Develop software for embedded hardware systems in IoT, automotive, and industrial applications. Median salary in Tacoma: $132K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Tacoma, Washington. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Embedded Systems Engineers in Tacoma earn approximately 18% higher than the US national median for this role — a $20,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Tacoma's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.
Adjusted for Tacoma's cost-of-living index (128), the median Embedded Systems Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $103,125 in a US-average-cost city. That's $8,875 less purchasing power than the national median — the higher nominal salary doesn't fully offset local costs.
Washington has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $12,276 per year at this salary level compared to a California Embedded Systems Engineer on the same gross pay. A Tacoma Embedded Systems Engineer would need to earn $145,535 in California to net the same take-home.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $132K by 2030.
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The median Embedded Systems Engineer salary in Tacoma, WA is $132,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Tacoma–WA metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Embedded Systems Engineers in Tacoma with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $100,000 and $132,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $132,000 to $168,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $168,000 to $210,000 or more.
Tacoma has a cost of living index of 128 compared to the US national average of 100. Tacoma's cost of living is above the US average, so the salary figures above reflect local market rates. Crucially, Washington has no state income tax — giving Tacoma-based Embedded Systems Engineers an immediate 3–5% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Bachelor's in EE or CS. 30% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.