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Senior firmware engineer salary
Average senior firmware engineer salary
$123,759
Understanding Senior Firmware Engineer Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Senior Firmware Engineer is $123,759 annually. This salary can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific company. For instance, states like California and Washington offer some of the highest salaries, reflecting their robust tech markets. Engineers with more experience can command salaries well above the average, especially in industries such as telecommunications and consumer electronics.
In addition to base salary, many companies offer benefits like bonuses and stock options, enhancing overall compensation. The demand for firmware engineers continues to grow, driven by advancements in technology and the need for embedded systems in various devices.
Job Opportunities
Job seekers should focus on companies that specialize in software development, electronics, and telecommunications. Networking at industry events and utilizing platforms like Zippia can help candidates find positions that align with their skills and salary expectations. Overall, the role of a Senior Firmware Engineer remains vital in shaping the future of technology.
Let Zippia find your next senior firmware engineer job
Let Zippia find your next senior firmware engineer job
Where can a Senior Firmware Engineer earn more?
Senior firmware engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average senior firmware engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior firmware engineers are Washington, Oregon, and California. The lowest average senior firmware engineer salary states are Kansas, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior firmware engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $141,002 | $67.79 |
| 2 | Oregon | $136,159 | $65.46 |
| 3 | California | $135,809 | $65.29 |
| 4 | Utah | $117,343 | $56.41 |
| 5 | Vermont | $117,492 | $56.49 |
| 6 | Idaho | $122,910 | $59.09 |
| 7 | Nevada | $124,971 | $60.08 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $116,040 | $55.79 |
| 9 | Virginia | $110,859 | $53.30 |
| 10 | Arizona | $111,317 | $53.52 |
| 11 | Alabama | $107,040 | $51.46 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $108,054 | $51.95 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $118,209 | $56.83 |
| 14 | Texas | $108,192 | $52.02 |
| 15 | Maine | $114,646 | $55.12 |
| 16 | Alaska | $117,912 | $56.69 |
| 17 | Maryland | $111,526 | $53.62 |
| 18 | New York | $111,257 | $53.49 |
| 19 | Michigan | $105,858 | $50.89 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $105,915 | $50.92 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $105,700 | $50.82 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $114,818 | $55.20 |
| 23 | Delaware | $104,331 | $50.16 |
| 24 | Iowa | $106,092 | $51.01 |
| 25 | Montana | $107,195 | $51.54 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $102,719 | $49.38 |
| 27 | Florida | $103,522 | $49.77 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $103,342 | $49.68 |
| 29 | Colorado | $100,972 | $48.54 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $102,342 | $49.20 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $100,640 | $48.38 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $100,242 | $48.19 |
| 33 | Illinois | $99,944 | $48.05 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $103,246 | $49.64 |
| 35 | Ohio | $97,276 | $46.77 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $98,964 | $47.58 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $97,304 | $46.78 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $96,039 | $46.17 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $97,812 | $47.02 |
| 40 | Indiana | $96,237 | $46.27 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $95,558 | $45.94 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $97,612 | $46.93 |
| 43 | Georgia | $96,180 | $46.24 |
| 44 | Connecticut | $96,095 | $46.20 |
| 45 | Kansas | $94,022 | $45.20 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $94,409 | $45.39 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $90,988 | $43.74 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $92,902 | $44.66 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $93,326 | $44.87 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $89,938 | $43.24 |
| 51 | Missouri | $88,439 | $42.52 |
Highest paying cities for senior firmware engineers
The highest-paying cities for senior firmware engineers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $145,210 | $69.81 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $141,805 | $68.18 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $111,525 | $53.62 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $109,073 | $52.44 |
| 5 | Raleigh, NC | $106,587 | $51.24 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $105,702 | $50.82 |
| 7 | Bradenton, FL | $105,271 | $50.61 |
| 8 | Colorado Springs, CO | $101,176 | $48.64 |
| 9 | Shakopee, MN | $100,385 | $48.26 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $100,225 | $48.19 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $96,024 | $46.17 |
| 12 | Milwaukee, WI | $95,719 | $46.02 |
Senior firmware engineer salary details
A senior firmware engineer's salary ranges from $94,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $161,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior firmware engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $161,000 | $13,417 | $77 |
| 75th Percentile | $142,000 | $11,833 | $68 |
| Average | $123,759 | $10,313 | $60 |
| 25th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| 10th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
Highest paying senior firmware engineer jobs
The highest paying types of senior firmware engineers are senior staff systems engineer, staff software engineer, and senior staff engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded Software Developer | $89,506 | $7,459 | $43.03 | 257,508 |
| Systems Engineering Internship | $39,003 | $3,250 | $18.75 | 161,551 |
| Embedded Systems Engineer | $91,959 | $7,663 | $44.21 | 77,484 |
| Advanced Systems Engineer | $109,257 | $9,105 | $52.53 | 220,210 |
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Systems Engineer Staff | $129,611 | $10,801 | $62.31 | 304,494 |
Top companies hiring senior firmware engineers now:
Which companies pay senior firmware engineers the most?
