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Simulation engineer salary
Average simulation engineer salary
$97,266
Understanding Simulation Engineer Salaries
The average salary for a Simulation Engineer in the United States is $97,266 per year or approximately $47 per hour. This salary can vary based on several factors including experience, education, and the industry in which one works. For instance, entry-level engineers may earn around $70,000, while those with extensive experience could see salaries exceeding $120,000.
Highest Paying States for Simulation Engineers
Geographic location significantly impacts salary potential. States such as California, Texas, and New York consistently rank among the highest for Simulation Engineer salaries. For example, in California, the average salary can reach upwards of $110,000 due to the high demand for skilled engineers in the tech and aerospace sectors.
Opportunities in the Field
Simulation Engineers are critical in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and healthcare. Many companies seek professionals who can enhance product development through simulation technologies. By continuously updating skills and knowledge, engineers can leverage their expertise to secure higher-paying roles and advance their careers effectively.
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Where can a Simulation Engineer earn more?
Simulation engineer salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level simulation engineer | $64,400 | $30.97 |
| Mid-level simulation engineer | $88,500 | $42.56 |
| Senior-level simulation engineer | $140,000 | $67.37 |
Simulation engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average simulation engineer salary by state
The average simulation engineer salary in California, Texas, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average simulation engineer salary states are Kansas, Florida, and Kentucky.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for simulation engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $109,733 | $52.76 |
| 2 | California | $116,750 | $56.13 |
| 3 | Washington | $105,821 | $50.88 |
| 4 | Idaho | $103,184 | $49.61 |
| 5 | Arizona | $102,551 | $49.30 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $106,940 | $51.41 |
| 7 | Nevada | $108,794 | $52.30 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $102,846 | $49.45 |
| 9 | Alabama | $96,083 | $46.19 |
| 10 | Colorado | $102,494 | $49.28 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $102,344 | $49.20 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $104,641 | $50.31 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $96,156 | $46.23 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $102,739 | $49.39 |
| 15 | Utah | $95,377 | $45.85 |
| 16 | Oregon | $96,933 | $46.60 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $98,552 | $47.38 |
| 18 | Montana | $98,172 | $47.20 |
| 19 | Vermont | $94,242 | $45.31 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $89,547 | $43.05 |
| 21 | Missouri | $94,979 | $45.66 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $91,130 | $43.81 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $94,338 | $45.35 |
| 24 | Michigan | $87,069 | $41.86 |
| 25 | Maryland | $89,782 | $43.16 |
| 26 | Virginia | $87,899 | $42.26 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $93,210 | $44.81 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $91,625 | $44.05 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $89,846 | $43.20 |
| 30 | Delaware | $86,577 | $41.62 |
| 31 | Alaska | $90,574 | $43.55 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $89,044 | $42.81 |
| 33 | Ohio | $85,522 | $41.12 |
| 34 | Maine | $89,731 | $43.14 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $85,856 | $41.28 |
| 36 | New York | $85,661 | $41.18 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $85,015 | $40.87 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $84,692 | $40.72 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $84,121 | $40.44 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $83,030 | $39.92 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | $84,788 | $40.76 |
| 42 | Georgia | $82,445 | $39.64 |
| 43 | Illinois | $81,952 | $39.40 |
| 44 | Kansas | $80,455 | $38.68 |
| 45 | Florida | $78,731 | $37.85 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $81,001 | $38.94 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $81,407 | $39.14 |
| 48 | Indiana | $69,693 | $33.51 |
| 49 | Iowa | $76,086 | $36.58 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $77,054 | $37.05 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $74,119 | $35.63 |
Highest paying cities for simulation engineers
The highest-paying cities for simulation engineers are San Francisco, CA, Austin, TX, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $126,274 | $60.71 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $109,883 | $52.83 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $106,082 | $51.00 |
| 4 | Colorado Springs, CO | $103,545 | $49.78 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $102,973 | $49.51 |
| 6 | Cambridge, MA | $102,911 | $49.48 |
| 7 | Plymouth, MN | $102,773 | $49.41 |
| 8 | Huntsville, AL | $94,187 | $45.28 |
| 9 | Concord, NC | $89,006 | $42.79 |
| 10 | Newport News, VA | $88,248 | $42.43 |
| 11 | Sterling Heights, MI | $87,376 | $42.01 |
| 12 | Dublin, OH | $85,112 | $40.92 |
| 13 | Pittsburgh, PA | $82,445 | $39.64 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $82,116 | $39.48 |
| 15 | Orlando, FL | $79,666 | $38.30 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $69,584 | $33.45 |
Simulation engineer salary details
A simulation engineer's salary ranges from $70,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $133,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a simulation engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $133,000 | $11,083 | $64 |
| 75th Percentile | $114,000 | $9,500 | $55 |
| Average | $97,266 | $8,106 | $47 |
| 25th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
Highest paying simulation engineer jobs
The highest paying types of simulation engineers are tool engineer, research and development engineer, and equipment engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research And Development Engineer | $100,169 | $8,347 | $48.16 | 187,910 |
| Product Development Engineer | $86,075 | $7,173 | $41.38 | 202,155 |
| Product Design Engineer | $94,827 | $7,902 | $45.59 | 170,485 |
| Manufacturing Engineer | $78,522 | $6,543 | $37.75 | 115,384 |
| Research Engineer | $96,945 | $8,079 | $46.61 | 136,763 |
| Development Engineer | $93,206 | $7,767 | $44.81 | 224,881 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for simulation engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Daisy Huang
Assistant Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Top companies hiring simulation engineers now:
Which companies pay simulation engineers the most?
