Automotive Engineers in Virginia
Considering working as an Automotive Engineers in Virginia? 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 Virginia?
For automotive engineers working in Virginia, the typical annual salary is $99,350 per year (or about $47.77/hour).Annual wages span from $61,300 at the 10th percentile to $155,030 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,300 | $29.47 |
| 25th percentile | $77,770 | $37.39 |
| Median (50th) | $99,350 | $47.77 |
| 75th percentile | $125,070 | $60.13 |
| 90th percentile | $155,030 | $74.53 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Virginia relative to the national average — is 1.05.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, automotive engineers earn a median of $107,733 per year ($51.79/hour), lower than the Virginia median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 251,649 automotive engineers nationwide. In Virginia alone, approximately 7,960 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 3,680 automotive engineers.
Top Virginia Metros for Automotive Engineers
These are the Virginia metros with the most automotive engineers in Virginia.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 2,200 | $97,470 |
| Richmond, VA | 560 | $101,210 |
| Roanoke, VA | 300 | $98,920 |
| Lynchburg, VA | 250 | $83,270 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 170 | $81,920 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 160 | $97,520 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | 150 | $82,110 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | 40 | $89,360 |
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
Key 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
Top abilities for automotive engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
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?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- 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
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