With the rise of machine learning (ML) and associated technologies, the demand for robotics engineers is growing each year. It’s projected that the number of jobs in the field will grow 9% between 2016 and 2026, leading to a shortage of qualified engineers. As a result, the robotics engineer salary is becoming even more competitive in order to attract top talent. 

Here’s what you can expect when it comes to the salary for a robotics engineer.

What’s Robotics Engineering?

Robotics engineering centers on building machines to replicate the actions of human beings. Robotics engineers create prototypes, research materials, build and test machines, and oversee the maintenance of the software. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is often integrated with robotics engineering.

Any field that involves hazardous, repetitive or unhealthy jobs are prime targets for the work of robotics engineers. For example, robotics engineering is particularly crucial to the manufacturing industry, with robotics engineers constantly innovating new ways to operate factories and production lines.

Other fields that can see great benefits from robotics engineering include automotive, healthcare, mining, and more.

The Robotics Engineer Salary

The average robotics engineer’s salary ranges vastly depending on location and experience. Glassdoor reports the average national salary at $75,000, while Indeed puts the average as high as nearly $107,000.

Robotics engineers aren’t just well compensated. They’re some of the happiest tech workers around, thanks to skills utilization and their work environments. When surveyed, they rated an average of 4.2 out of 5, putting them in the top 4% of careers.

The ability to be innovative and find new ways of leveraging technology, solving new challenges, and being part of a field that is rapidly evolving are all attractive selling points for aspiring robotics engineers.

Job Requirements

Mathematics and science are the backbone of robotics engineering. Individuals looking to get into the field and command a top robotics engineer salary will need to bring a diverse skill set to the table.

Those wanting to pursue a career in robotics engineering will need to have a degree in engineering, computer science, or a similar field. These roles also require comprehensive understanding of the principles of applied physics and mechanics as well as strong knowledge of CAD/CAM software.

Robotics engineers often start with an interest in one of these three key areas:

  • The “body” which focuses on mechanical engineering and deals with the actual systems that make up a robot.
  • The “nervous system” which focuses on electrical and electronic engineering and requires a strong understanding of functions like embedded systems and control theory. 
  • The “brain” which focuses on computer science skills, and includes programming, along with data visualization and other analytics functions.

Roles and Responsibilities

While the role will vary depending on the company, key responsibilities typically include:

  • Researching parts, design, software, and performance required for robotics. 
  • Designing, testing, and analyzing prototypes and processes.
  • Software implementation and quality control.
  • Identifying and troubleshooting flaws within the machines.
  • Creating cost estimates and managing budgets for the robots.

Securing a Top Robotics Engineer Salary

Robotics engineers are experiencing an increase in demand for their skills, but with such a specialized set of qualifications required, answering that demand may be a challenge for many organizations. The good news? There are more opportunities for those with related skills considering entering the field.

Are you looking to learn the skills and get the hands-on experience you need to secure a competitive robotics engineer salary?

The Udacity Robotics Software Engineer Nanodegree offers a practical, system-focused approach to programming robots using the ROS framework and C++. In addition, you’ll learn and apply robotics software engineering algorithms such as localization, mapping, and navigation.

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