What are the main factors that influence a Software Engineer IV'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 Engineer 's salary?

A Software Engineer 's salary grows with experience: a Software Engineer II (2-4 years)earns $105,084, a Software Engineer III (4-7 years)earns $128,690, a Software Engineer IV (7+ years)earns $148,888, a Software Engineer V (7-10 years)earns $171,159, a Software Engineering Manager (10+ years)earns $169,538,

What are the highest paying states for a Software Engineer IV?

Software Engineer IV salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Software Engineer IV roles are District of Columbia $164,849, California $164,223, Massachusetts $162,035. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Software Engineer roles make?

Salaries for Software Engineer level roles vary by specialization: Lead Software Engineer IV: $176,915; Backend Software Engineer IV: $145,420; Full Stack Software Engineer IV: $145,420; Software Systems Engineer IV: $144,250; Embedded Software Engineer IV: $141,500.

How do different companies affect a Software Engineer IV's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Software Engineer IV 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 Engineer IV Salary in the United States

How much does a Software Engineer IV make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Software Engineer IV in the United States is $148,888 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $72.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $167,924
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $138,358 to $158,852
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $128,771

10% $128,771

50% (Median) $148,888

90% $167,924

Software Engineer IV Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$158,852	$13,238	$3,055	$76
Average	$148,888	$12,407	$2,863	$72
25th Percentile	$138,358	$11,530	$2,661	$67

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 Engineer IV Salaries

A Software Engineer IV'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 Engineer IV Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Software Engineer IV'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 II (2-4 years): $105,084
Software Engineer III (4-7 years): $128,690
Software Engineer IV (7+ years): $148,888
Software Engineer V (7-10 years): $171,159
Software Engineering Manager (10+ years): $169,538

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Software Engineer II	2-4 years	$105,084
Software Engineer III	4-7 years	$128,690
Software Engineer IV	7+ years	$148,888
Software Engineer V	7-10 years	$171,159
Software Engineering Manager	10+ years	$169,538

View as Graph

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

District of Columbia: $164,849.
California: $164,223.
Massachusetts: $162,035.

District of Columbia $164,849

California $164,223

Massachusetts $162,035

Washington $161,439

New Jersey $161,380

Alaska $161,171

Connecticut $159,117

New York $158,283

Hawaii $155,618

Rhode Island $154,367

Maryland $153,518

Minnesota $152,357

Colorado $151,910

Illinois $151,762

Oregon $151,196

Delaware $150,779

New Hampshire $150,517

Virginia $149,930

Pennsylvania $148,218

Nevada $147,354

North Dakota $147,072

Michigan $146,625

Wisconsin $146,461

Vermont $146,134

Texas $145,225

Maine $145,166

Arizona $145,076

Ohio $144,972

Georgia $143,602

Indiana $142,918

Wyoming $142,784

Utah $142,575

Iowa $142,486

Kansas $141,771

Louisiana $141,563

North Carolina $141,488

Missouri $141,458

Florida $140,878

Montana $140,565

Nebraska $140,267

Kentucky $140,104

South Carolina $139,508

Tennessee $139,136

Idaho $138,987

New Mexico $137,900

Oklahoma $137,662

Alabama $136,783

South Dakota $135,309

Arkansas $134,505

West Virginia $134,074

Mississippi $132,778

Top Paying Cities for Software Engineer IV

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: $187,792
San Francisco: $185,736
Oakland: $181,822

