How much does a Lead Sre make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Sre in the United States is $108,202 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $52.

However, a Lead Sre's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $120,725
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $100,902 to $114,757
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $94,256

Key Factors That Influence Lead Sre Salaries

A Lead Sre'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 Lead Sre Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Sre'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $76,088
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $90,994
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $109,723
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $133,593
  • Expert (over 8 years): $157,620
Levels Salary
Reliabili... Level Lead Sre$76,088
Reliabili... Level Lead Sre$90,994
Lead Sre Level Lead Sre$109,723
Reliabili... Level Lead Sre$133,593
Reliabili... Level Lead Sre$157,620

Top Paying Cities for Lead Sres

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: $136,475
  • San Francisco: $134,981
  • Oakland: $132,136

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Sre's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 3.32% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Linux (Mentioned in 3.3% Job Postings): Managing a system's hardware and resources using a Unix-like open-source operating system.
  • Open Source (Mentioned in 2.48% 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
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 3.32%
Linux 3.3%
Open Source 2.48%

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 Lead Sre's salary.

  • Hard Working: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Site Reliability Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Incident Response: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Hard Working $115,776
7%
Site Reliability Engineering $113,612
5%
Incident Response $113,612
5%

Lead Sre Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lead Sre roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Lead Sre positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Lead Sre as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Lead Sre

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$119,022$57.010%
Biotechnology$119,022$57.010%
Business Services$119,022$57.010%
Chemicals$119,022$57.010%
Construction$119,022$57.010%

How Education impacts a Lead Sre's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lead Sres enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Lead Sre with a Associate's Degree is between $113,229 and $118,005).

Lead Sre Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lead Sre
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 5.7%
High School 39.6%
Associates 5.7%
Bachelors 39.6%
Masters 39.6%
Doctorate 15.1%

Lead Sre Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Sre'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 September 01, 2026
$100,902
Average $108,202/year
$114,757
$8,409
Average $9,017/month
$9,563
$1,940
Average $2,081/week
$2,207
$49
Average $52/hour
$55
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $114,757 $9,563 $2,207 $55
Average $108,202 $9,017 $2,081 $52
25th Percentile $100,902 $8,409 $1,940 $49

Most common benefits for Lead Sre

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

Common company salaries for Lead Sre

Here are companies hiring for Lead Sre and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Lead Sre

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Lead Sre?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Lead Sre roles, with salaries approximately 10% 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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