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Radio frequency engineer salary
Average radio frequency engineer salary
$88,301
Understanding Radio Frequency Engineer Salaries
The average salary for a Radio Frequency Engineer is approximately $88,301 per year, translating to about $42 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on experience, with entry-level positions earning less than seasoned professionals. In addition, geographic location plays a crucial role in salary differences, with states such as California and New York often offering higher pay due to demand and cost of living. For example, a Radio Frequency Engineer in California may earn up to 20% more than their counterparts in other states.
Experience levels also impact compensation. Entry-level engineers typically earn around $70,000, while those with over ten years can command salaries exceeding $100,000. To maximize earning potential, focus on gaining relevant experience and certifications, particularly in high-demand areas such as telecommunications and satellite communications.
For those considering a career in this field, understanding the salary landscape can help you make informed decisions regarding job opportunities and career advancement. By researching various roles and their corresponding salaries, you can better position yourself to achieve your career objectives.
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Where can a Radio Frequency Engineer earn more?
Radio frequency engineer salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level radio frequency engineer | $79,000 | $38.00 |
| Mid-level radio frequency engineer | $98,300 | $47.28 |
| Senior-level radio frequency engineer | $124,000 | $59.69 |
Radio frequency engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average radio frequency engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for radio frequency engineers are California, New Mexico, and Maryland. The lowest average radio frequency engineer salary states are Iowa, Hawaii, and Kentucky.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for radio frequency engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $106,035 | $50.98 |
| 2 | Arizona | $95,733 | $46.03 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $101,630 | $48.86 |
| 4 | Virginia | $96,876 | $46.58 |
| 5 | Washington | $95,527 | $45.93 |
| 6 | Maryland | $98,284 | $47.25 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $95,195 | $45.77 |
| 8 | Michigan | $89,491 | $43.02 |
| 9 | Texas | $91,207 | $43.85 |
| 10 | Alabama | $88,158 | $42.38 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $89,711 | $43.13 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $92,579 | $44.51 |
| 13 | Colorado | $90,475 | $43.50 |
| 14 | Nevada | $90,013 | $43.28 |
| 15 | Alaska | $91,394 | $43.94 |
| 16 | Vermont | $88,109 | $42.36 |
| 17 | Utah | $80,985 | $38.94 |
| 18 | Delaware | $85,025 | $40.88 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $85,451 | $41.08 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $86,828 | $41.74 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $83,842 | $40.31 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $83,380 | $40.09 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $89,837 | $43.19 |
| 24 | Florida | $83,083 | $39.94 |
| 25 | Missouri | $83,339 | $40.07 |
| 26 | Ohio | $79,088 | $38.02 |
| 27 | Kansas | $79,775 | $38.35 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $81,269 | $39.07 |
| 29 | Illinois | $81,909 | $39.38 |
| 30 | Indiana | $78,969 | $37.97 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $81,349 | $39.11 |
| 32 | Maine | $80,518 | $38.71 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $77,189 | $37.11 |
| 34 | Georgia | $78,569 | $37.77 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $77,826 | $37.42 |
| 36 | Connecticut | $79,313 | $38.13 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $77,611 | $37.31 |
| 38 | New York | $76,246 | $36.66 |
| 39 | Idaho | $79,370 | $38.16 |
| 40 | Oregon | $73,648 | $35.41 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $75,650 | $36.37 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $72,024 | $34.63 |
| 43 | Iowa | $72,488 | $34.85 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $74,298 | $35.72 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $66,780 | $32.11 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $72,886 | $35.04 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $72,800 | $35.00 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $73,450 | $35.31 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $66,817 | $32.12 |
| 50 | Montana | $57,123 | $27.46 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $59,602 | $28.65 |
Highest paying cities for radio frequency engineers
The highest-paying cities for radio frequency engineers are Cupertino, CA, Rockville, MD, and Reston, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupertino, CA | $110,838 | $53.29 |
| 2 | Rockville, MD | $98,110 | $47.17 |
| 3 | Reston, VA | $96,858 | $46.57 |
| 4 | Redmond, WA | $96,000 | $46.15 |
| 5 | Tempe, AZ | $95,816 | $46.07 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $91,445 | $43.96 |
| 7 | Englewood, CO | $90,428 | $43.48 |
| 8 | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | $89,751 | $43.15 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $89,738 | $43.14 |
| 10 | Livonia, MI | $89,557 | $43.06 |
| 11 | Birmingham, AL | $87,674 | $42.15 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $83,657 | $40.22 |
| 13 | Pittsburgh, PA | $82,293 | $39.56 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $82,049 | $39.45 |
| 15 | Overland Park, KS | $79,652 | $38.29 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $78,746 | $37.86 |
| 17 | Duluth, GA | $78,563 | $37.77 |
| 18 | Charlotte, NC | $77,081 | $37.06 |
| 19 | White Plains, NY | $76,270 | $36.67 |
Radio frequency engineer salary details
A radio frequency engineer's salary ranges from $67,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $115,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a radio frequency engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $115,000 | $9,583 | $55 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,000 | $8,417 | $49 |
| Average | $88,301 | $7,358 | $42 |
| 25th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 10th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
Highest paying radio frequency engineer jobs
The highest paying types of radio frequency engineers are staff design engineer, system design engineer, and senior controls engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controls Designer | $91,944 | $7,662 | $44.20 | 79,729 |
| Electrical Designer | $64,930 | $5,411 | $31.22 | 82,332 |
| Engineering Trainee | $60,235 | $5,020 | $28.96 | 79,966 |
| Electrical Engineer | $81,026 | $6,752 | $38.95 | 68,536 |
| System Design Engineer | $107,704 | $8,975 | $51.78 | 113,582 |
| Electrical Design Engineer | $83,944 | $6,995 | $40.36 | 87,121 |
Top companies hiring radio frequency engineers now:
Which companies pay radio frequency engineers the most?
