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The average salary for a telecom engineer in the United States is $81,384 per year, translating to approximately $39 per hour. This figure may vary based on factors such as experience, location, and specific industry demands.
Entry-level telecom engineers can expect to earn lower salaries, while those with more experience and specialized skills may see significantly higher compensation. For instance, senior telecom engineers often command salaries exceeding $100,000 annually.
Telecom engineers in states like California, New York, and Washington typically earn the highest salaries. Understanding regional variations can help job seekers target opportunities with better compensation packages.
To enhance earning potential, consider pursuing certifications in relevant technologies, gaining experience in high-demand areas, and networking within the industry. Regularly updating skills to keep pace with technological advancements is essential in this evolving field.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level telecom engineer | $72,800 | $35.02 |
| Mid-level telecom engineer | $90,600 | $43.58 |
| Senior-level telecom engineer | $114,000 | $55.01 |
The average telecom engineer salary in Rhode Island, California, and Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average telecom engineer salary states are Nebraska, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $94,753 | $45.55 |
| 2 | Washington | $88,785 | $42.69 |
| 3 | Virginia | $89,068 | $42.82 |
| 4 | Michigan | $86,847 | $41.75 |
| 5 | Texas | $87,049 | $41.85 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $101,117 | $48.61 |
| 7 | Maryland | $87,457 | $42.05 |
| 8 | Illinois | $85,840 | $41.27 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $89,986 | $43.26 |
| 10 | Alabama | $79,863 | $38.40 |
| 11 | Delaware | $82,219 | $39.53 |
| 12 | Arizona | $81,010 | $38.95 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $83,263 | $40.03 |
| 14 | Alaska | $81,624 | $39.24 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $76,302 | $36.68 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $83,195 | $40.00 |
| 17 | Florida | $81,710 | $39.28 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $78,656 | $37.82 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $85,512 | $41.11 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $78,698 | $37.84 |
| 21 | Indiana | $75,882 | $36.48 |
| 22 | Colorado | $77,736 | $37.37 |
| 23 | Oregon | $76,549 | $36.80 |
| 24 | Utah | $73,095 | $35.14 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $77,418 | $37.22 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $75,256 | $36.18 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $75,842 | $36.46 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $80,930 | $38.91 |
| 29 | Maine | $76,069 | $36.57 |
| 30 | Vermont | $74,360 | $35.75 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $70,388 | $33.84 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $74,285 | $35.71 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $70,307 | $33.80 |
| 34 | Nevada | $71,004 | $34.14 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $71,924 | $34.58 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $70,380 | $33.84 |
| 37 | Georgia | $69,232 | $33.28 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $71,272 | $34.27 |
| 39 | Idaho | $71,040 | $34.15 |
| 40 | New York | $68,354 | $32.86 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $69,814 | $33.56 |
| 42 | Kansas | $68,483 | $32.92 |
| 43 | Ohio | $65,131 | $31.31 |
| 44 | Missouri | $69,500 | $33.41 |
| 45 | Iowa | $67,358 | $32.38 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $62,591 | $30.09 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $60,579 | $29.12 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $61,124 | $29.39 |
| 49 | Montana | $54,650 | $26.27 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $60,744 | $29.20 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $54,652 | $26.27 |
The highest-paying cities for telecom engineers are Hayward, CA, Washington, DC, and Redmond, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hayward, CA | $101,996 | $49.04 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $90,047 | $43.29 |
| 3 | Redmond, WA | $89,329 | $42.95 |
