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Pay at Tesla · as of 26 Oct 2026

How much does Tesla pay?

Only 37 of Tesla's 169 open jobs name a rate, not enough to say what a typical Tesla job pays. The rate card we researched for Tesla shows $22.72 to $34.50/hr on its US operator postings (stated by the employer, as of 12 Sep 2026).

Pay taken from its job board 26 Oct 2026, 14:28 UTC169 Tesla jobs open

Tesla pay by job type

Each row sets the pay of Tesla's open jobs of one type next to what all employers pay for that type, so you can see whether its rate sits above or below the going rate. Typical pay means the 25th percentile of what roles pay (the middle of each advertised range) to the 90th-percentile advertised ceiling. Click any figure to see the jobs behind it.

Kind of workOpen rolesRates statedEvery platform
AV & Drone75$20.20–$48/hr20 of 75 state a rateNo band
Fleet Operations65$21.57–$36.71/hr10 of 65 state a rateNo band
Demonstration Collection29$23.99–$48.30/hr7 of 29 state a rateNo band

How Tesla pay compares with other employers

As of 25 Oct 2026, 20.9% of its open roles put an hourly rate in the listing. Across their 15 distinct rates, the median is $30/hr and typical pay $25 to $45/hr, compared with $25/hr for the rates other employers post.

Holding the kind of work fixed (3 kinds have enough rates on both sides), Tesla's advertised median sits 11.3% above other employers', with a higher median in 2 of the 3; Data & Demonstration Collection shows the biggest difference ($30/hr against $25/hr).

Does Tesla put a rate on its listings, and does it pay more or less than other employers for the same kind of work?

RolesStating an hourly rateIts median per hourOther employers' medianIts median against theirs
All its open roles20.9%
$30
$25+9.2%
Same kinds of work only (3)n/a
n/a
n/a+11.3%
AV & Drone Operators26.3%
$25
$30-10.7%
Robot Fleet Operations13.4%
$25
$25+13.6%
Data & Demonstration Collection24.1%
$30
$25+32.3%
On 25 Oct 2026, 36 of Tesla's 172 open roles carried an hourly rate (15 distinct rates, plus 0 ceilings given as "up to"), against 241 of 967 at other employers. Tesla Hiring Data, figure 4, live data 28 Sep 2026 to 25 Oct 2026.

Tesla pay over recent weeks

Taking the jobs open at the close of each week, Tesla's median posted rate was $30/hr in the week of 12 to 18 Oct (back catalogue) (15 rates posted) and $30/hr in the week of 19 to 25 Oct (15 rates posted). Such a shift can mean jobs at other rates were added or taken down, not only that a rate itself changed.

Has the hourly rate Tesla posts gone up or down from one week to the next?

WeekMedian per hourTypical pay
12 to 18 Oct (back catalogue)
$30
$25 to $45
19 to 25 Oct
$30
$25 to $45
For each ISO week (Monday to Sunday, UTC), the roles Tesla still had up at its close with an hourly rate in the listing, 14 Sep 2026 to 25 Oct 2026. Tesla Hiring Data, figure 5, live data 28 Sep 2026 to 25 Oct 2026.

Best-paid Tesla jobs open today

All Tesla jobs, sorted by pay

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Getting paid by Tesla

Hourly pay as a full-time Tesla employee. Postings read Oct 14, 2026 state $25.25 to $34.50 an hour for Data Collection Operator, Optimus in Fremont and Palo Alto ($23.99 to $32.78 in Marina del Rey) and $22.72 to $36 for SI Vehicle Operator, plus cash and stock awards; Texas and Nevada postings state no pay.

Sources (8)

Tesla's rate card

Researched from its own pages and outside reports (stated by the employer, as of 12 Sep 2026): $22.72 to $34.50/hr on its US operator postings. Tesla's own US postings state the hourly range in an Expected Compensation line, and it varies by role and city: $25.25 to $34.50 an hour for Data Collection Operator, Optimus in Fremont, and $22.72 to $24.84 (Test Operator I) or $25.88 to $27.54 (Test Operator II) for self-driving vehicle and safety operators, each plus cash and stock awards and benefits. Postings outside the US mostly state no pay. Each job on this board shows the pay its own posting states. How we build rate cards.

Questions about Tesla pay

What is the hourly pay at Tesla?

Only 37 of Tesla's 169 open jobs name a rate, not enough to say what a typical Tesla job pays. The rate card we researched for Tesla shows $22.72 to $34.50/hr on its US operator postings (stated by the employer, as of 12 Sep 2026).

What is the best-paid Tesla job right now?

On 26 Oct 2026 it was Data Collection Operations Lead, Optimus (Day Shift), posting $36.78/hr (the listing says "$25.25 - $48.30/hour"). See every Tesla job sorted by pay.

How do you get paid by Tesla?

Hourly pay as a full-time Tesla employee. Postings read Oct 14, 2026 state $25.25 to $34.50 an hour for Data Collection Operator, Optimus in Fremont and Palo Alto ($23.99 to $32.78 in Marina del Rey) and $22.72 to $36 for SI Vehicle Operator, plus cash and stock awards; Texas and Nevada postings state no pay.

Does Tesla pay better than other employers?

Holding the kind of work fixed (3 kinds have enough rates on both sides), Tesla's advertised median sits 11.3% above other employers', with a higher median in 2 of the 3; Data & Demonstration Collection shows the biggest difference ($30/hr against $25/hr).

Is Tesla pay rising or falling?

Taking the jobs open at the close of each week, Tesla's median posted rate was $30/hr in the week of 12 to 18 Oct (back catalogue) (15 rates posted) and $30/hr in the week of 19 to 25 Oct (15 rates posted). Such a shift can mean jobs at other rates were added or taken down, not only that a rate itself changed.

Keep reading about Tesla

Sorted by what an application to either employer is likely worth to you, with a referral lift for an employer that pays us a referral fee; your pay is never affected.