Automation Engineers
Overview
Introduction
Automation engineers use technology to automate or otherwise improve processes in the manufacturing, information technology (IT), finance, health care, and other industries. They may also be known as electro-mechanical and mechatronics engineers.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Automation engineers earned salaries that ranged from $63,000 to $118,000 or more in 2024, according to PayScale.com. They received a median annual salary of $84,176.
Some automation engineers receive bonuses, access to profit-sharing programs, and other non-salary–related financial awards. In 2024, they received bonuses that ranged from $1,000 to $13,000 and profit-sharing awards of up ...
Work Environment
Employment settings for automation engineers range from quiet offices to noisy and bustling manufacturing plants. Some engineers are required to travel as part of their jobs. An engineer might be tasked with visiting his or her company’s manufacturing facilities to identify processes that can be automated or work on ongoing automation projects. Others might be required to visit the offices of p...
Outlook
Strong employment opportunities are expected for automation engineers during the next decade due to the growing demand for automation by non-manufacturing industries; the continued need for automation in manufacturing; the emergence of artificial intelligence (especially generative AI), the Internet of Things, and other technologies; and other factors. “As automation increases, organizations ac...