Salary guide, May 2025
Senior Applications Engineer pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
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The median annual wage for Sales Managers in the United States was $148,270 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $100,360 and $207,340.
Broader occupation · SOC 11-2022 Sales Managers
Senior Applications Engineer is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $73,170 | $100,360 | $148,270 | $207,340 | $290,540 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.18 | $48.25 | $71.28 | $99.68 | $139.68 |
BLS estimated 637,080 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 11-2022 Sales Managers, 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 | $130,180 | $94,420 to $181,200 | 13,930 | 1.21 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $132,010 | $97,390 to $183,490 | 7,150 | 1.21 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $131,770 | $92,740 to $181,260 | 6,220 | 1.07 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $163,520 | $108,750 to $217,730 | 3,280 | 1.08 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $215,150 | $160,200 to $310,750 | 44,870 | 1.15 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $215,150 | $160,200 to $310,750 | 44,870 | 1.15 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $144,290 | $101,840 to $205,680 | 26,780 | 1.61 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $158,690 | $110,000 to $212,000 | 25,390 | 1.37 |
Rank every metro for Senior Applications 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. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.
- Paper Manufacturing (NAICS 322000)$179,260
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (NAICS 334000)$177,360
- Apparel Manufacturing (NAICS 315000)$175,070
- Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 325000)$171,400
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing (NAICS 339000)$161,050
- Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311000)$158,980
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$158,810
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$158,350
- Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (NAICS 326000)$157,040
- Textile Mills (NAICS 313000)$156,020
- Primary Metal Manufacturing (NAICS 331000)$155,910
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (NAICS 324000)$150,850
- Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$140,710
- Textile Product Mills (NAICS 314000)$139,380
- Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332000)$136,710
Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.
| NAICS / scope | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 · sector | Manufacturing | 65,440 | $113,290 | $156,150 | $204,070 |
| 334000 · 3-digit | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 10,250 | $132,350 | $177,360 | $229,440 |
| 333000 · 3-digit | Machinery Manufacturing | 9,080 | $109,850 | $140,710 | $179,810 |
| 3330A1 · 4-digit | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 6,850 | $114,070 | $143,090 | $181,290 |
| 325000 · 3-digit | Chemical Manufacturing | 6,450 | $130,520 | $171,400 | $220,770 |
| 332000 · 3-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 6,220 | $100,730 | $136,710 | $174,260 |
| 311000 · 3-digit | Food Manufacturing | 5,590 | $111,430 | $158,980 | $203,730 |
| 339000 · 3-digit | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 4,650 | $109,390 | $161,050 | $210,400 |
| 336000 · 3-digit | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 4,350 | $117,350 | $158,810 | $198,340 |
| 334500 · 4-digit | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 4,220 | $128,490 | $166,290 | $214,760 |
| 335000 · 3-digit | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 3,800 | $117,960 | $158,350 | $192,840 |
| 326000 · 3-digit | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 3,000 | $121,670 | $157,040 | $197,810 |
| 3320A1 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 2,720 | $104,010 | $143,670 | $179,360 |
| 312000 · 3-digit | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 2,690 | $82,920 | $106,710 | $155,200 |
| 325400 · 4-digit | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 2,690 | $152,310 | $194,160 | $235,200 |
| 312100 · 4-digit | Beverage Manufacturing | 2,620 | $82,970 | $106,710 | $154,680 |
| 326100 · 4-digit | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 2,490 | $126,000 | $163,390 | $200,000 |
| 334400 · 4-digit | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 2,490 | $138,070 | $200,050 | $255,140 |
| 339100 · 4-digit | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 2,330 | $127,400 | $169,370 | $213,970 |
| 339900 · 4-digit | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 2,320 | $101,040 | $140,290 | $195,480 |
| 3320A2 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 2,310 | $98,420 | $131,780 | $170,170 |
| 3250A1 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 2,020 | $128,410 | $167,200 | $209,800 |
| 334100 · 4-digit | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 1,930 | $140,800 | $215,500 | $301,630 |
| 3250A2 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 1,750 | $118,500 | $147,040 | $176,760 |
| 335300 · 4-digit | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 1,570 | $125,040 | $161,310 | $181,230 |
