What are the main factors that influence a Vehicle Engineer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Vehicle Engineer's salary?

A Vehicle Engineer's salary grows with experience: a Software Quality Assurance Engineer I (0-2 years)earns $73,436, a Vehicle Engineer (2-4 years)earns $94,281, a Software Quality Assurance Engineer III (4-7 years)earns $114,315, a Software Quality Assurance Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $131,992, a Software Quality Assurance Engineer V (7-10 years)earns $161,550,

What are the highest paying states for a Vehicle Engineer?

Vehicle Engineer salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Vehicle Engineer roles are District of Columbia $103,788, California $103,394, Massachusetts $102,016. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Vehicle Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Vehicle Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Senior C Software Engineer Vehicle Infra Team: $155,409; Vehicle Control Engineer: $124,057; Vehicle Test Engineer: $113,354; Vehicle Dynamics Engineer: $109,581; Vehicle Integration Engineer: $109,494.

How do different companies affect a Vehicle Engineer's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Vehicle Engineer roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Vehicle Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a Vehicle Engineer make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Vehicle Engineer in the United States is $93,739 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $45.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $108,192
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $83,949 to $101,304
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $75,035

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI-Powered Talent

Smart Recruiting

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Vehicle Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$101,304	$8,442	$1,948	$49
Average	$93,739	$7,812	$1,803	$45
25th Percentile	$83,949	$6,996	$1,614	$40

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Vehicle Engineer Job Openings in the United States

Sr Software Defined Vehicle Experience Engineer

American Honda Motor Co. - Raymond, OH

SR SOFTWARE DEFINED VEHICLE EXPERIENCE ENGINEER

American Honda Motor Co. - Raymond, OH

Sr Software Defined Vehicle Experience Engineer

American Honda Motor Co. - Raymond, OH

Drivers Company Vehicle Trips

Professional Transportation Inc - DUNSMUIR, CA

Search More Vehicle Engineer Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Vehicle Engineer Salaries

A Vehicle Engineer'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 Vehicle Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Vehicle Engineer'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): $73,436
Early Career (1-2 years): $94,281
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $114,315
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $131,992
Expert (over 8 years): $161,550

Levels	Salary
Software ... Level Vehicle Engineer	$73,436
Vehicle E... Level Vehicle Engineer	$94,281
Software ... Level Vehicle Engineer	$114,315
Software ... Level Vehicle Engineer	$131,992
Software ... Level Vehicle Engineer	$161,550

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Vehicle Engineer 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 Vehicle Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $103,788.
California: $103,394.
Massachusetts: $102,016.

District of Columbia $103,788 California $103,394 Massachusetts $102,016 Washington $101,641 New Jersey $101,604 Alaska $101,472 Connecticut $100,179 New York $99,654

Hawaii $97,976 Rhode Island $97,189 Maryland $96,654 Minnesota $95,923 Colorado $95,642 Illinois $95,548 Oregon $95,192 Delaware $94,929

New Hampshire $94,764 Virginia $94,395 Pennsylvania $93,317 Nevada $92,773 North Dakota $92,595 Michigan $92,314 Wisconsin $92,211 Vermont $92,005

Texas $91,433 Maine $91,395 Arizona $91,339 Ohio $91,274 Georgia $90,411 Indiana $89,980 Wyoming $89,896 Utah $89,764

Iowa $89,708 Kansas $89,258 Louisiana $89,127 North Carolina $89,080 Missouri $89,061 Florida $88,696 Montana $88,499 Nebraska $88,311

Kentucky $88,208 South Carolina $87,833 Tennessee $87,599 Idaho $87,505 New Mexico $86,821 Oklahoma $86,671 Alabama $86,118 South Dakota $85,190

Arkansas $84,684 West Virginia $84,412 Mississippi $83,596

Top Paying Cities for Vehicle Engineers

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: $118,233
San Francisco: $117,071
Oakland: $114,474

