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Radio engineer salary
Average radio engineer salary
$98,659
Average Radio Engineer Salary
The average radio engineer salary stands at $98,659 annually, which equates to about $47 per hour. This figure reflects the professional's expertise in maintaining and improving radio technologies, essential in today’s communication landscape.
How Much Does a Radio Engineer Make?
Experience plays a significant role in determining salary. Entry-level positions typically start lower, with salaries increasing significantly with expertise and tenure. For example, a novice might earn around $60,000, while seasoned professionals can fetch upwards of $120,000.
Where Can a Radio Engineer Earn More?
Geographic location greatly impacts earnings. States like California and New York report the highest salaries, often exceeding $110,000. Factors such as the demand for radio engineers in a region and the cost of living also influence salary levels.
Salary Estimates from Across the Web
Various sources provide insights into salary estimates, enabling professionals to compare and explore their options. Websites like Zippia aggregate data, offering a comprehensive look at the market and salary trends.
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Where can a Radio Engineer earn more?
Radio engineer salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level radio engineer | $88,300 | $42.45 |
| Mid-level radio engineer | $110,000 | $52.83 |
| Senior-level radio engineer | $139,000 | $66.69 |
Radio engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average radio engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for radio engineers are Washington, Texas, and Maryland. The lowest average radio engineer salary states are Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for radio engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $124,646 | $59.93 |
| 2 | Washington | $119,728 | $57.56 |
| 3 | Texas | $114,257 | $54.93 |
| 4 | Virginia | $105,827 | $50.88 |
| 5 | Arizona | $101,432 | $48.77 |
| 6 | Maryland | $106,328 | $51.12 |
| 7 | Nevada | $105,250 | $50.60 |
| 8 | Utah | $95,939 | $46.12 |
| 9 | California | $106,203 | $51.06 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $99,760 | $47.96 |
| 11 | Michigan | $91,368 | $43.93 |
| 12 | Idaho | $100,793 | $48.46 |
| 13 | Florida | $99,018 | $47.60 |
| 14 | Vermont | $95,186 | $45.76 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $93,833 | $45.11 |
| 16 | Delaware | $93,765 | $45.08 |
| 17 | Alabama | $88,498 | $42.55 |
| 18 | Alaska | $94,310 | $45.34 |
| 19 | Colorado | $92,275 | $44.36 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $100,307 | $48.22 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $91,498 | $43.99 |
| 22 | Oregon | $89,757 | $43.15 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $92,541 | $44.49 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $87,340 | $41.99 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $91,446 | $43.96 |
| 26 | Georgia | $89,078 | $42.83 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $89,098 | $42.84 |
| 28 | New York | $89,753 | $43.15 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $85,623 | $41.16 |
| 30 | Ohio | $82,267 | $39.55 |
| 31 | Maine | $86,817 | $41.74 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $82,814 | $39.81 |
| 33 | Connecticut | $86,153 | $41.42 |
| 34 | Kansas | $84,895 | $40.81 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $82,905 | $39.86 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $82,466 | $39.65 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $77,240 | $37.13 |
| 38 | Missouri | $86,862 | $41.76 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $83,726 | $40.25 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $84,503 | $40.63 |
| 41 | Illinois | $82,804 | $39.81 |
| 42 | Indiana | $78,411 | $37.70 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $85,117 | $40.92 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $75,368 | $36.23 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $75,047 | $36.08 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $72,430 | $34.82 |
| 47 | Iowa | $72,412 | $34.81 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $68,806 | $33.08 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $68,415 | $32.89 |
| 50 | Montana | $65,273 | $31.38 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $61,670 | $29.65 |
Highest paying cities for radio engineers
The highest-paying cities for radio engineers are Irving, TX, Santa Cruz, CA, and Annapolis, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Irving, TX | $114,159 | $54.88 |
| 2 | Santa Cruz, CA | $111,863 | $53.78 |
| 3 | Annapolis, MD | $106,559 | $51.23 |
| 4 | Arlington, VA | $105,808 | $50.87 |
| 5 | Roseville, MN | $89,128 | $42.85 |
| 6 | Albany, NY | $87,993 | $42.30 |
| 7 | Memphis, TN | $85,882 | $41.29 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $83,100 | $39.95 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $82,369 | $39.60 |
Radio engineer salary details
A radio engineer's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $147,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a radio engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $147,000 | $12,250 | $71 |
| 75th Percentile | $121,000 | $10,083 | $58 |
| Average | $98,659 | $8,222 | $47 |
| 25th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
Highest paying radio engineer jobs
The highest paying types of radio 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 |
| PCB Designer | $74,841 | $6,237 | $35.98 | 72,971 |
| Engineering Trainee | $60,235 | $5,020 | $28.96 | 79,966 |
| Project Controls Engineer | $86,685 | $7,224 | $41.68 | 38,974 |
| Control Systems Engineer | $92,727 | $7,727 | $44.58 | 133,220 |
| Circuit Design Engineer | $107,694 | $8,975 | $51.78 | 70,906 |
Top companies hiring radio engineers now:
Which companies pay radio engineers the most?
