Develops industrial 3D printing processes that build metal and polymer parts layer by layer for aerospace, medical and energy uses. BLS does not publish separate figures for manufacturing engineers; it counts them within manufacturing engineer (SOC 17-2112), whose median pay is $102,440 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2112
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Additive Manufacturing Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $102,440a year, or $49.25/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $74KTop 10% $160K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +12.4%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+12.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +12.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 23,100365,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025365.1K
- Projected 2035410.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 365.1K Projected 2035 410.6K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Some college4%
- Associate's16%
- Bachelor's76%
- Professional degree4%
Highest education held by manufacturing engineers Segment Value Some college 4% Associate's 16% Bachelor's 76% Professional degree 4%
Also advertised as: 3D Printing Engineer, AM Engineer, Additive Manufacturing Process Engineer, Metal Additive Manufacturing Engineer, Additive Design Engineer.
Pay
How much do Manufacturing Engineers make?
Every additive manufacturing engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$102,440
Middle half earn $83,600 to $129,250
- 10th
- $74,370
- 25th
- $83,600
- 75th
- $129,250
- 90th
- $159,860
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $74,370 |
| 25th | $83,600 |
| Median | $102,440 |
| 75th | $129,250 |
| 90th | $159,860 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $102,440
- Median hourly wage
- $49.25/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $109,900
- People employed
- 365,740
Versus all US occupations
At $102,440, Manufacturing Engineers earn 101% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $51,460 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
The median is typical for the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $159,860 or more while the bottom 10% earn $74,370, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 76% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $156,510, and still leads at $152,903 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Manufacturing Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $156,510 | $152,903 | 220 |
| 2Washington | $129,050 | $120,593 | 6,130 |
| 3Oregon | $128,290 | $124,118 | 5,810 |
| 4New Mexico | $128,090 | $138,908 | 1,140 |
| 5California | $124,600 | $112,536 | 32,680 |
| 6Hawaii | $123,800 | $112,596 | 50 |
| 7Louisiana | $122,920 | $139,354 | 1,710 |
| 8Wyoming | $122,070 | $131,696 | 240 |
| 9Delaware | $120,190 | $120,421 | 820 |
| 10Maryland | $119,930 | $114,264 | 3,900 |
Job outlook
Is Additive Manufacturing Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +12.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing Engineers | +12.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Manufacturing Engineers to change 12.4% over 2025–2035, roughly 3.5× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 45,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 23,100 openings are projected each year, 6.3% of the 365,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Additive Manufacturing Engineer
A bachelor's degree in mechanical, materials, aerospace or manufacturing engineering is typical, and graduate study is common for process development roles. Courses or research in additive processes give candidates a real advantage.
SME offers additive manufacturing certifications, ASTM International publishes additive standards and runs an Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, and America Makes, the national institute, supports training. Many engineers learn printer platforms on the job. Experience with metallurgy, heat treatment and nondestructive inspection is especially useful, since qualifying printed parts depends on them. Portfolio work from university labs or student rocketry teams also helps.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as manufacturing engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree76%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree16%
- Some College Courses4%
- First Professional Degree4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 76% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 16% |
| Some College Courses | 4% |
| First Professional Degree | 4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Additive Manufacturing Engineer do?
Additive manufacturing engineers make 3D printing work for real production parts. They redesign components to take advantage of printing, set build parameters such as laser power and layer thickness, and plan how parts are oriented and supported on the build plate.
They also manage post-processing like heat treatment, machining and inspection, qualify printed parts against aerospace or medical requirements, and troubleshoot porosity and distortion. Many work on rocket engines, turbine parts, medical implants and tooling. They also evaluate new printers and materials as the technology changes.
Day-to-day tasks
- Redesign parts for additive manufacturing
- Develop and tune printing parameters
- Plan build orientation and support structures
- Specify heat treatment and finishing steps
- Qualify printed parts through testing and inspection
- Troubleshoot porosity, cracking and distortion
- Evaluate new printers and materials
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Additive engineers work in offices, labs and production floors with industrial printers, powder handling rooms and inspection equipment. Metal powder work requires protective gear and safety controls. Hours are mostly regular, with long builds monitored around the clock. Builds can take days, so engineers check on machines and data remotely and handle problems as they arise.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Mathematics4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Writing3.8
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Active Learning3.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Mathematics | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Operations Monitoring3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Systems Analysis3.8
- Systems Evaluation3.8
- Technology Design3.6
- Troubleshooting3.5
- Time Management3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.8 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.8 |
| Technology Design | 3.6 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.5 |
| Time Management | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Additive Manufacturing Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRA) built on O*NET's Manufacturing Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Additive Manufacturing Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic5.3
- Investigative5.0
- Conventional4.4
- Enterprising3.1
- Artistic3.0
- Social1.6
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Additive Manufacturing Engineer
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
- Management
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with manufacturing engineers highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Additive Manufacturing Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Additive Manufacturing Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Additive Manufacturing Engineer appears on
Questions
Additive Manufacturing Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Manufacturing Engineers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for manufacturing engineers. It counts them within manufacturing engineer, whose median pay is $102,440 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $83,600 and $129,250, and the top 10% earn $159,860 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Additive Manufacturing Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Manufacturing Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 76.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Additive Manufacturing Engineer a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 12.4% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 23,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Additive Manufacturing Engineer do?
Additive manufacturing engineers make 3D printing work for real production parts. A typical task: redesign parts for additive manufacturing. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Manufacturing Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Manufacturing Engineers are Alaska ($156,510), Washington ($129,050), Oregon ($128,290) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Additive Manufacturing Engineer?
O*NET scores Manufacturing Engineers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISTP, INTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.