Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Salary in the United States

How much does a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering in the United States is $157,456 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $76.

However, a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $173,012
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $141,497 to $165,598
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $126,968
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $141,497 10% $126,968 90% $173,012 75% $165,598 $157,456 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $165,598 $13,800 $3,185 $80
Average $157,456 $13,121 $3,028 $76
25th Percentile $141,497 $11,791 $2,721 $68
Check out Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Job Openings in the United States
LEAD SYSTEMS OPERATIONS ENGINEER - MAJOR PROBLEM WORKFLOW COORDINATOR

Wells Fargo - Columbus, OH

SOFTWARE ENGINEER - SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, SYSTEMS ENGINEER

CyberCoders - Dayton, OH

Senior Staff Engineer - APD Systems Engineering with Security Clearance

GE Aerospace - Evendale, OH

SENIOR STAFF ENGINEER - APD SYSTEMS ENGINEERING WITH SECURITY CLEARANCE

GE Aerospace - Wyoming, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Salaries

A Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $86,186
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $128,596
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $156,534
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $180,165
  • Expert (over 8 years): $201,278
Levels Salary
Engineeri... Level Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering$86,186
Engineeri... Level Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering$128,596
Lead Engi... Level Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering$156,534
Engineeri... Level Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering$180,165
Engineeri... Level Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering$201,278
$86,186 0 yr
$128,596 < 2 yrs
$156,534 2-4 yrs
$180,165 5-8 yrs
$201,278 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lead Engineer, Systems Engineerings. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $174,335.
  • California: $173,674.
  • Massachusetts: $171,359.

Top Paying Cities for Lead Engineer, Systems Engineerings

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $198,599
  • San Francisco: $196,646
  • Oakland: $192,285

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 10.73% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Python (Mentioned in 1.86% Job Postings): Applying the concepts and algorithms of Python to design, develop and maintain software applications to comply with business requirements.
  • AWS (Mentioned in 1.47% Job Postings): Amazon Web Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 10.73%
Python 1.86%
AWS 1.47%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering's salary.
  • Product Management: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Computer Science: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Software Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Product Management
 $176,350
12%
Computer Science
 $176,350
12%
Software Engineering
 $174,776
11%
Program Management
 $173,201
10%
Software Development
 $173,201
10%
Python
 $173,201
10%
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How Education impacts a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lead Engineer, Systems Engineerings enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering with a Bachelor's Degree is between $147,146 and $155,639).

Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 2.7%
Associates 3.3%
Bachelors 43.7%
Masters 42.1%
Doctorate 8.0%
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Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on May 18, 2021
$141,497
Average $157,456/year
$165,598
$11,791
Average $13,121/month
$13,800
$2,721
Average $3,028/week
$3,185
$68
Average $76/hour
$80
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $165,598 $13,800 $3,185 $80
Average $157,456 $13,121 $3,028 $76
25th Percentile $141,497 $11,791 $2,721 $68

Salaries of jobs related to Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering

Salary Trends for Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering

Salaries for a Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $145,688 in 2023 to around $144,762 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$145,688
2024
$145,956
2025
$144,762
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $145,688
2024 $145,956
2025 $144,762
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Lead Engineer, Systems Engineering

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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