How much does a Research and Development Engineer make in the United States? The average Research and Development Engineer salary in the United States is $119,294 as of February 26, 2024, but the range typically falls between $105,486 and $134,629. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target. 

Research and Development Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Research and Development Engineer Salary $92,914 US February 26, 2024
25th Percentile Research and Development Engineer Salary $105,486 US February 26, 2024
50th Percentile Research and Development Engineer Salary $119,294 US February 26, 2024
75th Percentile Research and Development Engineer Salary $134,629 US February 26, 2024
90th Percentile Research and Development Engineer Salary $148,590 US February 26, 2024
25% $105,486 10% $92,914 90% $148,590 75% $134,629 $119,294 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
Change Search Criteria

What skills does a Research and Development Engineer need?

Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.

Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.

2.

Computer Vision: Designing and utilizing digital systems process, analyze, and interpret visual data.

3.

Deep Learning: Analyzing, developing, and applying big data and algorithms to imitate how humans think and learn.

Analysis 7.59%
Computer Vision 2.67%
Deep Learning 1.94%
Others 87.8%

Job Description for Research and Development Engineer

Research and Development Engineer conducts research and development activities for an organization. Applies research theories, principles, and models when conducting experiments and research activities. Being a Research and Development Engineer summarizes research results and communicates findings to internal and external bodies. Assesses the scope of research projects and ensures projects are on time and within budget. Additionally, Research and Development Engineer develops technical documentation for all projects. May require an advanced degree. Typically reports to a manager. The Research and Development Engineer work is generally independent and collaborative in nature. Contributes to moderately complex aspects of a project. To be a Research and Development Engineer typically requires 4-7 years of related experience. (Copyright 2024 Salary.com)... View full job description

Employers: Job Description Management Tool

See user submitted job responsibilities for Research and Development Engineer.

Salary.com job board provides millions of Research and Development Engineer information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Research and Development Engineer job openings or enter a new job title here.

Job Openings for Research and Development Engineer

Career Path for Research and Development Engineer

A career path is a sequence of jobs that leads to your short- and long-term career goals. Some follow a linear career path within one field, while others change fields periodically to achieve career or personal goals.

For Research and Development Engineer, the first career path typically starts with a Human Factors Researcher IV position, and then progresses to Human Factors Researcher V.

Additionally, the second career path typically starts with a Research and Development Manager position, and then progresses to Research and Development Director.

Those that have already made the climb...
Eyal Talor Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer
CEL-SCI Corporation, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, engages in the research and development of immune system therapy for the treatment of cancer and other diseases in the United States. The company's lead immunotherapy is Multikine, which has completed Phase 3 clinical trials for the potential treatment of cer... More
Fiscal Year Ended in 2022
Not the job you're looking for? Search more salaries here:

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 CompAnalyst

Research and Development Engineer salary varies from city to city. Compared with national average salary of Research and Development Engineer, the highest Research and Development Engineer salary is in San Francisco, CA, where the Research and Development Engineer salary is 25.0% above. The lowest Research and Development Engineer salary is in Miami, FL, where the Research and Development Engineer salary is 2.9% lower than national average salary.

City, State Compared to national average
City, State San Francisco, CA Compared to national average
+ 25.0%
City, State Washington, DC Compared to national average
+ 11.3%
City, State Miami, FL Compared to national average
-2.9%
City, State Chicago, IL Compared to national average
+ 5.5%
City, State Boston, MA Compared to national average
+ 12.7%
City, State New York, NY Compared to national average
+ 17.5%
City, State Dallas, TX Compared to national average
-0.7%

Take just three simple steps below to generate your own personalized salary report

Step 1 of 3

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Research and Development Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
105486
134629
119294

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
110531
144450
125778
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Research and Development Engineer in the United States. The base salary for Research and Development Engineer ranges from $105,486 to $134,629 with the average base salary of $119,294. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $110,531 to $144,450 with the average total cash compensation of $125,778.
Step 2 of 3

Discover how your pay is adjusted for skills, experience, and other factors

How much should you be paid?

For a real-time salary target, tell us more about your role in the four categories below.

105486
134629

 

Step 3 of 3

How much should you be paid?

View the Cost of Living in Major Cities

Skills associated with Research and Development Engineer: Research Documentation, Product Research, Project Scoping, Product Innovation ...More

Recently searched related titles: Science Engineer

Recently searched related titles: R&d Engineer, Senior R&d Engineer

Jobs with a similar salary range to Research and Development Engineer : Senior Development Engineer, New Product Development Engineer, Research Engineer, Project Development Engineer, R&D Engineer, Senior BI Development Engineer

Salary estimation for Research and Development Engineer at companies like : Alfinito Holding LLC, Lucy's Bakery, Midpoint237 Company LLC

Jobs with a similar salary range to Research and Development Engineer : Research And Development Scientist

Research and Development Engineer Salary in United States
Research and Development Engineer Salary Graph, Regional Distribution and Summary