What are the main factors that influence a Software Engineering Manager's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Software Engineering Manager's salary?

A Software Engineering Manager's salary grows with experience: a Software Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $148,884, a Software Engineer V (7-10 years)earns $171,158, a Software Engineering Manager (10+ years)earns $169,542, a Software Engineering Director (10+ years)earns $214,161, a VP of Software Engineering (10+ years)earns $241,485,

What are the highest paying states for a Software Engineering Manager?

Software Engineering Manager salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Software Engineering Manager roles are District of Columbia $187,717, California $187,005, Massachusetts $184,513. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Software Engineering Manager roles make?

Salaries for Software Engineering Manager level roles vary by specialization: Embedded Software Engineering Senior Manager: $185,063; Assistant Manager (Software Engineering): $176,052; Senior Manager, Software Engineering: $175,388; Manager Of Software Engineering: $164,352; Software Engineering Group Manager: $158,047.

How do different companies affect a Software Engineering Manager's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Software Engineering Manager roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Software Engineering Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Software Engineering Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Software Engineering Manager in the United States is $169,542 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $82.

However, a Software Engineering Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $196,067
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $159,712 to $183,426
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $150,762

10% $150,762

50% (Median) $169,542

90% $196,067

Software Engineering Manager Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$183,426	$15,286	$3,527	$88
Average	$169,542	$14,129	$3,260	$82
25th Percentile	$159,712	$13,309	$3,071	$77

Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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Key Factors That Influence Software Engineering Manager Salaries

A Software Engineering Manager'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Software Engineering Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Software Engineering Manager'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:

Software Engineer IV (7+ years): $148,884
Software Engineer V (7-10 years): $171,158
Software Engineering Manager (10+ years): $169,542
Software Engineering Director (10+ years): $214,161
VP of Software Engineering (10+ years): $241,485

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Software Engineer IV	7+ years	$148,884
Software Engineer V	7-10 years	$171,158
Software Engineering Manager	10+ years	$169,542
Software Engineering Director	10+ years	$214,161
VP of Software Engineering	10+ years	$241,485

View as Graph

How Do Software Engineering Managers 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 Software Engineering Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $187,717.
California: $187,005.
Massachusetts: $184,513.

District of Columbia $187,717

California $187,005

Massachusetts $184,513

Washington $183,834

New Jersey $183,767

Alaska $183,529

Connecticut $181,190

New York $180,240

Hawaii $177,205

Rhode Island $175,781

Maryland $174,815

Minnesota $173,492

Colorado $172,984

Illinois $172,814

Oregon $172,170

Delaware $171,695

New Hampshire $171,397

Virginia $170,729

Pennsylvania $168,779

Nevada $167,796

North Dakota $167,474

Michigan $166,965

Wisconsin $166,778

Vermont $166,405

Texas $165,371

Maine $165,303

Arizona $165,202

Ohio $165,083

Georgia $163,523

Indiana $162,743

Wyoming $162,591

Utah $162,353

Iowa $162,252

Kansas $161,438

Louisiana $161,201

North Carolina $161,116

Missouri $161,082

Florida $160,421

Montana $160,065

Nebraska $159,726

Kentucky $159,539

South Carolina $158,861

Tennessee $158,437

Idaho $158,267

New Mexico $157,030

Oklahoma $156,759

Alabama $155,758

South Dakota $154,080

Arkansas $153,164

West Virginia $152,673

Mississippi $151,198

Top Paying Cities for Software Engineering Manager

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: $213,843
San Francisco: $211,502
Oakland: $207,045

