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The average salary for an engineering professor in the United States is currently $54,652 per year. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, the type of institution (public vs. private), and years of experience. For instance, engineering professors with extensive experience or those teaching at research universities tend to earn more than their counterparts in smaller colleges.
Engineering professors often find higher salaries in states like California, New York, and Texas. Notably, metropolitan areas such as San Francisco, New York City, and Austin frequently offer the highest salaries due to the increased cost of living and demand for engineering education. Understanding these regional differences can help prospective educators make informed career decisions.
Over the years, the salary for engineering professors has shown a gradual increase, reflecting the growing importance of engineering disciplines in academia and industry. This upward trend provides a promising outlook for those considering a career in engineering education.
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The highest-paying states for engineering professors are New Hampshire, Washington, and Connecticut. The lowest average engineering professor salary states are North Carolina, Wyoming, and Louisiana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $96,212 | $46.26 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $101,119 | $48.61 |
| 3 | Washington | $98,603 | $47.41 |
| 4 | Utah | $87,256 | $41.95 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $96,909 | $46.59 |
| 6 | Maine | $90,390 | $43.46 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $100,326 | $48.23 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $93,211 | $44.81 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $91,894 | $44.18 |
| 10 | Delaware | $88,822 | $42.70 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $80,715 | $38.81 |
| 12 | New York | $86,581 | $41.63 |
| 13 | Idaho | $82,685 | $39.75 |
| 14 | Oregon | $79,043 | $38.00 |
| 15 | Colorado | $80,701 | $38.80 |
| 16 | Alaska | $79,007 | $37.98 |
| 17 | Vermont | $92,666 | $44.55 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $72,374 | $34.80 |
| 19 | Nevada | $87,909 | $42.26 |
| 20 | Illinois | $85,416 | $41.07 |
| 21 | Michigan | $75,679 | $36.38 |
| 22 | Maryland | $85,685 | $41.19 |
| 23 | Ohio | $77,054 | $37.05 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $70,400 | $33.85 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $65,329 | $31.41 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $78,779 | $37.87 |
| 27 | Kansas | $75,647 | $36.37 |
| 28 | California | $81,224 | $39.05 |
| 29 | Texas | $64,638 | $31.08 |
| 30 | Indiana | $69,983 | $33.65 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $67,903 | $32.65 |
| 32 | Arizona | $69,228 | $33.28 |
| 33 | Virginia | $56,894 | $27.35 |
| 34 | Iowa | $61,728 | $29.68 |
| 35 | Alabama | $59,406 | $28.56 |
| 36 | Montana | $57,197 | $27.50 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $62,755 | $30.17 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $59,769 | $28.74 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $51,644 | $24.83 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $49,698 | $23.89 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $48,770 | $23.45 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $54,435 | $26.17 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $49,737 | $23.91 |
| 44 | Missouri | $58,208 | $27.98 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $47,912 | $23.03 |
| 46 | Florida | $52,642 | $25.31 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $51,006 | $24.52 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $48,782 | $23.45 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $43,809 | $21.06 |
| 50 | Georgia | $47,776 | $22.97 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $43,957 | $21.13 |
The highest-paying cities for engineering professors are Vancouver, WA, Providence, RI, and Dartmouth, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver, WA | $100,312 | $48.23 |
| 2 | Providence, RI | $99,815 | $47.99 |
| 3 | Dartmouth, MA | $95,104 | $45.72 |
| 4 | Syracuse, NY | $91,315 | $43.90 |
| 5 | Colorado Springs, CO | $80,340 | $38.63 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $65,341 | $31.41 |
| 7 | Miami, FL | $53,082 | $25.52 |
| 8 | Florence, SC | $43,929 | $21.12 |
An engineering professor's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $103,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $103,000 | $8,583 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| Average | $54,652 | $4,554 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
The highest paying types of engineering professors are professor, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and senior lecturer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Instructor | $49,625 | $4,135 | $23.86 | 50,102 |
| Professor | $157,570 | $13,131 | $75.75 | 21,861 |
| Engineering Instructor | $50,652 | $4,221 | $24.35 | 77,631 |
Top companies hiring engineering professors now:
Engineering professor salaries at Brown University and Smith College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average engineering professor salary at companies like Grayson College and UMass Dartmouth are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brown University | $89,412 | $42.99 |
| 2 | Smith College | $83,013 | $39.91 |
| 3 | Grayson College | $72,622 | $34.91 |
| 4 | UMass Dartmouth | $70,193 | $33.75 |
| 5 | University of the Incarnate Word | $68,758 | $33.06 |
| 6 | Tacoma Community College | $67,044 | $32.23 |
| 7 | Colorado Mesa University | $58,476 | $28.11 |
| 8 | Clark College | $54,212 | $26.06 |
The average engineering professor salary has risen by $6,816 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average engineering professor earned $47,836 annually, but today, they earn $54,652 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for engineering professors over the last decade.
Compare engineering professor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare engineering professor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,700 | $26.27 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $53,300 | $25.62 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | $53,700 | $25.80 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $51,900 | $24.95 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | $51,400 | $24.74 | +2.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collin County Community College | Professor, Engineering (Fall 2025) | Plano, TX | 02/16/2025 | $61,128 |
| University of North Dakota | Open Rank Teaching Professor-Aerospace Engineering | Grand Forks, ND | 02/15/2025 | $93,000 |
| Mines.Edu | Open Rank Professor, Engineering Design and Society | Boone, CO | 01/26/2025 | $110,818 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Il | Clinical Faculty (Professor of Practice) In Aerospace Engineering (Open Rank) | Urbana, IL | 12/14/2024 | $130,000 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Il | Grainger Engineering: Clinical Faculty (Professor of Practice) Open Rank-Aerospace Engineering | Urbana, IL | 10/19/2024 | $130,000 |
| CSU Careers | Open Rank Professor of Materials Engineering | Ione, CA | 10/17/2024 | $103,116 |
| San Jose State University | Open Rank Professor of Materials Engineering | San Jose, CA | 10/17/2024 | $103,116 |
| University of North Dakota | Open Rank Teaching Professor, Aerospace Engineering | Grand Forks, ND | 10/15/2024 | $100,000 |
| Colorado School of Mines | Open Rank Professor, Engineering Design and Society | Golden, CO | 10/09/2024 | $110,818 |
| University of North Dakota | Open Rank Teaching Professor, Aerospace Engineering | Grand Forks, ND | 09/26/2024 | $100,000 |
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