Side-by-side distribution
Embedded Engineer
$157,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 46.1%
- Live roles
- 1,081
Firmware Engineer
$170,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 38.6%
- Live roles
- 562
Highest-paying jobs
Architect/Staff Embedded Software Engineer
Principal Software Engineer, Embedded (RIS)
Principal Software Engineer - Embedded Platform Software Development
Principal Software Engineer - Embedded (RIS)
Principal Embedded Software Engineer
Senior Embedded Engineer - Command Connector
Principal Embedded Software Engineer
Embedded Software Engineer, Power, Level 5
Embedded SW Engineer
Principal BIOS Embedded Software Engineer
Highest-paying jobs
ASIC Firmware Engineer, Modeling
Networking Operating System Firmware Engineer
Firmware Engineer, RTOS, Consumer Devices
Senior Firmware Engineer, Security
Senior Firmware Engineer- Terawave
Principal Engineer, Firmware Security
MTS Firmware Engineer
Senior Firmware Engineer, Robotics
Founding Firmware Engineer
Firmware Engineer, Robotics and Surgery Engineering
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Northrop Grumman
|
$142,500 | 60 |
Anduril Industries
|
$222,000 | 26 |
|
Blue Origin
|
$181,117 | 17 |
SpaceX
|
$145,000 | 15 |
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 14 |
|
Verkada
|
$220,000 | 12 |
Motorola Solutions
|
$121,750 | 11 |
Silvus Technologies
|
$170,000 | 10 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Anduril Industries
|
$193,000 | 23 |
| MT Micron Technology | $186,500 | 8 |
|
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
|
$125,800 | 6 |
Lunar Energy
|
$195,000 | 5 |
HP
|
$188,950 | 5 |
Leonardo
|
$84,366 | 5 |
Samsara
|
$226,200 | 4 |
ALSO
|
$223,750 | 4 |
Embedded Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| London | $279,940 | 3 |
| Toronto | $191,700 | 4 |
| San Francisco | $186,250 | 20 |
| Seattle | $182,209 | 26 |
| Denver | $181,117 | 11 |
| Boston | $180,650 | 6 |
| New York | $178,800 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $170,000 | 34 |
| Austin | $137,919 | 7 |
Firmware Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $230,461 | 5 |
| Austin | $219,000 | 3 |
| San Francisco | $206,000 | 22 |
| New York | $197,500 | 5 |
| Toronto | $80,924 | 3 |
Embedded Engineer vs Firmware Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Embedded Engineer is $157,500 per year (typically $128,000–$194,000), versus $170,000 for Firmware Engineer ($129,250–$204,313). That puts Firmware Engineer about 8% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Embedded Engineer and Firmware 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.