| 336300 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 1,540 | $111,480 | $147,780 | $182,160 |
| 323000 · 3-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 1,500 | $96,000 | $133,450 | $200,940 |
| 323100 · 4-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 1,500 | $96,000 | $133,450 | $200,940 |
| 331000 · 3-digit | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 1,440 | $121,860 | $155,910 | $198,010 |
| 336400 · 4-digit | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 1,380 | $142,950 | $174,890 | $208,740 |
| 311900 · 4-digit | Other Food Manufacturing | 1,370 | $133,390 | $168,160 | $213,610 |
| 335900 · 4-digit | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 1,350 | $118,610 | $165,000 | $211,530 |
| 322000 · 3-digit | Paper Manufacturing | 1,340 | $132,360 | $179,260 | $219,380 |
| 327000 · 3-digit | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 1,300 | $106,090 | $133,010 | $168,430 |
| 334200 · 4-digit | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 1,280 | $129,160 | $170,490 | $218,050 |
| 337000 · 3-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 1,130 | $106,200 | $135,560 | $176,670 |
| 311800 · 4-digit | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 1,100 | $80,930 | $120,400 | $170,950 |
| 322200 · 4-digit | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 1,090 | $128,640 | $173,430 | $218,130 |
| 321000 · 3-digit | Wood Product Manufacturing | 950 | $99,000 | $128,670 | $170,600 |
| 333300 · 4-digit | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 940 | $109,370 | $141,500 | $176,340 |
| 3370A1 · 4-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 910 | $108,850 | $138,110 | $179,990 |
| 332700 · 4-digit | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 810 | $104,580 | $141,580 | $181,520 |
| 333500 · 4-digit | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 780 | $88,060 | $119,080 | $158,990 |
| 311400 · 4-digit | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 740 | $119,110 | $161,290 | $204,050 |
| 311600 · 4-digit | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 690 | $131,960 | $164,310 | $210,560 |
| 321900 · 4-digit | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 680 | $95,640 | $122,700 | $166,530 |
| 336200 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 670 | $103,980 | $135,480 | $172,670 |
| 324000 · 3-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 650 | $118,500 | $150,850 | $209,500 |
| 324100 · 4-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 650 | $118,500 | $150,850 | $209,500 |
| 335100 · 4-digit | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 600 | $113,150 | $132,960 | $176,090 |
| 332710 · 5-digit | Machine Shops | 540 | $99,830 | $137,440 | $173,990 |
| 333600 · 4-digit | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 520 | $127,150 | $165,800 | $213,440 |
| 326200 · 4-digit | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 510 | $104,600 | $131,580 | $164,070 |
| 311500 · 4-digit | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 480 | $121,770 | $160,500 | $184,850 |
| 315000 · 3-digit | Apparel Manufacturing | 460 | $132,410 | $175,070 | $247,470 |
| 311300 · 4-digit | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 440 | $110,630 | $160,530 | $199,990 |
| 311100 · 4-digit | Animal Food Manufacturing | 380 | $120,890 | $149,780 | $184,270 |
| 315200 · 4-digit | Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | 370 | $135,500 | $191,050 | $281,890 |
| 332800 · 4-digit | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 370 | $82,190 | $109,340 | $161,640 |
| 331100 · 4-digit | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 350 | $106,850 | $142,050 | $198,970 |
| 314000 · 3-digit | Textile Product Mills | 340 | $98,200 | $139,380 | $195,450 |
| 331400 · 4-digit | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 320 | $132,580 | $160,490 | $209,850 |
| 311200 · 4-digit | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 310 | $133,550 | $170,940 | $217,570 |
| 331200 · 4-digit | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 300 | $124,190 | $164,270 | $205,170 |
| 335200 · 4-digit | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 290 | $105,270 | $136,100 | $163,020 |
| 331500 · 4-digit | Foundries | 270 | $118,250 | $136,750 | $173,200 |
| 332720 · 5-digit | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 270 | $109,760 | $157,440 | $186,080 |
| 322100 · 4-digit | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 250 | $150,810 | $191,680 | $242,370 |
| 314900 · 4-digit | Other Textile Product Mills | 210 | $100,710 | $139,380 | $191,390 |
| 334300 · 4-digit | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 210 | $98,410 | $155,950 | $257,450 |
| 336100 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 210 | $118,460 | $146,830 | $186,430 |
| 336600 · 4-digit | Ship and Boat Building | 210 | $112,740 | $156,020 | $208,030 |
| 336900 · 4-digit | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 210 | $82,590 | $103,200 | $148,840 |
| 337900 · 4-digit | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 210 | $98,230 | $120,020 | $163,750 |
| 313000 · 3-digit | Textile Mills | 200 | $124,670 | $156,020 | $209,970 |
| 331300 · 4-digit | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 190 | $120,660 | $155,020 | $184,190 |
| 321200 · 4-digit | Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 150 | $107,440 | $142,860 | $179,180 |
