Backend Software Engineer I Salary in the United States
How much does a Backend Software Engineer I make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Backend Software Engineer I in the United States is $81,990 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.
However, a Backend Software Engineer I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $94,331
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $77,510 to $88,450
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $73,431
10%$73,431
50% (Median)$81,990
90%$94,331
Backend Software Engineer I Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Backend Software Engineer I Salaries
A Backend Software Engineer I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Backend Software Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Backend Software Engineer I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Backend Software Engineer I (0-2 years): $81,983
Backend Applications Developer II (2-4 years): $104,785
Backend Applications Developer III (4-7 years): $125,127
Backend Applications Developer IV (7+ years): $145,423
Backend Applications Developer V (7-10 years): $172,518
How Do Backend Software Engineer I Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Backend Software Engineer Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Top Paying Cities for Backend Software Engineer Is
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $103,410
San Francisco: $102,280
Oakland: $100,120
San Jose, CA$103,410
San Francisco, CA$102,280
Oakland, CA$100,120
New York, NY$94,400
Paramus, NJ$93,250
Queens Village, NY$93,250
Passaic, NJ$93,170
Bergenfield, NJ$93,160
Stamford, CT$92,980
Huntington, NY$92,950
Newark, NJ$92,340
Bridgeport, CT$92,170
Vallejo, CA$92,010
New Brunswick, NJ$91,970
Petaluma, CA$91,920
Middlesex, NJ$91,770
Somerset, NJ$91,710
Santa Cruz, CA$91,600
Boston, MA$91,100
Monterey, CA$90,820
Seattle, WA$90,630
Santa Rosa, CA$90,610
Los Angeles, CA$90,590
Juneau, AK$90,370
Washington, DC$90,280
Orange, CA$89,990
Santa Ana, CA$89,780
Long Beach, CA$89,690
Anaheim, CA$89,680
Anchorage, AK$89,640
Santa Maria, CA$89,390
Everett, WA$89,370
Danbury, CT$89,090
Bremerton, WA$88,970
Tacoma, WA$88,680
New Suffolk, NY$88,680
Sacramento, CA$88,650
Santa Barbara, CA$88,560
Trenton, NJ$88,470
San Diego, CA$88,470
Brockton, MA$88,380
Fairbanks, AK$88,180
Lompoc, CA$87,970
Lowell, MA$87,910
Ventura, CA$87,890
Nashua, NH$87,870
Stockton, CA$87,870
Modesto, CA$87,270
Poughkeepsie, NY$87,090
Olympia, WA$86,930
Kennewick, WA$86,930
New Haven, CT$86,900
Lawrence, MA$86,600
Hartford, CT$86,520
Riverside, CA$86,510
New Bedford, MA$86,420
Richland, WA$86,420
Bakersfield, CA$86,310
San Bernardino, CA$86,280
New Britain, CT$86,270
Atlantic City, NJ$86,270
New London, CT$86,230
Norwich, CT$86,210
Portsmouth, NH$86,190
Boulder, CO$86,020
Portland, OR$85,910
Worcester, MA$85,900
Minneapolis, MN$85,640
Philadelphia, PA$85,530
Honolulu, HI$85,260
Saint Paul, MN$85,220
Vineland, NJ$85,200
Providence, RI$84,960
Chicago, IL$84,730
Bellingham, WA$84,630
Springfield, MA$84,560
Baltimore, MD$84,540
Chico, CA$84,330
Pittsfield, MA$84,110
Manchester, NH$83,960
Spokane, WA$83,590
Denver, CO$83,590
Albany, NY$83,200
Troy, NY$83,170
Nassau, NY$83,080
Schenectady, NY$83,000
Wilmington, DE$82,930
Burlington, VT$82,820
Salem, OR$82,780
Portland, ME$82,530
Yakima, WA$82,450
Rochester, MN$82,190
Reno, NV$82,150
Fresno, CA$82,150
Milwaukee, WI$82,080
Detroit, MI$82,000
Ann Arbor, MI$81,980
Allentown, PA$81,970
Colorado Springs, CO$81,830
Syracuse, NY$81,790
Carson City, NV$81,790
Houston, TX$81,680
