |
| Development Engineer | $93,206 | $7,767 | $44.81 | 224,881 |
| Mechanical Design Engineer | $75,821 | $6,318 | $36.45 | 120,258 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for generation engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Rudisill
Department Head and Professor of Engineering Technology, Northern Michigan University
Top companies hiring generation engineers now:
Generation engineer salaries at Apple and NVIDIA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average generation engineer salary at companies like Qualcomm and DHS Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $145,773 | $70.08 |
| 2 | NVIDIA | $129,231 | $62.13 |
| 3 | Qualcomm | $103,894 | $49.95 |
| 4 | DHS Group | $96,241 | $46.27 |
| 5 | General Electric | $96,076 | $46.19 |
| 6 | MathWorks | $92,097 | $44.28 |
| 7 | Raytheon Technologies | $90,837 | $43.67 |
| 8 | ENGIE North America | $90,515 | $43.52 |
| 9 | Federal Aviation Administration | $90,515 | $43.52 |
| 10 | Silestone by Cosentino | $90,431 | $43.48 |
| 11 | Air National Guard | $90,121 | $43.33 |
| 12 | U.s. Coast Guard | $89,900 | $43.22 |
| 13 | The AES | $89,052 | $42.81 |
| 14 | Northrop Grumman | $87,163 | $41.91 |
| 15 | Aquinas Consulting | $86,614 | $41.64 |
| 16 | US Meat Animal Research Center | $84,929 | $40.83 |
| 17 | Nes Holdings | $84,401 | $40.58 |
| 18 | University of Massachusetts Medical School | $83,449 | $40.12 |
| 19 | Indian Health Service | $82,271 | $39.55 |
| 20 | Department of Homeland Security | $82,128 | $39.48 |
The average generation engineer salary has risen by $10,879 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average generation engineer earned $78,857 annually, but today, they earn $89,736 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for generation engineers over the last decade.
Compare generation engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare generation engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $89,700 | $43.14 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $88,000 | $42.31 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $87,000 | $41.81 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $85,500 | $41.09 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $83,800 | $40.29 | +0.7% |
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