San Jose, CA $213,843

San Francisco, CA $211,502

Oakland, CA $207,045

New York, NY $195,209

Paramus, NJ $192,835

Queens Village, NY $192,827

Passaic, NJ $192,666

Bergenfield, NJ $192,651

Stamford, CT $192,278

Huntington, NY $192,208

Newark, NJ $190,955

Bridgeport, CT $190,597

Vallejo, CA $190,260

New Brunswick, NJ $190,192

Petaluma, CA $190,090

Middlesex, NJ $189,768

Somerset, NJ $189,650

Santa Cruz, CA $189,429

Boston, MA $188,395

Monterey, CA $187,800

Seattle, WA $187,412

Santa Rosa, CA $187,378

Los Angeles, CA $187,327

Juneau, AK $186,886

Washington, DC $186,700

Orange, CA $186,096

Santa Ana, CA $185,648

Long Beach, CA $185,479

Anaheim, CA $185,445

Anchorage, AK $185,360

Santa Maria, CA $184,852

Everett, WA $184,818

Danbury, CT $184,221

Bremerton, WA $183,987

Tacoma, WA $183,377

New Suffolk, NY $183,373

Sacramento, CA $183,326

Santa Barbara, CA $183,139

Trenton, NJ $182,953

San Diego, CA $182,953

Brockton, MA $182,766

Fairbanks, AK $182,351

Lompoc, CA $181,919

Lowell, MA $181,781

Ventura, CA $181,749

Nashua, NH $181,715

Stockton, CA $181,698

Modesto, CA $180,461

Poughkeepsie, NY $180,088

Olympia, WA $179,765

Kennewick, WA $179,765

New Haven, CT $179,698

Lawrence, MA $179,087

Hartford, CT $178,918

Riverside, CA $178,884

New Bedford, MA $178,714

Richland, WA $178,714

Bakersfield, CA $178,477

San Bernardino, CA $178,409

New Britain, CT $178,392

Atlantic City, NJ $178,392

New London, CT $178,324

Norwich, CT $178,273

Portsmouth, NH $178,240

Boulder, CO $177,880

Portland, OR $177,646

Worcester, MA $177,629

Minneapolis, MN $177,104

Philadelphia, PA $176,866

Honolulu, HI $176,307

Saint Paul, MN $176,225

Vineland, NJ $176,188

Providence, RI $175,696

Chicago, IL $175,205

Bellingham, WA $175,001

Springfield, MA $174,866

Baltimore, MD $174,815

Chico, CA $174,391

Pittsfield, MA $173,933

Manchester, NH $173,611

Spokane, WA $172,865

Denver, CO $172,848

Albany, NY $172,051

Troy, NY $171,983

Nassau, NY $171,802

Schenectady, NY $171,627

Wilmington, DE $171,492

Burlington, VT $171,254

Salem, OR $171,187

Portland, ME $170,661

Yakima, WA $170,491

Rochester, MN $169,966

Reno, NV $169,881

Fresno, CA $169,881

Milwaukee, WI $169,728

Detroit, MI $169,559

Ann Arbor, MI $169,530

Allentown, PA $169,508

Colorado Springs, CO $169,220

Syracuse, NY $169,135

Carson City, NV $169,135

Houston, TX $168,898

Eugene, OR $168,813

Gary, IN $168,610

Springfield, OR $168,474

Bismarck, ND $168,440

Galveston, TX $168,321

Medford, OR $168,067

Fort Collins, CO $167,999

Concord, NH $167,914

Austin, TX $167,864

Mesa, AZ $167,507

Reading, PA $167,491

Phoenix, AZ $167,474

Dallas, TX $167,423

Saint Cloud, MN $167,260

Madison, WI $167,033

Utica, NY $166,575

Rochester, NY $166,304

Des Moines, IA $166,287

Raleigh, NC $166,270

Atlanta, GA $166,016

Battle Creek, MI $165,965

Salt Lake City, UT $165,914

Lancaster, PA $165,659

Harrisburg, PA $165,422

Kansas City, MO $165,253

Champaign, IL $165,219

Kansas City, KS $165,219

Fort Worth, TX $165,202

Columbus, OH $165,173

Boca Raton, FL $165,134

Pittsburgh, PA $165,066

Richmond, VA $164,998

Indianapolis, IN $164,964

Cleveland, OH $164,947

Las Vegas, NV $164,744

Cincinnati, OH $164,744

Petersburg, VA $164,490

Huntsville, AL $164,235

Lansing, MI $164,122

Lebanon, PA $164,100

Pueblo, CO $164,083

Appleton, WI $164,032

Buffalo, NY $163,964

Dayton, OH $163,913

Racine, WI $163,879

Charlotte, NC $163,862

Saint Louis, MO $163,811

York, PA $163,710

Elkhart, IN $163,710

Gastonia, NC $163,678

Billings, MT $163,637

Beaumont, TX $163,591

Lorain, OH $163,557

Benton Harbor, MI $163,523

Toledo, OH $163,489

Binghamton, NY $163,405

Rock Hill, SC $163,388

Rockford, IL $163,303

Springfield, IL $163,235

Elyria, OH $163,218

Fargo, ND $163,218

Flagstaff, AZ $163,099

Fort Lauderdale, FL $162,998

Duluth, MN $162,896

Miami, FL $162,896

Cheyenne, WY $162,777

Grand Forks, ND $162,777

Bangor, ME $162,404

Cedar Rapids, IA $162,218

Durham, NC $162,147

Louisville, KY $162,133