Simulation engineer salaries at Meta and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average simulation engineer salary at companies like DoorDash and Google are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $152,009 | $73.08 |
| 2 | Apple | $145,694 | $70.05 |
| 3 | DoorDash | $141,834 | $68.19 |
| 4 | $138,745 | $66.70 | |
| 5 | Zoox | $136,497 | $65.62 |
| 6 | Amazon | $129,816 | $62.41 |
| 7 | Uber Technologies | $127,438 | $61.27 |
| 8 | Hyperloop Transportation Technologies | $121,042 | $58.19 |
| 9 | Occidental Petroleum | $120,878 | $58.11 |
| 10 | Chevron | $120,251 | $57.81 |
| 11 | Joby Aviation | $118,677 | $57.06 |
| 12 | Exxon Mobil | $118,187 | $56.82 |
| 13 | Koch Industries | $117,256 | $56.37 |
| 14 | Argo AI | $114,057 | $54.84 |
| 15 | Electronic Arts | $112,854 | $54.26 |
| 16 | Parsons | $110,591 | $53.17 |
| 17 | AllianceBernstein | $109,275 | $52.54 |
| 18 | Faraday Technology | $108,184 | $52.01 |
| 19 | Cirrus Logic | $107,888 | $51.87 |
| 20 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $106,722 | $51.31 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Simulation Engineer salary by industry
The average simulation engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average simulation engineer salary in the professional industry is $96,302, the highest of any industry.
- The average simulation engineer salary in the finance industry is $96,046.
- Simulation engineers in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $83,431, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for simulation engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $96,302 | $46.30 |
| 2 | Automotive | $96,046 | $46.18 |
| 3 | Technology | $92,359 | $44.40 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $83,431 | $40.11 |
High paying simulation engineer jobs
Simulation engineer salary trends
The average simulation engineer salary has risen by $13,277 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average simulation engineer earned $83,989 annually, but today, they earn $97,266 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for simulation engineers over the last decade.
Compare simulation engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average simulation engineer salary over time
Compare simulation engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Simulation engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $97,300 | $46.76 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $95,500 | $45.93 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $94,500 | $45.43 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $92,700 | $44.56 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $89,900 | $43.23 | +1.7% |
Recently added simulation engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | F-22 Simulation Software Engineer Simulation (Associate, Experienced, and Senior) | Berkeley, MO | 06/30/2025 | $132,600 |
| Parsons | Defensive Systems Missile and Aerodynamics Modeling and Simulation Engineer-Senior | Huntsville, AL | 06/30/2025 | $108,700 |
| Perspecta | Mid-Level Modeling, Simulation and Analysis Engineer | Chantilly, VA | 06/29/2025 | $104,000 |
| Stress Engineering Services | (I) Advanced Simulation Engineer | Cincinnati, OH | 06/29/2025 | $123,843 |
| Northrop Grumman | Engineer Software-Simulation (OKC Oklahoma) | Oklahoma City, OK | 06/28/2025 | $73,100 |
| Boeing | F-22 Simulation Software Engineer Simulation (Associate, Experienced, and Senior) | Berkeley, MO | 06/28/2025 | $132,600 |
| Anduril Industries | Modeling, Simulation and Analysis (MSA) Engineer | Costa Mesa, CA | 06/27/2025 | $138,000 |
| Parsons Government Services | Modeling and Simulation Engineer | Boone, CO | 06/27/2025 | $72,900 |
| Meta | Multi-Physics Simulation Engineer | Sunnyvale, CA | 06/26/2025 | $139,000 |
| Kairos Power | Simulator Engineer | Albuquerque, NM | 06/26/2025 | $92,500 |
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