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Drive test engineer salary
Average drive test engineer salary
$76,872
Understanding Drive Test Engineer Salaries
A Drive Test Engineer is responsible for assessing and optimizing the performance of mobile networks. According to data, the average salary for these engineers stands at $76,872 per year, with hourly rates around $37. Factors influencing salary include experience level, geographic location, and specific industry sectors.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions typically start at a lower salary, while those with several years of experience can earn significantly more. Senior engineers or those in managerial roles may see salaries exceeding $100,000 annually.
Top-Paying States
States such as California and New York offer higher wages for Drive Test Engineers, reflecting the cost of living and demand for telecommunications services. Understanding regional pay disparities can help job seekers make informed career decisions.
Job Opportunities
Drive Test Engineers are in demand across various industries, including telecommunications, automotive, and IoT sectors. These opportunities often provide not only competitive salaries but also benefits and career advancement prospects. Explore job openings in your area to find roles that suit your skills and ambitions.
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Where can a Drive Test Engineer earn more?
Drive test engineer salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level drive test engineer | $68,800 | $33.08 |
| Mid-level drive test engineer | $85,600 | $41.16 |
| Senior-level drive test engineer | $108,000 | $51.96 |
Drive test engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average drive test engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for drive test engineers are California, Virginia, and Michigan. The lowest average drive test engineer salary states are West Virginia, Utah, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for drive test engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $106,662 | $51.28 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $106,712 | $51.30 |
| 3 | Virginia | $95,771 | $46.04 |
| 4 | Michigan | $92,589 | $44.51 |
| 5 | Colorado | $83,479 | $40.13 |
| 6 | Maryland | $88,102 | $42.36 |
| 7 | Nevada | $88,213 | $42.41 |
| 8 | Washington | $84,372 | $40.56 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $88,195 | $42.40 |
| 10 | Alabama | $79,434 | $38.19 |
| 11 | Alaska | $85,571 | $41.14 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $80,268 | $38.59 |
| 13 | Idaho | $81,842 | $39.35 |
| 14 | Illinois | $84,152 | $40.46 |
| 15 | Delaware | $80,450 | $38.68 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $76,822 | $36.93 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $77,325 | $37.18 |
| 18 | Texas | $74,414 | $35.78 |
| 19 | Arizona | $73,438 | $35.31 |
| 20 | Maine | $77,572 | $37.29 |
| 21 | New York | $78,061 | $37.53 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $80,884 | $38.89 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $75,179 | $36.14 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $75,965 | $36.52 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $71,298 | $34.28 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $71,122 | $34.19 |
| 27 | Oregon | $72,319 | $34.77 |
| 28 | Missouri | $75,865 | $36.47 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $71,317 | $34.29 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $71,930 | $34.58 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $70,211 | $33.76 |
| 32 | Vermont | $68,174 | $32.78 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $68,681 | $33.02 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $70,575 | $33.93 |
| 35 | Kansas | $69,121 | $33.23 |
| 36 | Indiana | $66,804 | $32.12 |
| 37 | Ohio | $65,419 | $31.45 |
| 38 | Utah | $59,186 | $28.45 |
| 39 | Georgia | $66,387 | $31.92 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $66,736 | $32.08 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $66,170 | $31.81 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $65,232 | $31.36 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $60,635 | $29.15 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $64,030 | $30.78 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $61,481 | $29.56 |
| 46 | Florida | $51,933 | $24.97 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $65,083 | $31.29 |
| 48 | Iowa | $57,476 | $27.63 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $59,286 | $28.50 |
| 50 | Montana | $57,942 | $27.86 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $55,812 | $26.83 |
Highest paying cities for drive test engineers
The highest-paying cities for drive test engineers are Cupertino, CA, Troy, MI, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupertino, CA | $115,733 | $55.64 |
| 2 | Troy, MI | $92,812 | $44.62 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $87,706 | $42.17 |
| 4 | Longmont, CO | $83,552 | $40.17 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $77,305 | $37.17 |
| 6 | Cary, NC | $72,047 | $34.64 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $70,746 | $34.01 |
| 8 | Roswell, GA | $66,841 | $32.14 |
Drive test engineer salary details
A drive test engineer's salary ranges from $57,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $103,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a drive test engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $76,872 | $6,406 | $37 |
| 25th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 10th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
Highest paying drive test engineer jobs
The highest paying types of drive test engineers are staff design engineer, asic design engineer, and circuit design engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controls Designer | $91,944 | $7,662 | $44.20 | 79,729 |
| Engineering Trainee | $60,235 | $5,020 | $28.96 | 79,966 |
| Communications Engineer | $83,540 | $6,962 | $40.16 | 71,942 |
| Telecommunication Engineer | $80,789 | $6,732 | $38.84 | 28,331 |
| Radio Frequency Engineer | $88,301 | $7,358 | $42.45 | 35,158 |
| Special Project Engineer | $70,934 | $5,911 | $34.10 | 90,999 |
Top companies hiring drive test engineers now:
Which companies pay drive test engineers the most?
Drive test engineer salaries at Apple and Texas Instruments are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average drive test engineer salary at companies like Micron Technology and Qualcomm are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $130,420 | $62.70 |
| 2 | Texas Instruments | $96,755 | $46.52 |
| 3 | Micron Technology | $96,206 | $46.25 |
| 4 | Qualcomm | $95,228 | $45.78 |
| 5 | Tesla | $90,410 | $43.47 |
| 6 | Ford Motor | $89,960 | $43.25 |
| 7 | Lucid Motors | $88,831 | $42.71 |
| 8 | Nexius | $83,317 | $40.06 |
| 9 | Aptiv | $81,684 | $39.27 |
| 10 | Avion Systems | $81,624 | $39.24 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Drive Test Engineer salary by industry
The average drive test engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average drive test engineer salary in the retail industry is $82,128, the highest of any industry.
- The average drive test engineer salary in the finance industry is $81,897.
- Drive test engineers in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $75,788, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for drive test engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail | $82,128 | $39.48 |
| 2 | Telecommunication | $81,897 | $39.37 |
| 3 | Automotive | $81,668 | $39.26 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $75,788 | $36.44 |
High paying drive test engineer jobs
Drive test engineer salary trends
The average drive test engineer salary has risen by $11,466 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average drive test engineer earned $65,406 annually, but today, they earn $76,872 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for drive test engineers over the last decade.
Compare drive test engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average drive test engineer salary over time
Compare drive test engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Drive test engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $76,900 | $36.96 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $75,500 | $36.28 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $73,400 | $35.29 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $73,000 | $35.12 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $70,900 | $34.09 | +0.9% |
Recently added drive test engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ektello | Drive Test Engineers-Bilingual Korean | Plano, TX | 06/18/2025 | $58,436 |
| Inteletech Global | Test Driver Engineering | Akron, OH | 03/21/2025 | $110,000 |
| MTS Moose Tech Solutions L.L.C | Test Driver-Engineering | Akron, OH | 11/28/2024 | $101,000 |
| Care Dynamics, LLC | Test Driver-Engineering | Akron, OH | 11/25/2024 | $101,000 |
| KLM Careers | Test Driver-Engineering | Akron, OH | 11/23/2024 | $100,000 |
| Lucid Motors | Engineer II, Drive Unit Test and Validation | Newark, CA | 07/30/2024 | $102,000 |
| Lucid Motors | Engineer II, Drive Unit Test and Validation | Newark, CA | 07/25/2024 | $102,000 |
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