Grand Rapids, MI $162,099

Hialeah, FL $162,082

Casper, WY $161,845

Scranton, PA $161,641

New Orleans, LA $161,590

Virginia Beach, VA $161,574

Akron, OH $161,489

Peoria, IL $161,268

Sarasota, FL $161,234

Nashville, TN $161,116

Omaha, NE $161,116

Green Bay, WI $161,116

Baton Rouge, LA $161,031

Charleston, SC $160,997

Jamestown, NY $160,912

Davenport, IA $160,912

Tucson, AZ $160,828

Saint Petersburg, FL $160,726

Tampa, FL $160,692

Evansville, IN $160,590

Port Arthur, TX $160,590

Bradenton, FL $160,522

Santa Fe, NM $160,217

Orlando, FL $159,912

Clearwater, FL $159,861

Canton, OH $159,505

La Crosse, WI $159,505

Albuquerque, NM $159,403

Newport News, VA $159,386

High Point, NC $159,336

Ogden, UT $159,268

Corpus Christi, TX $159,132

Norfolk, VA $159,030

Laramie, WY $159,030

Rock Island, IL $158,929

Saginaw, MI $158,895

Jacksonville, FL $158,878

Salisbury, NC $158,844

Boise, ID $158,810

Moline, IL $158,725

Fort Myers, FL $158,674

Memphis, TN $158,640

Tulsa, OK $158,556

Waterloo, IA $158,454

Spartanburg, SC $158,284

Lincoln, NE $158,200

Fort Wayne, IN $158,166

Provo, UT $158,149

Cedar Falls, IA $157,945

San Antonio, TX $157,878

Greensboro, NC $157,810

South Bend, IN $157,793

Savannah, GA $157,606

Muskegon, MI $157,538

Birmingham, AL $157,521

Winston Salem, NC $157,438

Lake Charles, LA $157,030

Anderson, IN $156,996

Lexington, KY $156,945

Augusta, GA $156,894

Greenville, SC $156,894

Lima, OH $156,759

Wichita, KS $156,742

Tuscaloosa, AL $156,742

Columbia, SC $156,589

Springfield, OH $156,555

Asheville, NC $156,284

Bloomington, IN $156,165

Knoxville, TN $155,555

Shreveport, LA $155,538

Wilmington, NC $155,317

Roanoke, VA $155,317

Topeka, KS $155,012

Frankfort, KY $154,994

Oklahoma City, OK $154,877

Chillicothe, OH $154,809

Longview, TX $154,792

Melbourne, FL $154,775

Sioux Falls, SD $154,504

Mobile, AL $154,487

Terre Haute, IN $154,419

Altoona, PA $154,317

Amarillo, TX $154,198

Killeen, TX $154,148

Fayetteville, AR $154,012

Chattanooga, TN $153,961

Sioux City, IA $153,809

Idaho Falls, ID $153,775

Lynchburg, VA $153,639

Gainesville, FL $153,419

Portsmouth, OH $153,334

Little Rock, AR $153,300

Lafayette, LA $153,232

Youngstown, OH $153,232

Daytona Beach, FL $153,130

Clarksville, TN $153,113

Pensacola, FL $153,096

Temple, TX $153,085

Hopkinsville, KY $152,588

Erie, PA $152,554

Florence, SC $152,486

Charleston, WV $152,215

Great Falls, MT $152,130

Macon, GA $151,893

Tallahassee, FL $151,876

Fayetteville, NC $151,842

Waco, TX $151,808

Helena, MT $151,689

Pine Bluff, AR $151,625

Vincennes, IN $151,418

Lubbock, TX $151,350

Alamogordo, NM $151,248

Twin Falls, ID $151,096

Rapid City, SD $151,045

Jackson, MS $150,740

Huntington, WV $150,728

Greenville, MS $150,723

Parkersburg, WV $150,550

Montgomery, AL $150,519

Wichita Falls, TX $150,350

Springfield, MO $150,350

Biloxi, MS $150,265

Monroe, LA $150,096

Johnstown, PA $149,977

Sumter, SC $149,909

Columbus, GA $149,892

Pascagoula, MS $149,570

Abilene, TX $149,570

Kingsport, TN $149,129

Albany, GA $149,129

Gulfport, MS $149,078

Alexandria, LA $148,519

Fort Smith, AR $148,095

El Paso, TX $147,637

Las Cruces, NM $146,874

Harlingen, TX $146,444

Pocatello, ID $146,416

Florence, AL $146,196

Brownsville, TX $146,162

Mcallen, TX $145,806

Dothan, AL $145,569

Columbus, MS $144,562

Altus, OK $143,772

Lawton, OK $143,449

Pierre, SD $142,839

What Skills Can Increase a Software Engineering Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 3.75% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Agile (Mentioned in 3.66% Job Postings): Agile is a development process where feedback is continuously gathered from users to create the best user experience.
Docker (Mentioned in 2.33% Job Postings): Building, running, and managing containers to deliver software quickly on various platforms.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	3.75%
Agile	3.66%
Docker	2.33%

See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Software Engineering Manager's salary.

