People with inquisitive nature, a creative side, and technical aptitude tend to become design engineers. Before choosing a career path, it is only natural to research the required qualification, career plans, and remuneration. Jobs in engineering fields are quite high-paying and luxurious.
However, there is no way to know the exact salary of a design engineer. Some estimates can be taken as guidelines to know how much do design engineers make in a year. The design engineer’s salary is dependent on various determining factors.
How Much Do Design Engineers Make?
Design engineers are responsible for developing blueprints, technical plans, and drawings of different products and services. It is an important job role with higher remuneration.
The average design engineer salary is 69,503 USD per year or a $35 hourly rate. The entry-level design engineer can earn about $61,142 annually. These estimated figures can vary depending on the location, skills, gender, and experience in the field.
Here is a breakdown of minimum, maximum, and median salary
- Minimum Salary – The minimum salary of a design engineer is more or less $54,000 yearly.
- Median Salary – This salary represents the middle value between the two sets of salaries. Generally, half of the employees are earning less than the median salary whereas others are earning more than it. The median salary of an engineer is $70,000.
- Maximum Salary – The maximum estimated salary of a design engineer is $101,000.
- Bonus – Many competent design engineers get an annual bonus between $892 to $10000.
Design Engineer Salary Distribution on the Basis of Experience
Experience is an important factor when it comes to determining the salary of any job role. Here’s how much a design engineer would make on average depending on the years of experience.
- Entry-Level Design Engineers – Entry-level design engineers with less than a year of experience can earn a total remuneration of $61,733. This compensation includes tips, bonuses, and overtime rewards.
- Early Career – An early career design engineer with less than 5 years of experience or who has worked between 1-4 years on the field can earn an average compensation of $66,683 per year.
- Mid Career – A design engineer with 5 to 9 years of experience generally has an average annual salary of $75,753.
- Experienced – The experienced design engineer that has worked for 10 to 19 years can make $83,405.
- Late Career – A design engineer in their late career (20 years or more) can earn an estimated salary of $88,473.
Remuneration of Popular Fields of Design Engineering
There are several types of design engineers depending on the engineering design. It includes mechanical, electronic, and civil engineering.
- Mechanical Design Engineer – Mechanical design engineers are responsible for designing prototypes, mechanical tools, or materials. The median salary of an early career mechanical design engineer is $63,283 per year.
- Electrical Design Engineer – Electrical design engineers design electronics and control systems for industrial machinery or personal electronic devices. The expected median salary is about $65,148 per year.
- Civil Design Engineers – Civil design engineers work on construction projects like landfill design, road construction, water supply, and concrete structures. They may earn a median hourly wage of $24.19. Civil Engineers working in different industries may earn an annual compensation of $96,400.
In Summary
Now that you know the estimated remuneration a design engineer makes, it would be easier to decide whether you want to pursue this field or not.
The above figures are estimated, so, one can expect a slight or considerable change when applying for a job. These average compensations vary depending on the state, skillset, education level, organization, and years of experience.