Radio frequency engineer salaries at Meta and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average radio frequency engineer salary at companies like Google and Amazon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $134,270 | $64.55 |
| 2 | Apple | $129,737 | $62.37 |
| 3 | $126,902 | $61.01 | |
| 4 | Amazon | $122,199 | $58.75 |
| 5 | Luxim | $121,360 | $58.35 |
| 6 | Applied Materials | $120,079 | $57.73 |
| 7 | Arrow Electronics | $116,624 | $56.07 |
| 8 | Koch Industries | $115,841 | $55.69 |
| 9 | NVIDIA | $114,203 | $54.91 |
| 10 | GoPro | $112,917 | $54.29 |
| 11 | Fitbit | $112,717 | $54.19 |
| 12 | Palo Alto Networks | $109,716 | $52.75 |
| 13 | Silicon Labs | $109,694 | $52.74 |
| 14 | Infineon Technologies | $109,552 | $52.67 |
| 15 | Finisar | $109,394 | $52.59 |
| 16 | Synaptics | $109,366 | $52.58 |
| 17 | Texas Instruments | $108,660 | $52.24 |
| 18 | Netgear | $107,621 | $51.74 |
| 19 | Renesas Electronics | $107,106 | $51.49 |
| 20 | MaxLinear | $106,600 | $51.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Radio Frequency Engineer salary by industry
The average radio frequency engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average radio frequency engineer salary in the technology industry is $94,522, the highest of any industry.
- The average radio frequency engineer salary in the finance industry is $92,208.
- Radio frequency engineers in the retail industry earn an average salary of $88,401, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for radio frequency engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $94,522 | $45.44 |
| 2 | Telecommunication | $92,208 | $44.33 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $90,380 | $43.45 |
| 4 | Retail | $88,401 | $42.50 |
High paying radio frequency engineer jobs
Radio frequency engineer salary trends
The average radio frequency engineer salary has risen by $13,171 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average radio frequency engineer earned $75,130 annually, but today, they earn $88,301 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for radio frequency engineers over the last decade.
Compare radio frequency engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average radio frequency engineer salary over time
Compare radio frequency engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Radio frequency engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $88,300 | $42.45 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $86,700 | $41.67 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $84,300 | $40.54 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $83,900 | $40.34 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $81,500 | $39.16 | +0.9% |
Recently added radio frequency engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsons | RF, Radar Defensive Systems Modeling and Simulation Engineer II | Huntsville, AL | 06/30/2025 | $100,900 |
| Sierra Nevada | RF Engineer I | Lone Tree, CO | 06/30/2025 | $82,039 |
| Blue Origin | RF Communications Engineer II | Seattle, WA | 06/30/2025 | $104,015 |
| Textron | RF Design ENG II | Maryland | 06/29/2025 | $85,900 |
| Sara Inc. | RF Design & Test Engineer | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| Astranis | Senior RF Design Engineer | San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $150,000 |
| Actalent | RF Design Engineer | Cockeysville, MD | 06/29/2025 | $85,000 |
| Caci International Inc. | Telemetry/RF Engineer | Portsmouth, VA | 06/28/2025 | $65,344 |
| Cesiumastro | Principal RF Engineer I | El Segundo, CA | 06/28/2025 | $160,000 |
| Rocket Lab USA | Senior RF Regulatory Lead Engineer I/II | Littleton, CO | 06/28/2025 | $115,000 |
Radio frequency engineer salary FAQs
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