Eugene, OR$81,640
Gary, IN$81,540
Springfield, OR$81,470
Bismarck, ND$81,460
Galveston, TX$81,400
Medford, OR$81,270
Fort Collins, CO$81,240
Concord, NH$81,200
Austin, TX$81,180
Mesa, AZ$81,000
Reading, PA$81,000
Phoenix, AZ$80,990
Dallas, TX$80,960
Saint Cloud, MN$80,880
Madison, WI$80,770
Utica, NY$80,550
Rochester, NY$80,420
Des Moines, IA$80,410
Raleigh, NC$80,410
Atlanta, GA$80,280
Battle Creek, MI$80,260
Salt Lake City, UT$80,230
Lancaster, PA$80,110
Harrisburg, PA$80,000
Kansas City, MO$79,910
Champaign, IL$79,900
Kansas City, KS$79,900
Fort Worth, TX$79,890
Columbus, OH$79,880
Boca Raton, FL$79,860
Pittsburgh, PA$79,820
Richmond, VA$79,790
Indianapolis, IN$79,770
Cleveland, OH$79,770
Las Vegas, NV$79,670
Cincinnati, OH$79,670
Petersburg, VA$79,540
Huntsville, AL$79,420
Lansing, MI$79,370
Lebanon, PA$79,360
Pueblo, CO$79,350
Appleton, WI$79,320
Buffalo, NY$79,290
Dayton, OH$79,270
Racine, WI$79,250
Charlotte, NC$79,240
Saint Louis, MO$79,220
York, PA$79,170
Elkhart, IN$79,170
Gastonia, NC$79,150
Billings, MT$79,130
Beaumont, TX$79,110
Lorain, OH$79,090
Benton Harbor, MI$79,080
Toledo, OH$79,060
Binghamton, NY$79,020
Rock Hill, SC$79,010
Rockford, IL$78,970
Springfield, IL$78,940
Elyria, OH$78,930
Fargo, ND$78,930
Flagstaff, AZ$78,870
Fort Lauderdale, FL$78,820
Duluth, MN$78,770
Miami, FL$78,770
Cheyenne, WY$78,720
Grand Forks, ND$78,720
Bangor, ME$78,540
Cedar Rapids, IA$78,450
Durham, NC$78,410
Louisville, KY$78,410
Grand Rapids, MI$78,390
Hialeah, FL$78,380
Casper, WY$78,270
Scranton, PA$78,170
New Orleans, LA$78,140
Virginia Beach, VA$78,130
Akron, OH$78,090
Peoria, IL$77,990
Sarasota, FL$77,970
Nashville, TN$77,910
Omaha, NE$77,910
Green Bay, WI$77,910
Baton Rouge, LA$77,870
Charleston, SC$77,860
Jamestown, NY$77,820
Davenport, IA$77,820
Tucson, AZ$77,770
Saint Petersburg, FL$77,720
Tampa, FL$77,710
Evansville, IN$77,660
Port Arthur, TX$77,660
Bradenton, FL$77,630
Santa Fe, NM$77,480
Orlando, FL$77,330
Clearwater, FL$77,310
Canton, OH$77,130
La Crosse, WI$77,130
Albuquerque, NM$77,090
Newport News, VA$77,080
High Point, NC$77,050
Ogden, UT$77,020
Corpus Christi, TX$76,950
Norfolk, VA$76,910
Laramie, WY$76,910
Rock Island, IL$76,860
Saginaw, MI$76,840
Jacksonville, FL$76,830
Salisbury, NC$76,810
Boise, ID$76,800
Moline, IL$76,760
Fort Myers, FL$76,730
Memphis, TN$76,720
Tulsa, OK$76,680
Waterloo, IA$76,630
Spartanburg, SC$76,540
Lincoln, NE$76,500
Fort Wayne, IN$76,490
Provo, UT$76,480
Cedar Falls, IA$76,380
San Antonio, TX$76,350
Greensboro, NC$76,310
South Bend, IN$76,310
Savannah, GA$76,220
Muskegon, MI$76,180
Birmingham, AL$76,180
Winston Salem, NC$76,140
Lake Charles, LA$75,940
Anderson, IN$75,920
Lexington, KY$75,900
Augusta, GA$75,870
Greenville, SC$75,870
Lima, OH$75,810
Wichita, KS$75,800
Tuscaloosa, AL$75,800
Columbia, SC$75,720
Springfield, OH$75,710
Asheville, NC$75,580
Bloomington, IN$75,520
Knoxville, TN$75,220
Shreveport, LA$75,220
Wilmington, NC$75,110
Roanoke, VA$75,110
Topeka, KS$74,960
Frankfort, KY$74,950
Oklahoma City, OK$74,900
Longview, TX$74,860
Chillicothe, OH$74,860
Melbourne, FL$74,850
Sioux Falls, SD$74,720
Mobile, AL$74,710
Terre Haute, IN$74,680
Altoona, PA$74,630
Amarillo, TX$74,570
Killeen, TX$74,540
Fayetteville, AR$74,480
Chattanooga, TN$74,450
Sioux City, IA$74,380
Idaho Falls, ID$74,360
Lynchburg, VA$74,300
Gainesville, FL$74,190
Portsmouth, OH$74,150
Little Rock, AR$74,130
Lafayette, LA$74,100
Youngstown, OH$74,100
Daytona Beach, FL$74,050
Pensacola, FL$74,040
Clarksville, TN$74,040
Temple, TX$74,030
Hopkinsville, KY$73,790
Erie, PA$73,770
Florence, SC$73,740
Charleston, WV$73,610
Great Falls, MT$73,570