Senior firmware engineer salaries at Apple and Microsoft are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior firmware engineer salary at companies like Rivian and PAX Labs are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $156,624 | $75.30 |
| 2 | Microsoft | $155,391 | $74.71 |
| 3 | Rivian | $148,087 | $71.20 |
| 4 | PAX Labs | $147,491 | $70.91 |
| 5 | NVIDIA | $147,000 | $70.67 |
| 6 | Seres | $146,182 | $70.28 |
| 7 | Bloomberg | $145,811 | $70.10 |
| 8 | Micron Technology | $145,135 | $69.78 |
| 9 | Amazon | $142,264 | $68.40 |
| 10 | ST-Residential | $141,232 | $67.90 |
| 11 | Lexar | $140,462 | $67.53 |
| 12 | GoPro | $140,196 | $67.40 |
| 13 | NComputing | $138,825 | $66.74 |
| 14 | CyberCoders | $138,804 | $66.73 |
| 15 | Fitbit | $136,821 | $65.78 |
| 16 | Tesla | $136,562 | $65.65 |
| 17 | Motion Recruitment | $135,937 | $65.35 |
| 18 | OCZ Technology | $135,535 | $65.16 |
| 19 | Fresh Consulting | $134,978 | $64.89 |
| 20 | NIO | $134,955 | $64.88 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior firmware engineer salary trends
The average senior firmware engineer salary has risen by $21,037 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior firmware engineer earned $102,722 annually, but today, they earn $123,759 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for senior firmware engineers over the last decade.
Compare senior firmware engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior firmware engineer salary over time
Compare senior firmware engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior firmware engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $124,000 | $59.50 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $120,000 | $57.54 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $117,000 | $56.24 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $114,000 | $55.01 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $114,000 | $54.63 | +1.2% |
Recently added senior firmware engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alarm.com | Senior Firmware Engineer | San Diego, CA | 06/29/2025 | $140,000 |
| Spacex | SR. Wireless Firmware Engineer (Direct To Cell) | Redmond, WA | 06/29/2025 | $160,000 |
| Coreweave | Senior Firmware Engineer | Bellevue, WA | 06/29/2025 | $176,000 |
| Anduril Industries | Senior Firmware Engineer (Motor Control & Actuators) | Costa Mesa, CA | 06/29/2025 | $168,000 |
| Broadridge | Senior Firmware Engineer (Hybrid) | El Dorado Hills, CA | 06/28/2025 | $115,000 |
| Vantage Consulting | Senior Firmware Engineer | Charlotte, NC | 06/27/2025 | $125,220 |
| Sierra Nevada Company, LLC | SR. Fpga Firmware Engineer | Boston, MA | 06/26/2025 | $130,443 |
| Fluidra North America | Senior Firmware Engineer | Carlsbad, CA | 06/26/2025 | $130,000 |
| Lockheed Martin Corporation | SR Firmware Engineer/Electrical Engineer | Moorestown, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $90,200 |
| Rise Technical | Senior Firmware Engineer | San Antonio, TX | 06/24/2025 | $130,000 |
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