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Hourly Wage for Software Engineer V Salary in the United States

How much does a Software Engineer V make hourly?

As of August 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Software Engineer V in the United States is $82, which translates to an annual salary of about $171,159.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $92 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $78 to $87 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $74 per hour
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Software Engineer V Salaries

A Software Engineer V'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 V Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Software Engineer V'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 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
  • Software Engineering Director (10+ years): $214,158
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Software Engineer III4-7 years$128,690
Software Engineer IV7+ years$148,888
Software Engineer V7-10 years$171,159
Software Engineering Manager10+ years$169,538
Software Engineering Director10+ years$214,158
View as Graph

How Do Software Engineer Vs 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 Vs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $189,507.
  • California: $188,788.
  • Massachusetts: $186,272.

Top Paying Cities for Software Engineer V

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: $215,883
  • San Francisco: $213,519
  • Oakland: $209,019

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 2.92% 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 3.61% 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
  • AWS (Mentioned in 2.75% Job Postings): Amazon Web Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 2.92%
Open Source 3.61%
AWS 2.75%
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 V's salary.

  • Relationship Management: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Relationship Management $207,102
21%
Accountability $181,429
6%
Innovation $181,429
6%
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Software Engineer V Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Software Engineer V salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $191,603. While startup companies pay approximate $162,091.

Software Engineer V Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $162,091
Growth Stage 51~500 $171,431
Established 501~5000 $185,026
Enterprise 5000+ $191,603

Software Engineer V Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Software Engineer V roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 81% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, Software Engineer positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Software Engineer V as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Software Engineer V

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$239,623$115.040%
Financial Services$222,507$107.030%
Internet$213,949$103.025%
Pharmaceuticals$205,391$99.020%
Biotechnology$196,833$95.015%

How Education impacts an Software Engineer V's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Software Engineer V 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 V with a Bachelor's Degree is between $168,870 and $177,702.

Software Engineer V Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Software Engineer V
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.6%
High School 2.5%
Associates 2.0%
Bachelors 43.2%
Masters 43.9%
Doctorate 7.8%
View as Graph

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

Understanding how a Software Engineer V'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.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$162,668
Average $171,159/year
$181,472
$13,556
Average $14,263/month
$15,123
$3,128
Average $3,292/week
$3,490
$78
Average $82/hour
$87
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $181,472 $15,123 $3,490 $87
Average $171,159 $14,263 $3,292 $82
25th Percentile $162,668 $13,556 $3,128 $78

Most common benefits for Software Engineer V

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

Common company salaries for Software Engineer V

Here are companies hiring for Software Engineer V and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Software Engineer V

1. What are the responsibilities of Software Engineer V?

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. Works autonomously. Goals are generally communicated in "solution" or project goal terms. May provide a leadership role for the work group through knowledge in the area of specialization. Works on advanced, complex technical projects or business issues requiring state of the art technical or industry knowledge. Typically requires 10+ years of related experience.

2. What are the skills of Software Engineer V

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.

2.)

Open Source: 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

3.)

AWS: Amazon Web Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Amazon that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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