San Jose, CA $187,792

San Francisco, CA $185,736

Oakland, CA $181,822

New York, NY $171,428

Paramus, NJ $169,344

Queens Village, NY $169,336

Passaic, NJ $169,195

Bergenfield, NJ $169,181

Stamford, CT $168,854

Huntington, NY $168,793

Newark, NJ $167,693

Bridgeport, CT $167,378

Vallejo, CA $167,082

New Brunswick, NJ $167,023

Petaluma, CA $166,933

Middlesex, NJ $166,650

Somerset, NJ $166,546

Santa Cruz, CA $166,353

Boston, MA $165,444

Monterey, CA $164,922

Seattle, WA $164,581

Santa Rosa, CA $164,551

Los Angeles, CA $164,506

Juneau, AK $164,119

Washington, DC $163,955

Orange, CA $163,425

Santa Ana, CA $163,032

Long Beach, CA $162,883

Anaheim, CA $162,854

Anchorage, AK $162,779

Santa Maria, CA $162,333

Everett, WA $162,303

Danbury, CT $161,779

Bremerton, WA $161,573

Tacoma, WA $161,037

New Suffolk, NY $161,034

Sacramento, CA $160,993

Santa Barbara, CA $160,829

Trenton, NJ $160,665

San Diego, CA $160,665

Brockton, MA $160,501

Fairbanks, AK $160,136

Lompoc, CA $159,757

Lowell, MA $159,636

Ventura, CA $159,608

Nashua, NH $159,578

Stockton, CA $159,563

Modesto, CA $158,476

Poughkeepsie, NY $158,149

Olympia, WA $157,866

Kennewick, WA $157,866

New Haven, CT $157,806

Lawrence, MA $157,270

Hartford, CT $157,122

Riverside, CA $157,092

New Bedford, MA $156,943

Richland, WA $156,943

Bakersfield, CA $156,734

San Bernardino, CA $156,675

New Britain, CT $156,660

Atlantic City, NJ $156,660

New London, CT $156,600

Norwich, CT $156,556

Portsmouth, NH $156,526

Boulder, CO $156,210

Portland, OR $156,005

Worcester, MA $155,990

Minneapolis, MN $155,528

Philadelphia, PA $155,320

Honolulu, HI $154,829

Saint Paul, MN $154,757

Vineland, NJ $154,724

Providence, RI $154,293

Chicago, IL $153,861

Bellingham, WA $153,682

Springfield, MA $153,563

Baltimore, MD $153,518

Chico, CA $153,146

Pittsfield, MA $152,744

Manchester, NH $152,461

Spokane, WA $151,806

Denver, CO $151,791

Albany, NY $151,092

Troy, NY $151,032

Nassau, NY $150,873

Schenectady, NY $150,719

Wilmington, DE $150,600

Burlington, VT $150,392

Salem, OR $150,332

Portland, ME $149,871

Yakima, WA $149,722

Rochester, MN $149,260

Reno, NV $149,186

Fresno, CA $149,186

Milwaukee, WI $149,052

Detroit, MI $148,903

Ann Arbor, MI $148,878

Allentown, PA $148,858

Colorado Springs, CO $148,605

Syracuse, NY $148,531

Carson City, NV $148,531

Houston, TX $148,322

Eugene, OR $148,248

Gary, IN $148,069

Springfield, OR $147,950

Bismarck, ND $147,920

Galveston, TX $147,816

Medford, OR $147,593

Fort Collins, CO $147,533

Concord, NH $147,459

Austin, TX $147,414

Mesa, AZ $147,101

Reading, PA $147,086

Phoenix, AZ $147,072

Dallas, TX $147,027

Saint Cloud, MN $146,884

Madison, WI $146,684

Utica, NY $146,282

Rochester, NY $146,044

Des Moines, IA $146,029

Raleigh, NC $146,014

Atlanta, GA $145,791

Battle Creek, MI $145,746

Salt Lake City, UT $145,702

Lancaster, PA $145,478

Harrisburg, PA $145,270

Kansas City, MO $145,121

Champaign, IL $145,091

Kansas City, KS $145,091

Fort Worth, TX $145,076

Columbus, OH $145,051

Boca Raton, FL $145,017

Pittsburgh, PA $144,957

Richmond, VA $144,898

Indianapolis, IN $144,868

Cleveland, OH $144,853

Las Vegas, NV $144,674

Cincinnati, OH $144,674

Petersburg, VA $144,451

Huntsville, AL $144,228

Lansing, MI $144,128

Lebanon, PA $144,109

Pueblo, CO $144,094

Appleton, WI $144,049

Buffalo, NY $143,990

Dayton, OH $143,945

Racine, WI $143,915

Charlotte, NC $143,900

Saint Louis, MO $143,856

York, PA $143,766

Elkhart, IN $143,766

Gastonia, NC $143,738

Billings, MT $143,702

Beaumont, TX $143,662

Lorain, OH $143,632

Benton Harbor, MI $143,602

Toledo, OH $143,573

Binghamton, NY $143,498

Rock Hill, SC $143,483

Rockford, IL $143,409

Springfield, IL $143,349

Elyria, OH $143,334

Fargo, ND $143,334

Flagstaff, AZ $143,230

Fort Lauderdale, FL $143,141

Duluth, MN $143,052

Miami, FL $143,052

Cheyenne, WY $142,947

Grand Forks, ND $142,947

Bangor, ME $142,620

Cedar Rapids, IA $142,456

Durham, NC $142,394

Louisville, KY $142,382

Grand Rapids, MI $142,352

Hialeah, FL $142,337

Casper, WY $142,128

Scranton, PA $141,950

New Orleans, LA $141,905

Virginia Beach, VA $141,890

Akron, OH $141,816

Peoria, IL $141,622

Sarasota, FL $141,592

Nashville, TN $141,488

