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Senior engineer salary
Average senior engineer salary
$108,743
Understanding Senior Engineer Salaries
The average salary for a Senior Engineer in October 2025 is $108,743, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in various industries. Senior Engineers typically work in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, and telecommunications, where their expertise is highly valued.
Salary Variations by State: Salaries differ significantly across states. For example, California and Massachusetts are among the highest-paying states, offering salaries that can exceed $120,000. In contrast, states with a lower cost of living may offer salaries closer to the national average.
Impact of Experience: Experience plays a critical role in salary determination. Entry-level positions may start around $80,000, but with 5-10 years of experience, salaries can rise substantially, often exceeding $100,000. Senior Engineers with specialized skills in areas like data analysis or software development tend to command even higher salaries.
To maximize earning potential, consider industries that prioritize engineering talent, such as aerospace or renewable energy. Staying updated on industry trends and pursuing additional certifications can also enhance career advancement opportunities.
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Where can a Senior Engineer earn more?
Senior engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average senior engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior engineers are California, Washington, and Arizona. The lowest average senior engineer salary states are Ohio, South Carolina, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $128,210 | $61.64 |
| 2 | California | $129,753 | $62.38 |
| 3 | Arizona | $117,782 | $56.63 |
| 4 | Oregon | $113,508 | $54.57 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $109,111 | $52.46 |
| 6 | Idaho | $111,120 | $53.42 |
| 7 | Utah | $102,527 | $49.29 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $116,633 | $56.07 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $109,022 | $52.41 |
| 10 | Nevada | $107,236 | $51.56 |
| 11 | Texas | $104,343 | $50.16 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $101,690 | $48.89 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $101,710 | $48.90 |
| 14 | New York | $106,448 | $51.18 |
| 15 | Alaska | $107,081 | $51.48 |
| 16 | Maryland | $104,195 | $50.09 |
| 17 | Delaware | $99,647 | $47.91 |
| 18 | Colorado | $100,513 | $48.32 |
| 19 | Virginia | $99,806 | $47.98 |
| 20 | Illinois | $98,535 | $47.37 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $102,229 | $49.15 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $101,342 | $48.72 |
| 23 | Montana | $97,845 | $47.04 |
| 24 | Maine | $99,372 | $47.77 |
| 25 | Alabama | $94,784 | $45.57 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $103,238 | $49.63 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $97,661 | $46.95 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $98,236 | $47.23 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $94,650 | $45.50 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $95,652 | $45.99 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $92,548 | $44.49 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $93,602 | $45.00 |
| 33 | Georgia | $94,736 | $45.55 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $93,092 | $44.76 |
| 35 | Michigan | $92,719 | $44.58 |
| 36 | Vermont | $91,973 | $44.22 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $94,736 | $45.55 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $90,835 | $43.67 |
| 39 | Florida | $93,569 | $44.99 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $89,042 | $42.81 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $89,536 | $43.05 |
| 42 | Ohio | $88,540 | $42.57 |
| 43 | Kansas | $88,766 | $42.68 |
| 44 | Iowa | $88,968 | $42.77 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $88,862 | $42.72 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $89,003 | $42.79 |
| 47 | Missouri | $88,391 | $42.50 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $87,676 | $42.15 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $88,534 | $42.56 |
| 50 | Indiana | $85,412 | $41.06 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $78,337 | $37.66 |
Highest paying cities for senior engineers
The highest-paying cities for senior engineers are San Mateo, CA, Seattle, WA, and Phoenix, AZ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo, CA | $138,997 | $66.83 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $128,657 | $61.85 |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ | $118,050 | $56.75 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $116,661 | $56.09 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $114,031 | $54.82 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $109,190 | $52.50 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $106,579 | $51.24 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $105,476 | $50.71 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $102,054 | $49.06 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $100,547 | $48.34 |
| 11 | McLean, VA | $100,514 | $48.32 |
| 12 | Portland, ME | $99,650 | $47.91 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $98,649 | $47.43 |
| 14 | Columbus, GA | $94,926 | $45.64 |
| 15 | Brooklyn Park, MN | $94,693 | $45.53 |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA | $93,536 | $44.97 |
| 17 | Washington, MI | $92,995 | $44.71 |
| 18 | Miami, FL | $92,718 | $44.58 |
| 19 | Bellevue, NE | $89,396 | $42.98 |
| 20 | Raleigh, NC | $89,291 | $42.93 |
Senior Engineers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Senior engineer salary details
A senior engineer's salary ranges from $82,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $144,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $144,000 | $12,000 | $69 |
| 75th Percentile | $126,000 | $10,500 | $61 |
| Average | $108,743 | $9,062 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
Highest paying senior engineer jobs
The highest paying types of senior engineers are senior staff engineer, senior principal engineer, and principal engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Design Engineer | $108,490 | $9,041 | $52.16 | 118,073 |
| Management Engineer | $90,571 | $7,548 | $43.54 | 175,986 |
| Principal Engineer | $130,213 | $10,851 | $62.60 | 312,683 |
| Lead Engineer | $84,927 | $7,077 | $40.83 | 301,777 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Rudisill
Department Head and Professor of Engineering Technology, Northern Michigan University
Top companies hiring senior engineers now:
Which companies pay senior engineers the most?
