Salary guide, May 2025
Product Development Engineer 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.
Also searched as: NPD Engineer, R&D and Product Development Engineer. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
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 Product Development Engineer
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 Product Development Engineer, 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 hiring mistakes?
The most frequent error is hiring for novelty, while the real need is design for manufacturability. Ask candidates how many of their designs were redesigned after launch for cost or yield, and what they learned.
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 Product Development Engineer?
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 Product Development Engineer 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?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Product Development Engineers are categorized within the broader BLS classification of Engineers, All Other, SOC 17-2199. Since the BLS does not isolate product development roles, this data covers many engineering functions. Manufacturing Headhunters notes that actual technical duties such as testing, validation, and cost-down initiatives are included within this aggregated group.
The national median for this occupation is $122,930, reflecting a $5,180 increase from the May 2024 median of $117,750. These figures represent base salary and exclude performance-based production rewards and non-cash bonuses common in product development teams.
The middle-band width for this occupation is $67,120, calculated from the P75 value of $158,090 and the P25 value of $90,970. This spread highlights the compensation variance between junior engineers and senior product architects. The P10 level begins at $66,810, while the P90 sits at $189,950, illustrating the high ceiling for technical expertise in product development. Manufacturers should use this range to structure base pay, acknowledging that proven expertise often sits well above the national median. It is essential to ensure that salary offers align with the complexity and development stage of the target product.
Salary variance is observed across high-employment hubs. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area reports a median of $151,340, a shift of -$11,270 from the prior year. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area shows a median of $125,060, a change of $3,060. With a location quotient of 2.97, the Washington area shows high occupation density, while the Los Angeles area quotient is 1.21. These quotients reflect employment concentration rather than specific candidate supply or local pay. These statistics show that while regional markets differ, they exhibit different wage pressures than the national median of $122,930.
Industry-level national data provides context for manufacturing, though these represent sectoral averages rather than role-specific wages. Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing reports a median of $164,720, Sawmills and Wood Preservation sits at $149,250, and Beverage Manufacturing is at $136,090. These sectoral figures demonstrate that product development is highly valued across diverse production environments. Because these benchmarks are not occupation-specific, they should be used as industry indicators. Organizations should balance these sectoral benchmarks with their own internal salary requirements to ensure consistent and equitable hiring outcomes for their engineering teams.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How should a manufacturer interpret the $67,120 middle-band width?
The band width shows the P25 to P75 range, representing the variance in base pay for this occupation. This helps HR define competitive salary brackets based on required development expertise.
What is the significance of the $11,270 decrease in the Washington metro?
The change reflects the year-over-year shift in reported base salary data within that specific high-employment market. It highlights that regional wage data is dynamic and subject to market-specific pressures.
Why does the BLS not provide a distinct wage for Product Development Engineers?
The BLS aggregates engineering titles into broad SOC categories for consistency. Product development is a specialized manufacturing role that falls within these broader professional engineering groups.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4