Sales engineers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Sales engineers in the United States earn a median salary of $124,900 per year — about $60 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 57K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +5%.
AI & Automation Risk
Sales engineers perform high-level knowledge work that is increasingly digital, including technical presentations, product customization, and troubleshooting. While AI can automate technical documentation, demo generation, and data-driven customer insights, the role's heavy reliance on complex interpersonal relationships, negotiation, and trust-building provides a significant buffer against full automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NCBEST VALUE | $175,310 | Average (97.6) | $179,672 |
| Ocala, FL | $158,190 | Below avg (95.2) | $166,107 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $177,490 | Above avg (110.4) | $160,736 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $163,810 | Above avg (108.6) | $150,843 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $151,450 | Average (101.1) | $149,761 |
| Midland, TX | $138,930 | Below avg (95.8) | $145,047 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $147,130 | Average (102.4) | $143,658 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $133,010 | Below avg (92.6) | $143,644 |
| Odessa, TX | $134,740 | Below avg (93.9) | $143,499 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $136,260 | Below avg (95.5) | $142,612 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $153,410 | Above avg (108.9) | $140,893 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $137,960 | Average (98.1) | $140,681 |
| Lafayette, LA | $121,680 | Below avg (87.2) | $139,527 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $125,630 | Below avg (90.6) | $138,617 |
| Greeley, CO | $138,420 | Average (100.2) | $138,177 |