Tesla salaries by job title (2026)
Tesla filed 2,575 certified H-1B applications for full-time roles in FY2026 Q1–Q3 (decisions Oct 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2026). The median base salary is $150,000, and the middle half of offers fall between $123,499 and $181,554.
Tesla base salary by job title
| Job title | Median base | Middle 50% | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Engineer | $135,500 | $120,000 – $160,995 | 119 |
| Mechanical Design Engineer | $147,188 | $131,125 – $165,863 | 107 |
| Software Development Engineer | $178,255 | $170,000 – $209,025 | 107 |
| Manufacturing Equipment Engineer | $121,376 | $107,910 – $137,492 | 96 |
| Process Engineer | $111,054 | $103,850 – $123,028 | 92 |
| Sourcing Engineer | $138,000 | $121,462 – $153,526 | 72 |
| Technical Program Manager | $151,281 | $130,000 – $180,750 | 70 |
| Manufacturing Controls Dev Engineer | $141,287 | $128,155 – $159,482 | 59 |
| Sr Software Development Engineer | $190,000 | $183,097 – $201,050 | 58 |
| QA Engineer | $125,000 | $110,792 – $131,657 | 57 |
| Test Engineer | $140,000 | $130,000 – $163,796 | 45 |
| Technical Construction Project Manager | $143,440 | $130,000 – $154,875 | 38 |
| Data Engineer | $155,075 | $137,750 – $175,020 | 36 |
| Manufacturing Controls Engineer | $144,079 | $129,915 – $162,778 | 32 |
| Sr Manufacturing Engineer | $145,000 | $133,900 – $155,964 | 31 |
By location
| Worksite | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Fremont, CA | $163,000 | 759 |
| Palo Alto, CA | $181,475 | 657 |
| Austin, TX | $136,045 | 479 |
| Sparks, NV | $112,495 | 362 |
| Lathrop, CA | $126,201 | 74 |
| Brookshire, TX | $130,000 | 50 |
| Buffalo, NY | $106,949 | 50 |
| Reno, NV | $108,350 | 16 |
| Hawthorne, CA | $178,525 | 13 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $149,350 | 13 |
Take-home pay
Most of Tesla's filings are for jobs in California. There, the median base of $150,000 leaves about $102,136 a year, or $8,511 a month, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and California taxes for a single filer with no 401(k) contributions. For Manufacturing Engineer ($135,500), it is about $93,762 a year. Use the California paycheck calculator to add a 401(k), a spouse or children.
Experience levels
Each filing names the prevailing-wage level the job was matched to, from entry level (I) to fully competent (IV).
| Wage level | Share of filings |
|---|---|
| I: Entry level | 9% |
| II: Qualified | 56% |
| III: Experienced | 27% |
| IV: Fully competent | 8% |
By occupation
| Occupation | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Engineers | $129,875 | 543 |
| Software Developers | $200,000 | 381 |
| Industrial Engineers | $129,500 | 293 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $155,000 | 231 |
| Electrical Engineers | $180,000 | 99 |
| Data Scientists | $164,403 | 93 |
About this data
- Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, LCA disclosure data for FY2026 Q1–Q3 (decisions Oct 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2026). Only certified H-1B applications for full-time positions are counted (384,130 filings).
- Each figure is the base wage the employer stated on the application, converted to a yearly amount. Bonuses, stock (RSUs) and benefits are not included, so total pay at large tech firms is usually much higher.
- An application is filed before a worker starts and can cover a range of pay; we use the lower end of that range. Not every application leads to a hire.
- Median: half of filings are above, half below. Middle 50%: the range between the 25th and 75th percentiles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary at Tesla?
The median base salary in Tesla's 2,575 certified H-1B filings is $150,000 a year, and the middle half fall between $123,499 and $181,554. Bonuses and stock are extra.
How much does a Manufacturing Engineer at Tesla make?
The median base salary for Manufacturing Engineer is $135,500 across 119 filings (middle 50%: $120,000 – $160,995).
Where does Tesla pay the most?
Among locations with at least five filings, Palo Alto, CA has the highest median base salary at $181,475.
What is $150,000 after tax in California?
About $102,136 a year ($8,511 a month) for a single filer after federal, Social Security, Medicare and California taxes.