Automotive Engineers
Develop new or improved designs for vehicle structural members, engines, transmissions, or other vehicle systems, using computer-assisted design technology. Direct building, modification, or testing of vehicle or components.
Also called: Automotive Designer, Automotive Engineer, Automotive Power Electronics Engineer, Automotive Project Engineer, Automotive Quality Engineer, Automotive Systems Engineer
Median pay
$104,110
Pay for the broader BLS group “Mechanical Engineers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$73,990 – $164,340
People employed
296,810
Whole BLS group
Holland code
RIC
Realistic · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 2.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
- 3.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Automotive Engineers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Mechanical Engineers”.
What automotive engineers do
- 01Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
- 02Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
- 03Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.
- 04Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems.
- 05Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.
- 06Prepare or present technical or project status reports.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Active Listening
Knowledge
- Engineering and Technology
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Mechanical
- Design
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
- Adaptability
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 3 months, up to and including 6 months.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from automotive engineers
- Materials Scientists81% · —
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians78% · —
- Mechanical Drafters77% · —
- Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists76% · group pay
- Logistics Engineers75% · group pay
Change into automotive engineers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Materials Scientists80% · $117,790
- Logistics Engineers79% · $82,320
- Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists76% · $122,570
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers75% · $101,920
- Mechanical Drafters75% · $71,550
Majors that lead here
- Engineering Mechanics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.