Linux Kernel Engineer
Linux Kernel Engineer Salary
$11K - $21.5K
0% of jobs
$21.5K - $32K
0% of jobs
$32K - $42.5K
0% of jobs
$42.5K - $53K
0% of jobs
$53K - $63.5K
0% of jobs
$63.5K - $74K
0% of jobs
$74K - $84.5K
0% of jobs
$84.5K - $95K
0% of jobs
$99.9K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$95K - $105.5K
54% of jobs
$105.5K - $116K
0% of jobs
$120.8K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$116K - $126.5K
46% of jobs
$11K
$129K
$114,500
/year
$55.05
/hour
Linux Kernel Engineer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$114,500
Columbus
Ohio
$110,595
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How much does a Linux Kernel Engineer make?
As of Jun 28, 2026, the average annual pay for a Linux Kernel Engineer in the United States is $114,500 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $55.05 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,201/week or $9,541/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $129,000 and as low as $11,000, the majority of Linux Kernel Engineer salaries currently range between $104,000 (25th percentile) to $125,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $128,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Linux Kernel Engineer varies little (about 21000), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.
A Linux Kernel Engineer in your area makes on average $110,595 per year, or $3,905 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $114,500. Ohio ranks number 39 out of 50 states nationwide for Linux Kernel Engineer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Linux Kernel Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a Linux Kernel Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Linux Kernel Engineer Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Linux Kernel Engineer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Carcross, YT, , with Haines Junction, YT, and North Cowichan, BC, close behind in the second and third positions. North Cowichan, BC, beats the national average by $47,356 (41.4%), and Carcross, YT, furthers that trend with another $48,391 (42.3%) above the $114,500 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Linux Kernel Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 4% between Carcross, YT, and Dauphin, MB, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Linux Kernel Engineer role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Carcross, YT | $162,891 | $78.31 |
Haines Junction, YT | $162,334 | $78.05 |
North Cowichan, BC | $161,856 | $77.82 |
Duncan, BC | $161,234 | $77.52 |
Oak Bay, BC | $160,941 | $77.38 |
Victoria, BC | $160,259 | $77.05 |
Alberton, PE | $158,763 | $76.33 |
Kelowna, BC | $156,965 | $75.46 |
West Kelowna, BC | $156,937 | $75.45 |
Dauphin, MB | $155,188 | $74.61 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Linux Kernel Engineer Jobs in the U.S.
Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Linux Kernel Engineer job category, we found that Embedded Software Manager jobs have average salaries greater than Linux Kernel Engineer jobs.
Significantly, Embedded Software Manager jobs pay $81,500 (71.2%) more than the average Linux Kernel Engineer salary of $114,500. If you're qualified, finding work as a Embedded Software Manager may help you make more money than that of the average Linux Kernel Engineer position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Embedded Software Manager | $196,000 | $94.23 |
Embedded Firmware Developer | $109,333 | $52.56 |
Gui Developer | $107,135 | $51.51 |
Module Process Engineer | $92,018 | $44.24 |
Embedded Software Programmer | $65,660 | $31.57 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
