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The salary for mapping engineers varies significantly based on experience, location, and industry. As of October 2025, the average annual salary is $117,925, translating to approximately $57 per hour. Entry-level positions typically start lower, while those with extensive experience can earn substantially more.
Mapping engineers find the highest salaries in states with robust tech industries and urban development projects. For example, states like California and New York offer competitive compensation due to the demand for skilled professionals in geographic data analysis.
Various industries seek mapping engineers, including government agencies, environmental organizations, and private sector firms specializing in geospatial technology. This diversity opens a range of job opportunities, from fieldwork to office-based roles, catering to different preferences and skill sets.
Utilize platforms like Zippia to explore job openings and salary insights for mapping engineers. Understanding the landscape of salaries and opportunities in different states allows you to make informed decisions and advance your career effectively.
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The highest-paying states for mapping engineers are Alaska, California, and Connecticut. The lowest average mapping engineer salary states are Michigan, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $125,700 | $60.43 |
| 2 | Maine | $119,208 | $57.31 |
| 3 | Vermont | $117,720 | $56.60 |
| 4 | California | $124,420 | $59.82 |
| 5 | Delaware | $114,892 | $55.24 |
| 6 | Alabama | $112,471 | $54.07 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $122,461 | $58.88 |
| 8 | Washington | $113,995 | $54.81 |
| 9 | Oregon | $113,175 | $54.41 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $117,603 | $56.54 |
| 11 | New York | $117,543 | $56.51 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $113,661 | $54.64 |
| 13 | Indiana | $108,202 | $52.02 |
| 14 | Virginia | $106,984 | $51.43 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $111,479 | $53.60 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $109,310 | $52.55 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $109,985 | $52.88 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $110,453 | $53.10 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $103,426 | $49.72 |
| 20 | Missouri | $111,246 | $53.48 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $107,782 | $51.82 |
| 22 | Nevada | $103,993 | $50.00 |
| 23 | Iowa | $106,818 | $51.35 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $112,436 | $54.06 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $105,341 | $50.64 |
| 26 | Texas | $102,733 | $49.39 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $105,249 | $50.60 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $104,233 | $50.11 |
| 29 | Montana | $101,728 | $48.91 |
| 30 | Colorado | $102,787 | $49.42 |
| 31 | Utah | $100,551 | $48.34 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $104,846 | $50.41 |
| 33 | Illinois | $103,360 | $49.69 |
| 34 | Idaho | $101,769 | $48.93 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $100,974 | $48.55 |
| 36 | Arizona | $98,477 | $47.34 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $99,207 | $47.70 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $98,028 | $47.13 |
| 39 | Ohio | $97,568 | $46.91 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $95,876 | $46.09 |
| 41 | Maryland | $92,471 | $44.46 |
| 42 | Florida | $94,641 | $45.50 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $87,219 | $41.93 |
| 44 | Michigan | $88,225 | $42.42 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $89,888 | $43.22 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $86,935 | $41.80 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $89,354 | $42.96 |
| 48 | Georgia | $83,602 | $40.19 |
| 49 | Kansas | $89,808 | $43.18 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $87,319 | $41.98 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $81,478 | $39.17 |
The highest-paying cities for mapping engineers are Foster City, CA, Newark, CA, and Palo Alto, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster City, CA | $129,207 | $62.12 |
| 2 | Newark, CA | $129,060 | $62.05 |
| 3 | Palo Alto, CA | $129,060 | $62.05 |
| 4 | Cupertino, CA | $128,916 | $61.98 |
| 5 | Santa Clara, CA | $128,910 | $61.98 |
| 6 | Visalia, CA | $126,358 | $60.75 |
| 7 | Gardena, CA | $123,287 | $59.27 |
| 8 | Somerville, MA | $117,961 | $56.71 |
| 9 | Redmond, WA | $114,632 | $55.11 |
| 10 | Mobile, AL | $112,954 | $54.30 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $111,752 | $53.73 |
| 12 | Ione, OR | $110,633 | $53.19 |
| 13 | Chantilly, VA | $108,287 | $52.06 |
| 14 | Boulder, CO | $102,483 | $49.27 |
| 15 | Louisville, CO | $102,438 | $49.25 |
| 16 | Washington, DC | $101,000 | $48.56 |
| 17 | Troy, MI | $88,441 | $42.52 |
| 18 | Farmington Hills, MI | $88,322 | $42.46 |
A mapping engineer's salary ranges from $76,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $181,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $181,000 | $15,083 | $87 |
| 75th Percentile | $148,000 | $12,333 | $71 |
| Average | $117,925 | $9,827 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
The highest paying types of mapping engineers are resident engineer, senior structural engineer, and engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Designer | $58,421 | $4,868 | $28.09 | 57,036 |
| Structural Designer | $63,273 | $5,273 | $30.42 | 51,432 |
| Structural Engineering Internship | $47,072 | $3,923 | $22.63 | 105,826 |
| Civil Engineering Internship | $52,597 | $4,383 | $25.29 | 109,733 |
| Civil/Structural Engineer | $74,421 | $6,202 | $35.78 | 20,123 |
| Structures Engineer | $73,391 | $6,116 | $35.28 | 20,778 |
Top companies hiring mapping engineers now:
Mapping engineer salaries at Apple and NVIDIA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average mapping engineer salary at companies like Uber Technologies and Zoox are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $166,952 | $80.27 |
| 2 | NVIDIA | $160,484 | $77.16 |
| 3 | Uber Technologies | $158,836 | $76.36 |
| 4 | Zoox | $156,077 | $75.04 |
| 5 | Mapbox | $135,997 | $65.38 |
| 6 | Über | $130,450 | $62.72 |
| 7 | Lucid Motors | $121,169 | $58.25 |
| 8 | Magna International | $112,445 | $54.06 |
| 9 | Airbus | $100,683 | $48.41 |
| 10 | Aptiv | $99,193 | $47.69 |
| 11 | WaveSense | $98,837 | $47.52 |
| 12 | U.S. Bank | $98,588 | $47.40 |
| 13 | International Paper | $92,449 | $44.45 |
| 14 | Faraday Future | $89,652 | $43.10 |
The average mapping engineer salary has risen by $14,087 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average mapping engineer earned $103,839 annually, but today, they earn $117,925 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for mapping engineers over the last decade.
Compare mapping engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare mapping engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $118,000 | $56.69 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $116,000 | $55.73 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $115,000 | $55.46 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $113,000 | $54.26 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $111,000 | $53.48 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Motors | SR. Maps and Navigation Engineer, Adas and Ad | Newark, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $154,000 |
| Lucid Motors | Staff Mapping and Navigation Engineer | Newark, CA | 06/09/2025 | $171,500 |
| Bluespace | State Estimation/Mapping Engineer | Oakland, CA | 06/09/2025 | $150,000 |
| Lucid Motors | Staff Mapping and Navigation Engineer | Newark, CA | 05/26/2025 | $163,700 |
| Apple | Algorithm Engineer-Maps Navigation Team | Cupertino, CA | 05/06/2025 | $143,100 |
| Lucid Motors | Staff Mapping and Navigation Engineer | Newark, CA | 04/28/2025 | $163,700 |
| Bluespace | State Estimation/Mapping Engineer | Oakland, CA | 04/28/2025 | $150,000 |
| Bluespace | State Estimation/Mapping Engineer | Oakland, CA | 03/28/2025 | $150,000 |
| Lucid Motors | Staff Mapping and Navigation Engineer | Newark, CA | 03/26/2025 | $163,700 |
| Insight Enterprises, Inc. | Servicenow Mapping Engineer | Ione, CA | 02/19/2025 | $146,090 |
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