Employment Authorization: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Experimenting: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Mentoring Others: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Employment Authorization	$176,324	4%
Experimenting	$176,324	4%
Mentoring Others	$176,324	4%

Get Latest Data

Software Engineering Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Software Engineering Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $189,470. While startup companies pay approximate $160,273.

Software Engineering Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$160,273
Growth Stage	51~500	$169,504
Established	501~5000	$182,958
Enterprise	5000+	$189,470

Software Engineering Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Software Engineering Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Software Engineering Manager positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Software Engineering Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Software Engineering Manager

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services	$211,928	$102.0	25%
Aerospace & Defense	$203,450	$98.0	20%
Internet	$203,450	$98.0	20%
Energy & Utilities	$194,973	$94.0	15%
Pharmaceuticals	$194,973	$94.0	15%

How Education impacts an Software Engineering Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Software Engineering Manager enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Software Engineering Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $154,371 and $162,936.

Software Engineering Manager Salaries by Degree Level

$165,700
$164,100
$162,500
$160,900
$159,200
$157,600
$156,000
$154,400

Typical Education for Software Engineering Manager
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.3%
High School	2.6%
Associates	1.4%
Bachelors	45.9%
Masters	45.3%
Doctorate	4.6%

View as Graph

Software Engineering Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Software Engineering Manager'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.

$159,712

Average $169,542/year

$183,426

$13,309

Average $14,129/month

$15,286

$3,071

Average $3,260/week

$3,527

$77

Average $82/hour

$88

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$183,426	$15,286	$3,527	$88
Average	$169,542	$14,129	$3,260	$82
25th Percentile	$159,712	$13,309	$3,071	$77

Software Engineering Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Software Engineering Manager

Next Role

Advancement

Software Engineering Director VP of Software Engineering

For a Software Engineering Manager, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Software Engineering Director role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $214,161 - a projected growth of 26% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Software Engineering Manager

Salaries for a Software Engineering Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $151,464 in 2023 to around $150,573 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Software Engineering Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Software Engineering Manager Over Time

$???
$151,464
$151,952
$150,573
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$151,464
2024	$151,952
2025	$150,573
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Software Engineering Manager

Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Software Engineering Manager

Here are companies hiring for Software Engineering Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

C $128,509/per year

C R Bard Inc Biotechnology the United States

H $124,697/per year

Henry Schein Canada Biotechnology the United States

N $123,899/per year

Nordex Inc Biotechnology the United States

N $120,416/per year

Nipro Corp Biotechnology the United States

E $115,870/per year

Enovis Biotechnology the United States

A $114,553/per year

Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy Biotechnology the United States

M $112,110/per year

MiniMed Inc Biotechnology the United States

L $111,500/per year

Labcorp Drug Development Biotechnology the United States

L $110,229/per year

Life Technologies Corp Biotechnology the United States

Z $106,224/per year

Zimmer Biomet Biotechnology the United States

P $103,077/per year

Promontory Therapeutics Biotechnology the United States

S $102,181/per year

Steris PLC Biotechnology the United States

G $97,274/per year

Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd Biotechnology the United States

E $94,764/per year

Endeavor BioMedicines Biotechnology the United States

R $94,402/per year

Replay Holdings LLC Biotechnology the United States

P $94,235/per year

Pleno Inc Biotechnology the United States

S $93,666/per year

Simulaids Inc Biotechnology the United States

N $88,880/per year

NOIRLab/CAS Biotechnology the United States

O $86,468/per year

Onward Technology Biotechnology the United States

L $84,895/per year

LED Medical Diagnostics Inc Biotechnology the United States

E $84,682/per year

Eyeco Ltd Biotechnology the United States

P $84,523/per year

Paerosol Biotechnology the United States

I $83,525/per year

IONIQ Sciences Inc Biotechnology the United States

S $82,815/per year

Stateside PPE Biotechnology the United States

D $82,041/per year

Digi Bio Biotechnology the United States

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FAQ about Software Engineering Manager

1. Where can a Software Engineering Manager earn the most?

A Software Engineering Manager's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Software Engineering Manager earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Software Engineering Manager is $213,843.

2. What is the highest pay for Software Engineering Manager?

The highest pay for Software Engineering Manager is $196,067.

3. What is the lowest pay for Software Engineering Manager?

The lowest pay for Software Engineering Manager is $150,762.

4. What are the responsibilities of Software Engineering Manager?

Manages the design and development of software applications. Monitors the evaluations of user requirements and the development of build plans. Directs the work of engineers, including coding, debugging, testing, code review, and troubleshooting, to ensure best practices in software development. Requires a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. Typically reports to a director. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1-3 years supervisory experience may be required. Extensive knowledge of the function and department processes.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Software Engineering Manager?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Software Engineering Manager 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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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