Omaha, NE $141,488

Green Bay, WI $141,488

Baton Rouge, LA $141,414

Charleston, SC $141,384

Jamestown, NY $141,310

Davenport, IA $141,310

Tucson, AZ $141,235

Saint Petersburg, FL $141,146

Tampa, FL $141,116

Evansville, IN $141,027

Port Arthur, TX $141,027

Bradenton, FL $140,967

Santa Fe, NM $140,699

Orlando, FL $140,431

Clearwater, FL $140,386

Canton, OH $140,074

La Crosse, WI $140,074

Albuquerque, NM $139,984

Newport News, VA $139,970

High Point, NC $139,925

Ogden, UT $139,865

Corpus Christi, TX $139,746

Norfolk, VA $139,657

Laramie, WY $139,657

Rock Island, IL $139,568

Saginaw, MI $139,538

Jacksonville, FL $139,523

Salisbury, NC $139,493

Boise, ID $139,463

Moline, IL $139,389

Fort Myers, FL $139,344

Memphis, TN $139,315

Tulsa, OK $139,240

Waterloo, IA $139,151

Spartanburg, SC $139,002

Lincoln, NE $138,927

Fort Wayne, IN $138,898

Provo, UT $138,883

Cedar Falls, IA $138,704

San Antonio, TX $138,645

Greensboro, NC $138,585

South Bend, IN $138,570

Savannah, GA $138,406

Muskegon, MI $138,347

Birmingham, AL $138,332

Winston Salem, NC $138,259

Lake Charles, LA $137,900

Anderson, IN $137,870

Lexington, KY $137,826

Augusta, GA $137,781

Greenville, SC $137,781

Lima, OH $137,662

Wichita, KS $137,647

Tuscaloosa, AL $137,647

Columbia, SC $137,513

Springfield, OH $137,483

Asheville, NC $137,245

Bloomington, IN $137,141

Knoxville, TN $136,605

Shreveport, LA $136,590

Wilmington, NC $136,396

Roanoke, VA $136,396

Topeka, KS $136,128

Frankfort, KY $136,112

Oklahoma City, OK $136,009

Chillicothe, OH $135,950

Longview, TX $135,935

Melbourne, FL $135,920

Sioux Falls, SD $135,682

Mobile, AL $135,667

Terre Haute, IN $135,607

Altoona, PA $135,518

Amarillo, TX $135,414

Killeen, TX $135,369

Fayetteville, AR $135,250

Chattanooga, TN $135,205

Sioux City, IA $135,071

Idaho Falls, ID $135,041

Lynchburg, VA $134,922

Gainesville, FL $134,729

Portsmouth, OH $134,654

Little Rock, AR $134,625

Lafayette, LA $134,565

Youngstown, OH $134,565

Daytona Beach, FL $134,476

Clarksville, TN $134,461

Pensacola, FL $134,446

Temple, TX $134,435

Hopkinsville, KY $133,999

Erie, PA $133,969

Florence, SC $133,910

Charleston, WV $133,672

Great Falls, MT $133,597

Macon, GA $133,389

Tallahassee, FL $133,374

Fayetteville, NC $133,344

Waco, TX $133,314

Helena, MT $133,210

Pine Bluff, AR $133,154

Vincennes, IN $132,972

Lubbock, TX $132,912

Alamogordo, NM $132,823

Twin Falls, ID $132,689

Rapid City, SD $132,644

Jackson, MS $132,376

Huntington, WV $132,366

Greenville, MS $132,361

Parkersburg, WV $132,210

Montgomery, AL $132,183

Wichita Falls, TX $132,034

Springfield, MO $132,034

Biloxi, MS $131,959

Monroe, LA $131,811

Johnstown, PA $131,706

Sumter, SC $131,647

Columbus, GA $131,632

Pascagoula, MS $131,349

Abilene, TX $131,349

Kingsport, TN $130,962

Albany, GA $130,962

Gulfport, MS $130,917

Alexandria, LA $130,426

Fort Smith, AR $130,054

El Paso, TX $129,652

Las Cruces, NM $128,982

Harlingen, TX $128,603

Pocatello, ID $128,580

Florence, AL $128,386

Brownsville, TX $128,356

Mcallen, TX $128,044

Dothan, AL $127,835

Columbus, MS $126,951

Altus, OK $126,257

Lawton, OK $125,974

Pierre, SD $125,438

What Skills Can Increase a Software Engineer IV's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 2.83% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Open Source (Mentioned in 3.66% Job Postings): Open source is a term that originally referred to open source software (OSS). Open source software is code that is designed to be publicly accessible—anyone can see, modify, and distribute the code as they see fit
Programming (Mentioned in 2.62% Job Postings): Executing logic to facilitate computing operations and functionality in one or more languages.

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	2.83%
Open Source	3.66%
Programming	2.62%

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 Engineer IV's salary.

Relationship Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Solution Design: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Relationship Management	$154,844	4%
Flexibility	$153,355	3%
Solution Design	$151,866	2%

Get Latest Data

Software Engineer IV Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Software Engineer IV salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $166,672. While startup companies pay approximate $141,000.

