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Senior system designer salary
Average senior system designer salary
$117,540
Average Senior System Designer Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Senior System Designer is approximately $117,540 per year or around $57 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Highest Paying States for Senior System Designers
Some of the top-paying states for this role include:
- California
- New York
- Texas
- Washington
- Virginia
In these states, salaries often exceed the national average, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in technology sectors. Additionally, cities such as San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle are known for offering higher compensation packages.
Career Opportunities
Beyond base salary, many Senior System Designers benefit from bonuses, stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages, enhancing overall earnings. The demand for talented individuals in this field is expected to grow, driven by advancements in technology and the need for innovative solutions.
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Where can a Senior System Designer earn more?
Average senior system designer salary by state
The average senior system designer salary in Washington, California, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior system designer salary states are Connecticut, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior system designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $148,070 | $71.19 |
| 2 | Oregon | $133,962 | $64.40 |
| 3 | Arizona | $126,907 | $61.01 |
| 4 | California | $135,334 | $65.06 |
| 5 | Texas | $124,479 | $59.85 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $122,314 | $58.80 |
| 7 | Utah | $116,025 | $55.78 |
| 8 | Alabama | $115,181 | $55.38 |
| 9 | Vermont | $118,663 | $57.05 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $114,285 | $54.94 |
| 11 | Idaho | $121,783 | $58.55 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $113,805 | $54.71 |
| 13 | Nevada | $121,879 | $58.60 |
| 14 | Maine | $116,691 | $56.10 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $117,752 | $56.61 |
| 16 | Colorado | $112,311 | $54.00 |
| 17 | Florida | $113,934 | $54.78 |
| 18 | Alaska | $117,820 | $56.64 |
| 19 | Virginia | $110,081 | $52.92 |
| 20 | Michigan | $105,647 | $50.79 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $121,832 | $58.57 |
| 22 | Maryland | $111,023 | $53.38 |
| 23 | New York | $110,607 | $53.18 |
| 24 | Iowa | $107,031 | $51.46 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $110,547 | $53.15 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $107,613 | $51.74 |
| 27 | Georgia | $105,784 | $50.86 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $105,232 | $50.59 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $105,807 | $50.87 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $103,739 | $49.87 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $104,203 | $50.10 |
| 32 | Montana | $106,251 | $51.08 |
| 33 | Illinois | $104,330 | $50.16 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $101,199 | $48.65 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $98,793 | $47.50 |
| 36 | Ohio | $100,527 | $48.33 |
| 37 | Delaware | $103,702 | $49.86 |
| 38 | Indiana | $101,740 | $48.91 |
| 39 | New Jersey | $103,778 | $49.89 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $98,426 | $47.32 |
| 41 | Kansas | $96,074 | $46.19 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $96,301 | $46.30 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $97,568 | $46.91 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $97,480 | $46.87 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $95,919 | $46.11 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $95,846 | $46.08 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $96,883 | $46.58 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $95,612 | $45.97 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $91,688 | $44.08 |
| 50 | Missouri | $90,544 | $43.53 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $91,713 | $44.09 |
Highest paying cities for senior system designers
The highest-paying cities for senior system designers are Seattle, WA, Oakland, CA, and Hillsboro, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $148,768 | $71.52 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $142,384 | $68.45 |
| 3 | Hillsboro, OR | $133,837 | $64.34 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $126,941 | $61.03 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $125,982 | $60.57 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $122,412 | $58.85 |
| 7 | Roy, UT | $115,860 | $55.70 |
| 8 | Coral Gables, FL | $114,964 | $55.27 |
| 9 | Hoover, AL | $114,957 | $55.27 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $114,625 | $55.11 |
| 11 | Littleton, CO | $112,468 | $54.07 |
| 12 | New York, NY | $110,779 | $53.26 |
| 13 | Arlington, VA | $110,130 | $52.95 |
| 14 | Greenville, SC | $109,922 | $52.85 |
| 15 | Ann Arbor, MI | $105,576 | $50.76 |
| 16 | Newark, DE | $103,698 | $49.85 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $101,814 | $48.95 |
| 18 | Pittsburgh, PA | $101,803 | $48.94 |
Senior system designer salary details
A senior system designer's salary ranges from $90,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $152,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior system designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $152,000 | $12,667 | $73 |
| 75th Percentile | $135,000 | $11,250 | $65 |
| Average | $117,540 | $9,795 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $102,000 | $8,500 | $49 |
| 10th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
Highest paying senior system designer jobs
The highest paying types of senior system designers are senior staff systems engineer, systems engineer staff, and senior verification engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firmware Engineer | $97,183 | $8,099 | $46.72 | 99,014 |
| Embedded Engineer | $95,419 | $7,952 | $45.87 | 24,338 |
| Embedded Software Developer | $89,506 | $7,459 | $43.03 | 257,508 |
| Embedded Software Engineer | $102,143 | $8,512 | $49.11 | 171,613 |
| Systems Engineering Internship | $39,003 | $3,250 | $18.75 | 161,551 |
| Systems Engineer Staff | $129,611 | $10,801 | $62.31 | 304,494 |
Top companies hiring senior system designers now:
Which companies pay senior system designers the most?
