Automotive Engineers in North Carolina
Thinking about a career as an Automotive Engineers in North Carolina? Below are the key facts. Perform engineering duties in planning and designing tools, engines, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment. Oversee installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment such as centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.
What do Automotive Engineers Make in North Carolina?
The automotive engineers working in North Carolina, the median annual wage is $100,990 per year (or roughly $48.55/hour).Annual wages span from $68,340 at the 10th percentile to $157,710 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $68,340 | $32.86 |
| 25th percentile | $82,110 | $39.48 |
| Median (50th) | $100,990 | $48.55 |
| 75th percentile | $124,940 | $60.07 |
| 90th percentile | $157,710 | $75.82 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in North Carolina nationwide is 1.03.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, automotive engineers earn a median of $107,733 per year ($51.79/hour), below the North Carolina median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 251,649 automotive engineers nationwide. In North Carolina alone, about 9,390 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 3,680 automotive engineers.
Top North Carolina Metros for Automotive Engineers
These are the North Carolina metros with the most automotive engineers in North Carolina.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 3,010 | $100,990 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 1,270 | $102,750 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 1,060 | $106,430 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 660 | $101,560 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 400 | $87,970 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | 250 | $96,380 |
| Asheville, NC | 240 | $98,350 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 240 | $84,450 |
| Wilmington, NC | 180 | $100,340 |
| Greenville, NC | 130 | $97,860 |
| Burlington, NC | 90 | $85,960 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 70 | $93,230 |
| Goldsboro, NC | 40 | $89,880 |
| Jacksonville, NC | 40 | $106,850 |
Top States for Automotive Engineers Employment
The table below shows the states where the most automotive engineers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 31,830 |
| California | 27,090 |
| Texas | 18,790 |
| Ohio | 16,420 |
| Pennsylvania | 14,300 |
| Illinois | 9,920 |
| Massachusetts | 9,430 |
| North Carolina | 9,390 |
| Washington | 9,350 |
| Florida | 8,860 |
| Indiana | 8,650 |
| New York | 8,420 |
| Wisconsin | 8,060 |
| Virginia | 7,960 |
| Colorado | 6,850 |
| Maryland | 6,330 |
| Minnesota | 5,970 |
| Alabama | 5,480 |
| Arizona | 5,440 |
| Connecticut | 5,310 |
Highest-Paying States for Automotive Engineers
Where automotive engineers earn the most: automotive engineers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| New Mexico | $141,490 |
| District of Columbia | $130,000 |
| Alaska | $129,990 |
| California | $126,370 |
| Massachusetts | $122,670 |
| Wyoming | $116,910 |
| Rhode Island | $115,270 |
| Louisiana | $114,050 |
| Maryland | $111,740 |
| Washington | $109,370 |
Skills
Top automotive engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for automotive engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, automotive engineers typically:
- Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
- Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
- Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.
- Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems.
- Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.
- Prepare or present technical or project status reports.
- Conduct research studies to develop new concepts in the field of automotive engineering.
- Establish production or quality control standards.
- Alter or modify designs to obtain specified functional or operational performance.
- Research or implement green automotive technologies involving alternative fuels, electric or hybrid cars, or lighter or more fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools.
- Create design alternatives for vehicle components, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or alternative air-conditioning systems, to increase fuel efficiency.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Processing Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
- Thinking Creatively
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Atlassian Confluence, Atlassian JIRA, Autodesk AutoCAD, C In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD, Dassault Systemes CATIA
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Engineering Mechanics
- Electromechanical Engineering
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to automotive engineers include:
- Aerospace Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Industrial Engineers
- Validation Engineers
- Manufacturing Engineers
Also Known As
Automotive Designer, Automotive Engineer, Automotive Power Electronics Engineer, Automotive Project Engineer, Automotive Quality Engineer, Automotive Systems Engineer, Chassis Engineer, Customer Quality Engineer, Design Release Engineer, Design Support Engineer, Dimensional Integration Engineer, Engineer, Engineering Designer, Fuel-Efficient Automobile Designer, Hybrid Powertrain Development Engineer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-2141.02