Senior engineer salaries at Roku and Airbnb are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior engineer salary at companies like Flexport and Thrive Global are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roku | $177,138 | $85.16 |
| 2 | Airbnb | $175,215 | $84.24 |
| 3 | Flexport | $169,754 | $81.61 |
| 4 | Thrive Global | $168,746 | $81.13 |
| 5 | $167,941 | $80.74 | |
| 6 | Netflix | $167,093 | $80.33 |
| 7 | ByteDance | $164,582 | $79.13 |
| 8 | Lyft | $163,374 | $78.55 |
| 9 | $162,550 | $78.15 | |
| 10 | eBay | $161,479 | $77.63 |
| 11 | StubHub | $161,268 | $77.53 |
| 12 | $160,524 | $77.17 | |
| 13 | CrowdStrike | $160,070 | $76.96 |
| 14 | $159,811 | $76.83 | |
| 15 | Strava | $158,234 | $76.07 |
| 16 | Shyp | $157,772 | $75.85 |
| 17 | Credit Karma | $157,270 | $75.61 |
| 18 | Microsoft | $157,257 | $75.60 |
| 19 | Anaplan | $156,566 | $75.27 |
| 20 | Eventbrite | $156,352 | $75.17 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Engineer salary by industry
The average senior engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average senior engineer salary in the start-up industry is $125,167, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior engineer salary in the finance industry is $110,177.
- Senior engineers in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $101,730, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start-up | $125,167 | $60.18 |
| 2 | Finance | $110,177 | $52.97 |
| 3 | Telecommunication | $109,857 | $52.82 |
| 4 | Professional | $109,790 | $52.78 |
| 5 | Technology | $105,233 | $50.59 |
| 6 | Automotive | $104,758 | $50.36 |
| 7 | Manufacturing | $101,730 | $48.91 |
High paying senior engineer jobs
Senior engineer salary trends
The average senior engineer salary has risen by $13,182 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior engineer earned $95,561 annually, but today, they earn $108,743 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for senior engineers over the last decade.
Compare senior engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior engineer salary over time
Compare senior engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $109,000 | $52.28 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $107,000 | $51.28 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $105,000 | $50.66 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $104,000 | $49.80 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $102,000 | $48.82 | +0.7% |
Recently added senior engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donaldson Company | Senior Engineer | Bloomington, MN | 06/30/2025 | $86,200 |
| Eversource Energy | Senior Engineer, LNG | Hopkinton, MA | 06/30/2025 | $125,680 |
| Eversource Energy | Senior Engineer-Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Planning (Hybrid) | Manchester, NH | 06/30/2025 | $125,680 |
| Exact Sciences | SR Engineer II, Data | San Diego, CA | 06/30/2025 | $143,000 |
| Exact Sciences | SR. Engineer I, Data | Madison, WI | 06/30/2025 | $124,000 |
| F5 Networks | Senior AV Engineer | Seattle, WA | 06/30/2025 | $128,800 |
| Markel Corporation | Senior Dynamics 365 Engineer | Omaha, NE | 06/30/2025 | $95,000 |
| WEX | Senior Ai/Ml Engineer | Portland, ME | 06/30/2025 | $126,000 |
| Aristocrat | Senior Unity Engineer | Las Vegas, NV | 06/30/2025 | $120,801 |
| Early Warning | SR. Platform Engineer | Scottsdale, AZ | 06/30/2025 | $130,000 |
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