San Jose, CA $118,233

San Francisco, CA $117,071

Oakland, CA $114,474

New York, NY $108,634

Queens Village, NY $107,931

Paramus, NJ $107,181

Passaic, NJ $107,087

Bergenfield, NJ $106,994

Stamford, CT $106,853

Huntington, NY $106,759

Newark, NJ $106,150

Bridgeport, CT $105,962

New Brunswick, NJ $105,653

Vallejo, CA $105,456

Middlesex, NJ $105,400

Somerset, NJ $105,316

Petaluma, CA $105,100

Santa Cruz, CA $104,735

Boston, MA $104,547

Monterey, CA $104,078

Fairbanks, AK $104,013

Los Angeles, CA $103,835

Washington, DC $103,788

Seattle, WA $103,619

Santa Rosa, CA $103,600

Juneau, AK $103,328

Orange, CA $103,019

Anchorage, AK $102,850

Anaheim, CA $102,785

Santa Ana, CA $102,644

Nassau, NY $102,588

Long Beach, CA $102,550

Danbury, CT $102,522

Santa Maria, CA $102,204

Everett, WA $102,185

Bremerton, WA $101,725

Trenton, NJ $101,547

Sacramento, CA $101,510

San Diego, CA $101,463

Brockton, MA $101,426

Tacoma, WA $101,388

Santa Barbara, CA $101,257

Lowell, MA $100,882

New Suffolk, NY $100,844

Nashua, NH $100,732

Lompoc, CA $100,582

Ventura, CA $100,488

Stockton, CA $100,460

New Haven, CT $100,273

Atlantic City, NJ $100,029

Hartford, CT $99,823

Modesto, CA $99,776

Poughkeepsie, NY $99,569

New Britain, CT $99,523

Kennewick, WA $99,391

Olympia, WA $99,391

New London, CT $99,373

Norwich, CT $99,345

Lawrence, MA $99,298

Bakersfield, CA $99,035

New Bedford, MA $98,904

Riverside, CA $98,904

Richland, WA $98,810

Portsmouth, NH $98,735

Vineland, NJ $98,716

San Bernardino, CA $98,641

Boulder, CO $98,379

Worcester, MA $98,304

Portland, OR $98,220

Saint Paul, MN $98,107

Minneapolis, MN $98,107

Philadelphia, PA $97,976

Honolulu, HI $97,479

Springfield, MA $97,151

Providence, RI $97,142

Chicago, IL $96,870

Bellingham, WA $96,757

Baltimore, MD $96,654

Chico, CA $96,420

Wilmington, DE $96,261

Pittsfield, MA $96,167

Manchester, NH $95,989

Spokane, WA $95,576

Denver, CO $95,567

Albany, NY $95,126

Troy, NY $95,089

Schenectady, NY $94,892

Burlington, VT $94,686

Portland, ME $94,358

Salem, OR $94,283

Yakima, WA $94,264

Ann Arbor, MI $94,236

Rochester, MN $93,973

Reno, NV $93,926

Fresno, CA $93,926

Milwaukee, WI $93,842

Detroit, MI $93,748

Allentown, PA $93,720

Carson City, NV $93,711

Houston, TX $93,570

Colorado Springs, CO $93,561

Syracuse, NY $93,514

Eugene, OR $93,336

Gary, IN $93,223

Bismarck, ND $93,223

Galveston, TX $93,223

Springfield, OR $93,148

Medford, OR $92,923

Fort Collins, CO $92,886

Austin, TX $92,811

Mesa, AZ $92,614

Phoenix, AZ $92,595

Dallas, TX $92,567

Reading, PA $92,511

Saint Cloud, MN $92,473

Concord, NH $92,389

Madison, WI $92,352

Utica, NY $92,099

Raleigh, NC $92,024

Las Vegas, NV $92,014

Rochester, NY $91,949

Des Moines, IA $91,939

Atlanta, GA $91,789

Battle Creek, MI $91,761

Salt Lake City, UT $91,733

Lancaster, PA $91,592

Champaign, IL $91,574

Harrisburg, PA $91,461

Durham, NC $91,377

Kansas City, MO $91,367

Kansas City, KS $91,349

Fort Worth, TX $91,339

Boca Raton, FL $91,302

Cleveland, OH $91,292

Columbus, OH $91,274

Pittsburgh, PA $91,264

Richmond, VA $91,227

Indianapolis, IN $91,208

Cincinnati, OH $91,086

Petersburg, VA $90,946

Lansing, MI $90,739

Billings, MT $90,739

Huntsville, AL $90,739

Lebanon, PA $90,730

Pueblo, CO $90,721

Dayton, OH $90,721

Appleton, WI $90,692

Buffalo, NY $90,655

Racine, WI $90,608

Charlotte, NC $90,599

Saint Louis, MO $90,571

Springfield, IL $90,533

York, PA $90,514

Elkhart, IN $90,514

Gastonia, NC $90,505

Benton Harbor, MI $90,505

Beaumont, TX $90,449

Lorain, OH $90,430

