Automotive Engineers in Washington
Want to work as an Automotive Engineers in Washington? Here’s what the data says. 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 Washington?
The automotive engineers working in Washington, wages run about $109,370 per year (or about $52.58/hour).Earnings range from $79,820 at the 10th percentile to $163,790 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $79,820 | $38.38 |
| 25th percentile | $94,790 | $45.57 |
| Median (50th) | $109,370 | $52.58 |
| 75th percentile | $138,560 | $66.61 |
| 90th percentile | $163,790 | $78.74 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Washington compared to the national average — is 1.42, indicating that automotive engineers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, automotive engineers earn a median of $107,733 per year ($51.79/hour), above the Washington median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 251,649 automotive engineers across the United States. In Washington alone, around 9,350 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 3,680 automotive engineers.
Top Washington Metros for Automotive Engineers
These are the Washington metros with the most automotive engineers in Washington.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 5,390 | $117,930 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 710 | $120,260 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 690 | $107,100 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 540 | n/a |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 400 | $96,190 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 180 | $95,690 |
| Bellingham, WA | 140 | $124,440 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 110 | $95,720 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 80 | $98,540 |
| Yakima, WA | 60 | $86,840 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 40 | $97,110 |
Top States for Automotive Engineers Employment
View the states that employ 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
These states pay the most for 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
The most important automotive engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for automotive engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- 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
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: 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
Other careers like 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