Salary guide, May 2025
Applications Engineering Manager pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Engineers, All Other in the United States was $122,930 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $90,970 and $158,090.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $66,810 | $90,970 | $122,930 | $158,090 | $189,950 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32.12 | $43.73 | $59.10 | $76.01 | $91.32 |
BLS estimated 154,070 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2199 Engineers, All Other, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $91,790 | $66,790 to $123,350 | 1,330 | 0.48 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $92,790 | $71,050 to $131,780 | 870 | 0.61 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $115,210 | $94,340 to $139,880 | 970 | 0.69 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $104,910 | $82,500 to $131,470 | 970 | 1.32 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $135,300 | $101,270 to $174,490 | 5,780 | 0.61 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $135,300 | $101,270 to $174,490 | 5,780 | 0.61 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $110,010 | $82,760 to $140,930 | 2,720 | 0.68 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $121,910 | $85,050 to $150,090 | 1,570 | 0.35 |
Rank every metro for Applications Engineering Manager
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing$164,720
- Sawmills and Wood Preservation$149,250
- Beverage Manufacturing$136,090
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$132,760
- Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing$129,040
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$128,860
- Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing$127,660
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$125,950
- Communications Equipment Manufacturing$124,380
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$124,340
- Dairy Product Manufacturing$124,320
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$120,730
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$120,730
- Chemical Manufacturing$120,130
- Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing$119,940
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 34,400 | $86,320 | $109,590 | $137,970 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 8,340 | $94,990 | $125,950 | $162,810 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 8,060 | $86,690 | $113,240 | $138,630 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 5,890 | $87,230 | $105,430 | $132,960 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 5,400 | $98,660 | $124,340 | $143,620 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 4,310 | $91,710 | $115,030 | $158,560 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3,500 | $84,060 | $104,130 | $129,970 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 3,340 | $96,850 | $120,130 | $152,110 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 2,910 | $102,090 | $132,760 | $170,530 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 2,310 | $101,810 | $128,860 | $160,440 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 1,810 | $74,150 | $94,090 | $111,450 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 1,530 | $87,300 | $109,000 | $131,390 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 1,530 | $84,810 | $105,130 | $130,360 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 1,250 | $90,950 | $110,580 | $138,920 |
| 336100 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 1,190 | $89,360 | $111,890 | $135,970 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 1,130 | $93,670 | $108,590 | $134,180 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 940 | $86,570 | $106,830 | $130,450 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 940 | $79,460 | $100,800 | $124,460 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 910 | $80,030 | $99,650 | $114,630 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 830 | $97,650 | $127,660 | $146,310 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 770 | $81,890 | $99,560 | $125,360 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 770 | $90,890 | $119,940 | $133,090 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 740 | $107,590 | $120,730 | $155,020 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 740 | $107,590 | $120,730 | $155,020 |
| 335300 | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 630 | $83,380 | $102,580 | $125,810 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 620 | $82,460 | $103,460 | $125,980 |
| 334200 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 620 | $86,780 | $124,380 | $143,340 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 570 | $63,580 | $79,720 | $97,760 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 490 | $65,450 | $91,140 | $113,750 |
| 334100 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 430 | $97,570 | $119,130 | $152,180 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 400 | $72,230 | $92,130 | $108,880 |
| 337000 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 390 | $60,540 | $76,580 | $92,540 |
| 3370A1 | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 380 | $59,890 | $76,790 | $93,290 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 360 | $86,210 | $103,810 | $125,870 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 310 | $94,940 | $110,950 | $139,980 |
| 333500 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 310 | $74,600 | $101,510 | $121,450 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 300 | $77,450 | $97,650 | $119,720 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 290 | $66,330 | $98,810 | $127,590 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 290 | $66,330 | $98,810 | $127,590 |
| 321000 | Wood Product Manufacturing | 280 | $66,870 | $78,640 | $112,190 |
| 332710 | Machine Shops | 250 | $81,120 | $102,900 | $119,730 |
| 336600 | Ship and Boat Building | 240 | $84,880 | $103,420 | $142,790 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 190 | $85,960 | $108,740 | $139,980 |
| 321200 | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 150 | $65,050 | $76,160 | $91,350 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 150 | $65,770 | $92,580 | $103,680 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 140 | $97,530 | $106,130 | $127,790 |
| 331100 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 140 | $63,240 | $65,450 | $98,790 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 120 | $100,820 | $113,270 | $139,750 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 120 | $67,850 | $103,210 | $132,790 |