Toledo, OH $90,392

Binghamton, NY $90,346

Rock Hill, SC $90,336

Rockford, IL $90,289

Elyria, OH $90,242

Fargo, ND $90,242

Flagstaff, AZ $90,177

Fort Lauderdale, FL $90,121

Miami, FL $90,064

Duluth, MN $89,914

Bangor, ME $89,793

Cedar Rapids, IA $89,689

Louisville, KY $89,643

Grand Rapids, MI $89,624

Hialeah, FL $89,614

Casper, WY $89,483

Scranton, PA $89,371

New Orleans, LA $89,343

Virginia Beach, VA $89,333

Akron, OH $89,286

Peoria, IL $89,164

Sarasota, FL $89,146

Green Bay, WI $89,080

Baton Rouge, LA $89,033

Charleston, SC $89,014

Nashville, TN $88,986

Jamestown, NY $88,968

Davenport, IA $88,968

Tucson, AZ $88,921

Cheyenne, WY $88,893

Saint Petersburg, FL $88,865

Tampa, FL $88,846

Omaha, NE $88,827

Evansville, IN $88,790

Port Arthur, TX $88,790

Bradenton, FL $88,752

Santa Fe, NM $88,583

Orlando, FL $88,490

Clearwater, FL $88,386

La Crosse, WI $88,190

Canton, OH $88,190

Grand Forks, ND $88,161

Tulsa, OK $88,133

Albuquerque, NM $88,133

Newport News, VA $88,124

High Point, NC $88,096

Ogden, UT $88,058

Corpus Christi, TX $87,983

Laramie, WY $87,927

Norfolk, VA $87,927

Rock Island, IL $87,871

Saginaw, MI $87,852

Jacksonville, FL $87,843

Salisbury, NC $87,824

Memphis, TN $87,805

Moline, IL $87,758

Fort Myers, FL $87,730

Waterloo, IA $87,608

Spartanburg, SC $87,515

Lincoln, NE $87,468

Fort Wayne, IN $87,449

Birmingham, AL $87,346

Cedar Falls, IA $87,327

Provo, UT $87,318

Springfield, OH $87,308

San Antonio, TX $87,290

Greensboro, NC $87,252

South Bend, IN $87,243

Winston Salem, NC $87,233

Boise, ID $87,205

Savannah, GA $87,140

Muskegon, MI $86,971

Lima, OH $86,858

Lake Charles, LA $86,821

Anderson, IN $86,802

Lexington, KY $86,774

Augusta, GA $86,746

Greenville, SC $86,746

Wichita, KS $86,662

Tuscaloosa, AL $86,662

Columbia, SC $86,577

Bloomington, IN $86,343

Roanoke, VA $86,287

Asheville, NC $86,165

Knoxville, TN $86,005

Shreveport, LA $85,996

Wilmington, NC $85,874

Frankfort, KY $85,696

Oklahoma City, OK $85,631

Chillicothe, OH $85,593

Longview, TX $85,584

Topeka, KS $85,556

Mobile, AL $85,415

Terre Haute, IN $85,377

Erie, PA $85,368

Altoona, PA $85,321

Melbourne, FL $85,293

Amarillo, TX $85,256

Killeen, TX $85,227

Fayetteville, AR $85,152

Sioux Falls, SD $85,087

Chattanooga, TN $85,031

Idaho Falls, ID $85,021

Gainesville, FL $84,824

Portsmouth, OH $84,777

Little Rock, AR $84,759

Lynchburg, VA $84,759

Youngstown, OH $84,721

Lafayette, LA $84,721

Temple, TX $84,684

Daytona Beach, FL $84,665

Clarksville, TN $84,656

Pensacola, FL $84,646

Hopkinsville, KY $84,365

Charleston, WV $84,356

Florence, SC $84,309

Sioux City, IA $84,253

Macon, GA $83,981

Tallahassee, FL $83,971

Fayetteville, NC $83,953

Wichita Falls, TX $83,934

Waco, TX $83,934

Pine Bluff, AR $83,896

Vincennes, IN $83,718

Lubbock, TX $83,681

Great Falls, MT $83,625

Alamogordo, NM $83,615

Abilene, TX $83,540

Rapid City, SD $83,418

Monroe, LA $83,418

Albany, GA $83,362

Huntington, WV $83,353

Jackson, MS $83,343

Greenville, MS $83,334

Parkersburg, WV $83,240

Montgomery, AL $83,221

Johnstown, PA $83,203

Springfield, MO $83,128

Biloxi, MS $83,081

Sumter, SC $82,884

Columbus, GA $82,875

Twin Falls, ID $82,818

Pascagoula, MS $82,696

Kingsport, TN $82,453

Gulfport, MS $82,425

Alexandria, LA $82,115

Fort Smith, AR $81,881

El Paso, TX $81,628

Helena, MT $81,506

Las Cruces, NM $81,206

Harlingen, TX $80,944

Pocatello, ID $80,859

Florence, AL $80,831

Brownsville, TX $80,812

Dothan, AL $80,662

Mcallen, TX $80,615

Columbus, MS $79,922

Altus, OK $79,491