Radio engineer salaries at Apple and Joby Aviation are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average radio engineer salary at companies like E! News and Nokia are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $149,125 | $71.69 |
| 2 | Joby Aviation | $118,736 | $57.08 |
| 3 | E! News | $113,339 | $54.49 |
| 4 | Nokia | $107,223 | $51.55 |
| 5 | The Orin Group | $104,861 | $50.41 |
| 6 | Amatel | $104,311 | $50.15 |
| 7 | SOC | $104,079 | $50.04 |
| 8 | CSC Holdings LLC | $102,294 | $49.18 |
| 9 | CFD Research | $99,296 | $47.74 |
| 10 | Alpina | $96,103 | $46.20 |
| 11 | Viaero Wireless | $91,037 | $43.77 |
| 12 | The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory | $89,584 | $43.07 |
| 13 | MetroStar | $88,902 | $42.74 |
| 14 | CACI International | $87,929 | $42.27 |
| 15 | The Salem News | $87,300 | $41.97 |
| 16 | Minnesota State Fair | $70,129 | $33.72 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Radio engineer salary trends
The average radio engineer salary has risen by $14,715 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average radio engineer earned $83,943 annually, but today, they earn $98,659 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for radio engineers over the last decade.
Compare radio engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average radio engineer salary over time
Compare radio engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Radio engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $98,700 | $47.43 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $96,900 | $46.56 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $94,200 | $45.30 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $93,700 | $45.07 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $91,000 | $43.76 | +0.9% |
Recently added radio engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Townsquare Media | Regional Broadcast Radio Engineer | Utica, NY | 06/09/2025 | $80,000 |
| Townsquare Media | Regional Broadcast Radio Engineer | Albany, NY | 04/28/2025 | $80,000 |
| Livinghr | Radio Engineer | Orlando, FL | 04/28/2025 | $70,000 |
| Caliola Engineering, LLC | Software Defined Radio (SDR) Engineer | Colorado Springs, CO | 04/24/2025 | $92,543 |
| State of New York | Radio Engineer | Albany, NY | 04/15/2025 | $91,298 |
| Townsquare Media | Regional Broadcast Radio Engineer | Albany, NY | 03/26/2025 | $80,000 |
| Hamilton Barnes Limited | 11 DEC Radio Engineer-Systems Integrator Basic, With Potential for | Alexandria, VA | 02/19/2025 | $37,970 |
| Townsquare Media, Inc. | Regional Broadcast Radio Engineer | Albany, NY | 02/16/2025 | $80,000 |
| Caliola | Software Defined Radio (SDR) Engineer | Colorado Springs, CO | 02/16/2025 | $90,788 |
| New York State Civil Service | Radio Engineer | Albany, NY | 02/05/2025 | $88,639 |
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