Software Engineer IV Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$141,000
Growth Stage	51~500	$149,124
Established	501~5000	$160,951
Enterprise	5000+	$166,672

Software Engineer IV Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Software Engineer IV roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 49% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Software Engineer positions in Retail & Wholesale or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Software Engineer IV as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Software Engineer IV

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking	$186,110	$89.0	25%
Pharmaceuticals	$178,666	$86.0	20%
Financial Services	$171,221	$82.0	15%
Insurance	$171,221	$82.0	15%
Biotechnology	$163,777	$79.0	10%

How Education impacts an Software Engineer IV's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Software Engineer IV 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 Engineer IV with a Bachelor's Degree is between $143,573 and $150,375.

Software Engineer IV Salaries by Degree Level

$151,900
$150,700
$149,500
$148,300
$147,200
$146,000
$144,800
$143,600

Typical Education for Software Engineer IV
Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.2%
High School	2.0%
Associates	1.5%
Bachelors	45.8%
Masters	44.0%
Doctorate	6.5%

View as Graph

Software Engineer IV Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Software Engineer IV'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.

$138,358

Average $148,888/year

$158,852

$11,530

Average $12,407/month

$13,238

$2,661

Average $2,863/week

$3,055

$67

Average $72/hour

$76

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$158,852	$13,238	$3,055	$76
Average	$148,888	$12,407	$2,863	$72
25th Percentile	$138,358	$11,530	$2,661	$67

Software Engineer IV Salary Growth & Career Path

Software Engineer IV

Next Role

Advancement

Software Engineer V VP of Software Engineering

For a Software Engineer IV, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Software Engineer V role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $171,159 - a projected growth of 15% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Software Engineer IV

Salaries for a Software Engineer IV can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $141,184 in 2023 to around $139,234 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Software Engineer IV salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Software Engineer IV Over Time

$???
$141,184
$140,218
$139,234
$???
$???

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$141,184
2024	$140,218
2025	$139,234
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Software Engineer IV

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

Common company salaries for Software Engineer IV

Here are companies hiring for Software Engineer IV 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 Engineer IV

1. Where can a Software Engineer IV earn the most?

A Software Engineer IV'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 Engineer IV earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Software Engineer IV is $187,792.

2. What is the highest pay for Software Engineer IV?

The highest pay for Software Engineer IV is $167,924.

3. What is the lowest pay for Software Engineer IV?

The lowest pay for Software Engineer IV is $128,771.

4. What are the responsibilities of Software Engineer IV?

Designs and develops software applications. Gathers and evaluates end-user requirements. Develops build plans. Performs coding, debugging, testing, code review, and troubleshooting throughout the software development lifecycle. Requires a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field. Typically reports to a manager. Work is highly independent. May assume a team lead role for the work group. A specialist on complex technical and business matters. Typically requires 7+ years of related experience.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Software Engineer IV?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Software Engineer IV 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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