| 4 | Reston, VA | $88,987 | $42.78 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $87,736 | $42.18 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $87,525 | $42.08 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $86,152 | $41.42 |
| 8 | Holland, MI | $85,697 | $41.20 |
| 9 | Bridgewater, NJ | $85,416 | $41.07 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $83,599 | $40.19 |
| 11 | Tampa, FL | $82,592 | $39.71 |
| 12 | Wilmington, DE | $82,337 | $39.59 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $77,718 | $37.36 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $76,583 | $36.82 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $75,838 | $36.46 |
| 16 | Bloomington, MN | $75,737 | $36.41 |
| 17 | Manchester, NH | $75,316 | $36.21 |
| 18 | Las Vegas, NV | $70,480 | $33.88 |
| 19 | Huntersville, NC | $69,636 | $33.48 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $69,022 | $33.18 |
A telecom engineer's salary ranges from $63,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $104,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $92,000 | $7,667 | $44 |
| Average | $81,384 | $6,782 | $39 |
| 25th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 10th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
The highest paying types of telecom engineers are staff design engineer, senior engineer, and circuit design engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controls Designer | $91,944 | $7,662 | $44.20 | 79,729 |
| Engineering Trainee | $60,235 | $5,020 | $28.96 | 79,966 |
| Circuit Design Engineer | $107,694 | $8,975 | $51.78 | 70,906 |
| Staff Design Engineer | $128,071 | $10,673 | $61.57 | 154,963 |
| Control Systems Engineer | $92,727 | $7,727 | $44.58 | 133,220 |
| Communications Engineer | $83,540 | $6,962 | $40.16 | 71,942 |
Top companies hiring telecom engineers now:
Telecom engineer salaries at PayPal and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average telecom engineer salary at companies like Microsoft and Juniper Networks are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PayPal | $130,528 | $62.75 |
| 2 | Apple | $130,154 | $62.57 |
| 3 | Microsoft | $120,208 | $57.79 |
| 4 | Juniper Networks | $103,989 | $49.99 |
| 5 | Wind River | $101,223 | $48.66 |
| 6 | Cedars-Sinai | $101,093 | $48.60 |
| 7 | Five9 | $93,804 | $45.10 |
| 8 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $92,019 | $44.24 |
| 9 | Network Design | $91,456 | $43.97 |
| 10 | Angel.com | $91,057 | $43.78 |
| 11 | General Electric | $90,684 | $43.60 |
| 12 | Dell | $90,579 | $43.55 |
| 13 | Kimley-Horn | $89,237 | $42.90 |
| 14 | Cayuga Medical Center | $89,204 | $42.89 |
| 15 | NextGen Global Resources | $87,043 | $41.85 |
| 16 | Inpro | $87,030 | $41.84 |
| 17 | TrueBlue | $85,962 | $41.33 |
| 18 | Core & Main | $85,518 | $41.11 |
| 19 | Arc-Com | $85,365 | $41.04 |
| 20 | Manifest Solutions | $85,333 | $41.03 |
The average telecom engineer salary has risen by $12,139 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average telecom engineer earned $69,245 annually, but today, they earn $81,384 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for telecom engineers over the last decade.
Compare telecom engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare telecom engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $81,400 | $39.13 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $79,900 | $38.41 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $77,700 | $37.37 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $77,300 | $37.18 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $75,100 | $36.10 | +0.9% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verigent | Avaya Telecom Engineer | Atlanta, GA | 06/28/2025 | $83,480 |
| Tata Consulting Services | Telecom Engineer-L3 | Bethpage, NY | 06/26/2025 | $90,000 |
| Pacificorp | Telecom Engineer 3-Salt | Cove, UT | 06/25/2025 | $103,800 |
| Pacificorp | Telecom Engineer 3- | Ione, OR | 06/25/2025 | $103,800 |
| Caci International | Telecom Engineer, Journeyman | Doral, FL | 06/04/2025 | $51,800 |
| STS/Utiliquest | Laborer Telecom Aerial With CDL | Portland, OR | 06/02/2025 | $45,914 |
| Actalent | Telecom Engineer | Raleigh, NC | 05/24/2025 | $75,000 |
| STS/Utiliquest | Laborer Telecom Aerial With CDL | Portland, OR | 05/23/2025 | $45,914 |
| Dycom Industries Inc. | Laborer Telecom Aerial With CDL | Sherwood, OR | 05/22/2025 | $45,914 |
| Internet Brands | Telecom Engineer Job ID | El Segundo, CA | 05/22/2025 | $80,000 |
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