| 331500 | Foundries | 120 | $76,980 | $94,450 | $113,000 |
| 336500 | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 120 | $103,200 | $129,040 | $138,150 |
| 336200 | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 110 | $60,540 | $76,430 | $102,150 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 100 | $82,400 | $105,460 | $138,240 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 80 | $100,800 | $118,500 | $157,060 |
| 321900 | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 80 | $63,590 | $73,770 | $84,660 |
| 335200 | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 80 | $90,930 | $106,200 | $127,690 |
| 312100 | Beverage Manufacturing | 70 | $98,220 | $136,090 | $157,060 |
| 331200 | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 70 | $76,310 | $92,980 | $110,670 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 60 | $108,140 | $124,320 | $125,270 |
| 334300 | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 60 | $113,310 | $164,720 | $176,800 |
| 336900 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 60 | $77,250 | $90,430 | $109,610 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 50 | $89,090 | $90,300 | $120,010 |
| 314000 | Textile Product Mills | 50 | $66,990 | $79,990 | $130,370 |
| 314900 | Other Textile Product Mills | 50 | $48,090 | $75,290 | $130,370 |
| 321100 | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 50 | $119,970 | $149,250 | $149,250 |
| 331300 | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 50 | $88,730 | $110,640 | $133,290 |
| 332720 | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 50 | $73,410 | $77,720 | $95,480 |
| 335100 | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 50 | $77,350 | $91,990 | $127,870 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 40 | $52,860 | $80,240 | $119,350 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Applications Engineering Manager, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $85,750 | $117,750 | $152,670 |
| May 2025 | $90,970 | $122,930 | $158,090 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about the actual remit?
Write down who is accountable for applications engineers and the technical support behind equipment sales today. If responsibility for applications engineers and the technical support behind equipment sales is divided between several people, tell us where this hire's work begins and ends.
That explanation helps separate their capability from a team's success at applications engineers and the technical support behind equipment sales.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Applications Engineering Manager?
The median annual wage for Engineers, All Other in the United States was $122,930 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $90,970 and $158,090. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $66,810. 90% earned less than $189,950.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Applications Engineering Manager at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 154,070 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
VP of Sales (Industrial) pay Regional Sales Manager / Technical Sales Manager pay Sales Engineer pay Applications Engineer pay Field Service Engineer pay Applications Engineering Manager pay ranked across all metros Open jobs Applications Engineering Manager recruiting Check an offer for this role
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters reviews the Applications Engineering Manager salary benchmarks based on the May 2025 BLS data. The national median for this occupation is $122,930, reflecting a medianChange of $5,180 from the May 2024 figure of $117,750. This data stems from the broader SOC 17-2199 category because BLS does not track this specific manufacturing title.
The middle-band width stands at $67,120, stretching between the P25 of $90,970 and the P75 of $158,090. These figures exclude variable components like performance bonuses, shift differentials, and equity packages common in technical leadership.
When comparing the national data against major employment hubs, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro reports a median of $151,340, while the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area records a median of $125,060. These metros represent the highest occupational employment for this group. The Washington metro saw a significant negative medianChange of $11,270, whereas the Los Angeles area experienced a positive shift of $3,060. These variances in local medians illustrate regional pay profiles rather than standard manufacturing norms.
National manufacturing industry benchmarks offer perspective on how specific sectors handle pay. Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing leads with a median of $164,720, followed by Sawmills and Wood Preservation at $149,250 and Beverage Manufacturing at $136,090. These industry-specific rows are national-level aggregates. Note that the BLS employment count of 154,070 covers all industries and does not isolate plant-level roles. Managers should view the middle band as the starting point for negotiation, as localized cost-of-living impacts and specialized technical requirements create unique hiring realities.
The current data reflects a screening context focused on managing application teams rather than performing product R&D. Hiring managers often see decisions escalated before an unsuitable product is quoted to the client. This role requires managing the flow of technical information to prevent costly mistakes during the bidding process. The location quotient in the provided metros reflects high concentration of engineering talent but does not account for local availability or specific industry skills. Recruitment strategies must align with these broader SOC parameters while accounting for the absence of specific industry data.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How does the national industry median differ from the occupation median?
The occupation median is a general aggregate across all sectors using SOC 17-2199. Industry medians are specific to sectors like Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing, which can be significantly higher.
What is the limitation of the P25 and P75 salary band?
The middle-band width of $67,120 shows the spread of the middle 50% of earners. It excludes the top 10% and bottom 10% of pay, failing to capture extreme highs or lows.
Do these salary figures account for technical credentials?
No, the provided BLS figures do not separate by specific manufacturing credentials, shift requirements, or seniority levels. These factors must be evaluated by the hiring manager independently.
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