Macon, GA$73,450
Tallahassee, FL$73,450
Fayetteville, NC$73,430
Waco, TX$73,410
Helena, MT$73,360
Pine Bluff, AR$73,320
Vincennes, IN$73,220
Lubbock, TX$73,190
Alamogordo, NM$73,140
Twin Falls, ID$73,070
Rapid City, SD$73,040
Jackson, MS$72,900
Huntington, WV$72,890
Greenville, MS$72,890
Parkersburg, WV$72,800
Montgomery, AL$72,790
Wichita Falls, TX$72,710
Springfield, MO$72,710
Biloxi, MS$72,670
Monroe, LA$72,580
Johnstown, PA$72,530
Columbus, GA$72,490
Sumter, SC$72,490
Pascagoula, MS$72,330
Abilene, TX$72,330
Kingsport, TN$72,120
Albany, GA$72,120
Gulfport, MS$72,090
Alexandria, LA$71,820
Fort Smith, AR$71,620
El Paso, TX$71,400
Las Cruces, NM$71,030
Harlingen, TX$70,820
Pocatello, ID$70,810
Florence, AL$70,700
Brownsville, TX$70,680
Mcallen, TX$70,510
Dothan, AL$70,400
Columbus, MS$69,910
Altus, OK$69,530
Lawton, OK$69,370
Pierre, SD$69,080
Backend Software Engineer I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Backend Software Engineer I salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $91,627.
While startup companies pay approximate $77,507.
Backend Software Engineer I Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$77,507
Growth Stage
51~500
$81,972
Established
501~5000
$88,478
Enterprise
5000+
$91,627
Backend Software Engineer I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Backend Software Engineer I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Financial Services and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average.
In contrast, Backend Software Engineer positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Transportation typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Backend Software Engineer I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Backend Software Engineer I
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services
$102,488
$49.0
25%
Software & Networking
$101,668
$49.0
24%
Pharmaceuticals
$100,028
$48.0
22%
Internet
$96,748
$47.0
18%
Biotechnology
$94,288
$45.0
15%
Backend Software Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Backend Software Engineer I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$77,510
Average$81,990/year
$88,450
$6,459
Average$6,833/month
$7,371
$1,491
Average$1,577/week
$1,701
$37
Average$39/hour
$43
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$88,450
$7,371
$1,701
$43
Average
$81,990
$6,833
$1,577
$39
25th Percentile
$77,510
$6,459
$1,491
$37
Backend Software Engineer I Salary Growth & Career Path
Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings.
As a Backend Software Engineer I, you have the following paths for advancement.
The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles.
By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.
Backend Software Engineer I Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role
Estimate Salary
Projected Raise
Application Programmer Analyst II
$95,300
16%
Software Research and Design Architect II
$94,500
15%
Backend Applications Developer II
$104,800
28%
Full Stack Engineer Intermediate
$105,800
29%
Salaries of Jobs related to Backend Software Engineer I
Most common benefits for Backend Software Engineer I
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Backend Software Engineer I
Here are companies hiring for Backend Software Engineer I and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Backend Software Engineer I
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Backend Software Engineer I?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Backend Software Engineer I roles,
with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
