Side-by-side distribution
Automotive Engineer
$160,943
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 50.4%
- Live roles
- 415
Structural Engineer
$125,977
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 41.5%
- Live roles
- 824
Highest-paying jobs
Principal Software Engineer – Core OS, Vehicle Compute
Principal Software Engineer - Vehicle AI
Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Air Vehicle Autonomy
Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Air Vehicle Autonomy
Staff Robotics Software Engineer, Air Vehicle Autonomy
Staff Software Engineer – Core OS, Vehicle Compute
Senior / Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Vehicle Dynamics
Space Vehicle Chief Engineer (Level 7)
Chief Engineer, Space Vehicle Autonomy
Chief Engineer, Software-Defined Vehicle Platform
Highest-paying jobs
Project Manager II - Structural Engineer Buildings
Resident Structural Engineer (PHX)
Principal Structural Design Engineer - Data Center Infrastructure
Structural Engineer, Thermofluids
Senior Spacecraft Structural Analysis Engineer II - TS/SCI Clearance
Staff Structural Engineer
Staff Structural Engineer
Senior Principal Engineer, Structural Engineering
Project Manager I - Structural Engineer Buildings
Project Manager I - Structural Engineer Buildings
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Anduril Industries
|
$222,000 | 42 |
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$153,500 | 21 |
Relativity Space
|
$136,000 | 18 |
|
General Motors
|
$150,210 | 13 |
The Aerospace Corporation
|
$155,100 | 12 |
|
Rocket Lab Corporation
|
$127,500 | 9 |
SpaceX
|
$142,500 | 7 |
Inversion
|
$130,500 | 7 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Northrop Grumman
|
$123,000 | 44 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$145,228 | 29 |
| PA Parsons | $121,550 | 25 |
Barr Engineering
|
$95,903 | 18 |
AtkinsRéalis
|
$120,000 | 12 |
|
HNTB
|
$169,823 | 9 |
STV
|
$153,681 | 9 |
| WJ Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates | $135,400 | 9 |
Automotive Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $193,000 | 11 |
| Boston | $193,000 | 9 |
| San Francisco | $170,000 | 4 |
| Austin | $149,025 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $144,750 | 6 |
Structural Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $185,000 | 7 |
| Austin | $185,000 | 10 |
| New York | $154,300 | 21 |
| Los Angeles | $154,200 | 25 |
| Seattle | $145,228 | 40 |
| Denver | $117,020 | 22 |
| Boston | $112,331 | 6 |
| Chicago | $103,113 | 11 |
| Atlanta | $103,113 | 5 |
| Toronto | $92,900 | 7 |
Automotive Engineer vs Structural Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Automotive Engineer is $160,943 per year (typically $130,000–$193,000), versus $125,977 for Structural Engineer ($103,113–$149,250). That puts Automotive Engineer about 28% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Automotive Engineer and Structural Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.