Operating Systems Engineer Salary
$53.5K - $64K
2% of jobs
$64K - $74.5K
4% of jobs
$74.5K - $85K
7% of jobs
$85K - $95.5K
9% of jobs
$97.8K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$95.5K - $106K
9% of jobs
$106K - $116.5K
8% of jobs
$116.5K - $127K
9% of jobs
The median wage is $127.7K / yr.
$127K - $137.5K
6% of jobs
$137.5K - $148K
4% of jobs
$157.6K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$148K - $158.5K
17% of jobs
$158.5K - $169K
24% of jobs
$53.5K
$130K
$167.5K
$127,215
/year
$61.16
/hour
Operating Systems Engineer Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$127,215
Columbus
Ohio
$122,877
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How much does an Operating Systems Engineer make?
As of May 30, 2026, the average annual pay for an Operating Systems Engineer in the United States is $127,215 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $61.16 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,446/week or $10,601/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $167,500 and as low as $53,500, the majority of Operating Systems Engineer salaries currently range between $98,000 (25th percentile) to $157,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $157,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Operating Systems Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 59000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
An Operating Systems Engineer in your area makes on average $122,877 per year, or $4,338 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $127,215. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Operating Systems Engineer salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Operating Systems Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as an Operating Systems Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Operating Systems Engineer Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Operating Systems Engineer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Barrow, AK, , with Cupertino, CA, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $28,552 (22.4%), and Barrow, AK, furthers that trend with another $31,266 (24.6%) above the $127,215 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Operating Systems Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 6% between Barrow, AK, and San Jose, CA, , 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 an Operating Systems Engineer role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Barrow, AK | $158,481 | $76.19 |
Cupertino, CA | $156,950 | $75.46 |
Berkeley, CA | $155,767 | $74.89 |
Sitka, AK | $153,253 | $73.68 |
Wyoming, WY | $151,720 | $72.94 |
Mountain View, CA | $151,387 | $72.78 |
San Francisco, CA | $149,881 | $72.06 |
Santa Clara, CA | $149,358 | $71.81 |
Livermore, CA | $149,221 | $71.74 |
San Jose, CA | $149,095 | $71.68 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Operating Systems Engineer Jobs in the U.S.
Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Operating Systems Engineer job category, we found that Principal Mechanical Engineer jobs have average salaries greater than Operating Systems Engineer jobs.
Significantly, Principal Mechanical Engineer jobs pay $17,860 (14.0%) more than the average Operating Systems Engineer salary of $127,215. If you're qualified, finding work as an Principal Mechanical Engineer may help you make more money than that of the average Operating Systems Engineer position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Principal Mechanical Engineer | $145,075 | $69.75 |
Contract Systems Engineer | $127,215 | $61.16 |
Factory Automation Engineer | $107,126 | $51.50 |
Experienced Mechanical Engineer | $102,878 | $49.46 |
Blueprint Engineer | $97,940 | $47.09 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
