Sales Engineer salary in the U.S.
Sales Engineers in the U.S. earn a median of $124,900 a year ($60.05 an hour), based on BLS data for 51,790 workers.
Pay ranges from $73,870 for the lowest-paid 10% to $195,270 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $130,140, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for sales engineers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $73,870 | $35.52 |
| 25th percentile | $92,890 | $44.66 |
| Median | $124,900 | $60.05 |
| 75th percentile | $161,230 | $77.52 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $195,270 | $93.88 |
| Average (mean) | $130,140 | $62.57 |
Half of sales engineers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $10,408.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $5,204.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,803.85 |
| Weekly | $2,401.92 |
| Hourly | $60.05 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Sales Engineer salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $167,200 | 80 |
| Maryland | $153,410 | 850 |
| Rhode Island | $149,750 | 30 |
| Washington | $147,620 | 760 |
| Colorado | $139,990 | 2,800 |
| California | $139,160 | 6,310 |
| New Jersey | $139,010 | 1,760 |
| New York | $137,480 | 3,150 |
| Massachusetts | $136,200 | 3,150 |
| West Virginia | $135,260 | 40 |
| Arizona | $131,870 | 1,000 |
| Arkansas | $130,760 | 30 |
| Texas | $130,610 | 6,800 |
| Oregon | $128,170 | 540 |
| Idaho | $128,030 | 360 |
| Florida | $125,530 | 2,410 |
| Connecticut | $123,660 | 760 |
| Louisiana | $121,680 | n/a |
| North Carolina | $121,530 | 2,530 |
| New Mexico | $119,420 | 80 |
| South Dakota | $119,110 | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $117,970 | 1,300 |
| Utah | $117,650 | 480 |
| Vermont | $116,790 | n/a |
| Oklahoma | $114,520 | 290 |
| South Carolina | $114,250 | 770 |
| Michigan | $114,180 | 2,290 |
| Tennessee | $111,580 | 530 |
| New Hampshire | $107,850 | 300 |
| Alabama | $104,410 | 220 |
| Minnesota | $100,570 | 990 |
| Illinois | $99,710 | 1,150 |
| Nevada | $99,020 | 320 |
| Georgia | $98,840 | 1,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,500 | 1,980 |
| Kansas | $98,000 | 220 |
| Ohio | $97,420 | 1,210 |
| Maine | $95,180 | 140 |
| Missouri | $90,960 | 710 |
| Kentucky | $90,190 | 380 |
| Nebraska | $90,140 | 130 |
| Iowa | $83,450 | 310 |
| Indiana | $74,960 | 980 |
| Alaska | $71,080 | n/a |
| Puerto Rico | $62,970 | 70 |
Best-paying metro areas for sales engineers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $177,490 | 1,600 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $175,310 | 330 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $163,810 | 30 |
| Ocala, FL | $158,190 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $153,560 | 520 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $153,410 | 1,010 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $151,610 | 930 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $151,450 | 80 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $147,570 | 3,440 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $147,130 | 50 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $143,970 | 40 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $139,990 | 2,010 |
| Midland, TX | $138,930 | 70 |
| Boulder, CO | $138,720 | 350 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $138,560 | 220 |
Metro areas with the most sales engineers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,440 | $147,570 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,690 | $133,280 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,410 | $136,620 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,010 | $139,990 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,770 | $133,380 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,600 | $177,490 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,340 | $127,800 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,250 | $99,230 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,250 | $122,990 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,230 | $137,960 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,010 | $153,410 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 930 | $151,610 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 850 | $135,050 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 800 | $110,610 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 790 | $104,070 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Sales Agent | $52,830 | $25.40 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $48,280 | $23.21 |
| Demonstrators and Product Promoters | $39,320 | $18.91 |
| Telemarketer | $35,450 | $17.04 |
| Real Estate Broker | $73,220 | $35.20 |
| Model | $48,470 | $23.30 |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | $41,380 | $19.89 |
| Retail Salesperson | $35,410 | $17.03 |
| Cashier | $32,880 | $15.81 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | $34.65 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $48,520 | $23.33 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $78,660 | $37.82 |
| Insurance Sales Agent | $62,280 | $29.94 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 41-9031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a sales engineer make in the U.S.?
The median salary for sales engineers in the U.S. is $124,900 a year, or $60.05 an hour. Pay ranges from $73,870 for the lowest-paid 10% to $195,270 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid sales engineers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of sales engineers in the U.S. earn at least $195,270 a year. The top 25% earn $161,230 or more.
What is the starting pay for sales engineers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $73,870 a year, and a quarter of sales engineers earn $92,890 or less.
How many sales engineers work in the U.S.?
About 51,790 sales engineers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.