Lawton, OK $79,313

Pierre, SD $78,975

What Skills Can Increase a Vehicle Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 4.58% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Test Scripts (Mentioned in 2.95% Job Postings): A test script in software testing is a set of instructions that will be performed on the system under test to test that the system functions as expected. There are various means for executing test scripts. Manual testing. These are more commonly called test cases. Automated testing. Short program written in a programming language used to test part of the functionality of a software system. Test scripts written as a short program can either be written using a special automated functional GUI test tool (such as HP QuickTest Professional, Borland SilkTest, IBM TPNS and Rational Robot) or in a well-known programming language (such as C++, C#, Tcl, Expect, Java, PHP, Perl, Powershell, Python, or Ruby). As documented in IEEE, ISO and IEC. Extensively parameterized short programs a.k.a. Data-driven testing Reusable steps created in a table a.k.a. keyword-driven or table-driven testing.
Automated Testing (Mentioned in 1.83% Job Postings): Test automation is the use of software to control the execution of tests and the comparison of predicted to actual outcomes.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	4.58%
Test Scripts	2.95%
Automated Testing	1.83%

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 Vehicle Engineer's salary.

Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Programming: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Leadership	$95,614	2%
Collaboration	$95,614	2%
Programming	$95,614	2%
Test Automation	$94,676	1%
Java	$94,676	1%
JavaScript	$93,739	0%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Vehicle Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Vehicle Engineers 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 Vehicle Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $85,394 and $90,297).

Vehicle Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Vehicle Engineer

No Diploma 0.4%

High School 10.1%

Associates 8.3%

Bachelors 58.0%

Masters 22.4%

Doctorate 0.8%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.4%
High School	10.1%
Associates	8.3%
Bachelors	58.0%
Masters	22.4%
Doctorate	0.8%

view as graph

Vehicle Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Vehicle Engineer'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.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

$83,949

Average $93,739/year

$101,304

$6,996

Average $7,812/month

$8,442

$1,614

Average $1,803/week

$1,948

$40

Average $45/hour

$49

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$101,304	$8,442	$1,948	$49
Average	$93,739	$7,812	$1,803	$45
25th Percentile	$83,949	$6,996	$1,614	$40

Salaries of jobs related to Vehicle Engineer

Salary Trends for Vehicle Engineer

Salaries for a Vehicle Engineer can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $94,254 in 2023 to around $93,380 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Vehicle Engineer salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Vehicle Engineer Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$94,254

2024

$94,475

2025

$93,380

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$94,254
2024	$94,475
2025	$93,380
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Vehicle Engineer

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next Vehicle Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Vehicle Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about