Senior system designer salaries at Meta and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior system designer salary at companies like ZeniMax Media and Electronic Arts are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $159,520 | $76.69 |
| 2 | Apple | $143,843 | $69.16 |
| 3 | ZeniMax Media | $123,634 | $59.44 |
| 4 | Electronic Arts | $123,240 | $59.25 |
| 5 | Tencent | $121,712 | $58.52 |
| 6 | Cisco | $120,392 | $57.88 |
| 7 | Amd | $120,326 | $57.85 |
| 8 | Activision Blizzard | $119,498 | $57.45 |
| 9 | Sucker Punch Productions | $118,609 | $57.02 |
| 10 | Gearbox Software | $117,598 | $56.54 |
| 11 | ASML Holding | $115,460 | $55.51 |
| 12 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $115,062 | $55.32 |
| 13 | Fivetran | $113,040 | $54.35 |
| 14 | Hardsuit Labs | $113,021 | $54.34 |
| 15 | Fluor Corporation | $106,309 | $51.11 |
| 16 | Draper | $104,412 | $50.20 |
| 17 | Cigna | $103,168 | $49.60 |
| 18 | Warner Music Group | $100,325 | $48.23 |
| 19 | SSOE Group | $100,177 | $48.16 |
| 20 | Northrop Grumman | $97,407 | $46.83 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior System Designer salary by industry
The average senior system designer salary varies across industries:
- The average senior system designer salary in the transportation industry is $112,015, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior system designer salary in the finance industry is $110,955.
- Senior system designers in the energy industry earn an average salary of $109,717, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior system designers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $112,015 | $53.85 |
| 2 | Construction | $110,955 | $53.34 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $110,857 | $53.30 |
| 4 | Energy | $109,717 | $52.75 |
High paying senior system designer jobs
Senior system designer salary trends
The average senior system designer salary has risen by $19,979 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior system designer earned $97,561 annually, but today, they earn $117,540 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for senior system designers over the last decade.
Compare senior system designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior system designer salary over time
Compare senior system designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior system designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $118,000 | $56.51 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $114,000 | $54.65 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $111,000 | $53.41 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $109,000 | $52.25 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | $108,000 | $51.89 | +1.2% |
Recently added senior system designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OKX | Senior Design System Designer | San Jose, CA | 06/09/2025 | $198,000 |
| Paypal | SR. Systems Visual Designer | San Jose, CA | 05/12/2025 | $196,500 |
| IMEG Consultants | Senior Low Voltage Systems Designer | New York, NY | 05/05/2025 | $101,000 |
| Skybound Entertainment | Senior Systems Designer | Los Angeles, CA | 04/29/2025 | $100,000 |
| Betmgm | Senior Designer-Design Systems | Downe, NJ | 04/27/2025 | $125,840 |
| Meta | Senior Narrative Systems Designer-Sanzaru Game Studio | Burlingame, CA | 04/09/2025 | $112,000 |
| OKX | Senior Design System Designer | San Jose, CA | 04/05/2025 | $198,000 |
| Meta | Senior Narrative Systems Designer-Sanzaru Game Studio | Boston, MA | 03/21/2025 | $112,000 |
| Meta | Senior Narrative Systems Designer-Sanzaru Game Studio | Harrisburg, PA | 03/21/2025 | $112,000 |
| Meta | Senior Narrative Systems Designer-Sanzaru Game Studio | Hartford, CT | 03/21/2025 | $112,000 |
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