| 314100 · 4-digit | Textile Furnishings Mills | 130 | $96,730 | $139,960 | $232,140 |
| 334600 · 4-digit | Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media | 130 | $121,580 | $168,940 | $201,790 |
| 313200 · 4-digit | Fabric Mills | 120 | $121,630 | $149,140 | $168,810 |
| 336500 · 4-digit | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 120 | $94,960 | $131,690 | $164,520 |
| 339910 · 5-digit | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 120 | $94,000 | $141,380 | $193,810 |
| 321100 · 4-digit | Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 110 | $121,630 | $147,020 | $200,540 |
| 313300 · 4-digit | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 80 | $132,730 | $165,970 | $245,750 |
| 311700 · 4-digit | Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | 70 | $147,740 | $182,340 | $225,920 |
| 312200 · 4-digit | Tobacco Manufacturing | 70 | $79,120 | $120,150 | $182,980 |
| 316000 · 3-digit | Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 50 | $75,200 | $135,210 | $171,600 |
| 316900 · 4-digit | Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 30 | $75,510 | $132,620 | $160,190 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Senior Applications Engineer, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.
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 | $95,910 | $138,060 | $201,490 |
| May 2025 | $100,360 | $148,270 | $207,340 |
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 an interview based on the work?
Build the interview around difficult equipment applications and technical guidance for quoting. A practical discussion of an application calculation checked against an unusual operating condition can test judgment without using confidential drawings or customer information. Those limits help establish technical depth rather than automatic responsibility for the applications department; they are part of competence, not a weakness to talk around.
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 Senior Applications Engineer?
The median annual wage for Sales Managers in the United States was $148,270 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $100,360 and $207,340. 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 $73,170. 90% earned less than $290,540.
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 Senior Applications Engineer at a plant?
Senior Applications Engineer is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 637,080 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 Senior Applications Engineer pay ranked across all metros Open jobs Senior Applications Engineer recruiting Check an offer for this role
What does this data mean for your opening?
The national median for Senior Applications Engineers, mapped to the broad Sales Managers SOC 11-2022, is $148,270. The middle-band width is $106,980, defined by a P25 of $100,360 and a P75 of $207,340. These figures represent annual pay for the 637,080 individuals in this occupational group.
For Senior Applications Engineer in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.
Comparison of high-employment metros reveals New York-Newark-Jersey City with a median of $215,150 and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim with $132,330. New York experienced a $3,480 shift, while Los Angeles saw a $5,540 shift. These are annualized figures. Manufacturing Headhunters warns against using these as hourly wage calculators. These variations are representative of regional economic pressures and the density of senior engineering talent in these specific hubs.
National industry rows indicate higher medians in top-performing sectors: Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing at $215,500, Semiconductors at $200,050, and Pharmaceuticals at $194,160. These provide a better look at high-end applications potential than the general Sales Managers category. These national medians serve as competitive targets. Hiring managers must account for the fact that these are broad industry averages and may not match the exact skill-level or technical seniority required for your facility.
Successful candidates for this role must demonstrate depth, evidenced by checking application calculations against unusual operating conditions. The focus is on technical depth rather than departmental administrative responsibility. Because the mapping is to a broad occupation, the hiring manager should treat the middle-band width of $106,980 as a guide rather than an absolute rule. The location quotient in these major hubs shows a high concentration of roles but does not guarantee the availability of senior talent.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How do I ensure I'm paying for senior experience?
Factor in the candidate's specific technical history. Senior roles often fall toward the P75 end of the middle-band width or above depending on product complexity.
Is the $148,270 median specific to apps engineering?
No, it is the median for the broad Sales Managers occupation. Senior applications engineers often require pay that exceeds the general sales manager median.
What is the main limitation of the data?
The data is not role-specific. It merges senior engineering roles with other management titles, which can dilute the accuracy of the median for your specific requirement.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4