Junior Software Engineer Salary in the United States
How much does a Junior Software Engineer make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Junior Software Engineer in the United States is $80,462 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.
However, a Junior Software Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $92,121
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $73,852 to $86,565
Key Factors That Influence Junior Software Engineer Salaries
A Junior Software Engineer'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 Junior Software Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Junior Software Engineer'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:
How Do Junior Software Engineer 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 Junior Software Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $101,487
San Francisco: $100,376
Oakland: $98,261
San Jose, CA$101,487
San Francisco, CA$100,376
Oakland, CA$98,261
New York, NY$92,644
Paramus, NJ$91,517
Queens Village, NY$91,513
Passaic, NJ$91,437
Bergenfield, NJ$91,429
Stamford, CT$91,252
Huntington, NY$91,219
Newark, NJ$90,625
Bridgeport, CT$90,455
Vallejo, CA$90,295
New Brunswick, NJ$90,263
Petaluma, CA$90,214
Middlesex, NJ$90,062
Somerset, NJ$90,005
Santa Cruz, CA$89,901
Boston, MA$89,410
Monterey, CA$89,127
Seattle, WA$88,943
Santa Rosa, CA$88,927
Los Angeles, CA$88,903
Juneau, AK$88,694
Washington, DC$88,605
Orange, CA$88,319
Santa Ana, CA$88,106
Long Beach, CA$88,026
Anaheim, CA$88,010
Anchorage, AK$87,970
Santa Maria, CA$87,728
Everett, WA$87,712
Danbury, CT$87,429
Bremerton, WA$87,318
Tacoma, WA$87,028
New Suffolk, NY$87,027
Sacramento, CA$87,004
Santa Barbara, CA$86,915
Trenton, NJ$86,827
San Diego, CA$86,827
Brockton, MA$86,738
Fairbanks, AK$86,541
Lompoc, CA$86,336
Lowell, MA$86,271
Ventura, CA$86,256
Nashua, NH$86,240
Stockton, CA$86,232
Modesto, CA$85,644
Poughkeepsie, NY$85,467
Olympia, WA$85,314
Kennewick, WA$85,314
New Haven, CT$85,282
Lawrence, MA$84,992
Hartford, CT$84,912
Riverside, CA$84,896
New Bedford, MA$84,815
Richland, WA$84,815
Bakersfield, CA$84,703
San Bernardino, CA$84,671
New Britain, CT$84,663
Atlantic City, NJ$84,663
New London, CT$84,630
Norwich, CT$84,606
Portsmouth, NH$84,590
Boulder, CO$84,420
Portland, OR$84,309
Worcester, MA$84,300
Minneapolis, MN$84,051
Philadelphia, PA$83,938
Honolulu, HI$83,673
Saint Paul, MN$83,634
Vineland, NJ$83,617
Providence, RI$83,383
Chicago, IL$83,150
Bellingham, WA$83,053
Springfield, MA$82,989
Baltimore, MD$82,965
Chico, CA$82,764
Pittsfield, MA$82,546
Manchester, NH$82,393
Spokane, WA$82,039
Denver, CO$82,031
Albany, NY$81,653
Troy, NY$81,621
Nassau, NY$81,535
Schenectady, NY$81,452
Wilmington, DE$81,388
Burlington, VT$81,275
Salem, OR$81,243
Portland, ME$80,993
Yakima, WA$80,913
Rochester, MN$80,664
Reno, NV$80,623
Fresno, CA$80,623
Milwaukee, WI$80,551
Detroit, MI$80,470
Ann Arbor, MI$80,457
Allentown, PA$80,446
Colorado Springs, CO$80,310
Syracuse, NY$80,269
Carson City, NV$80,269
Houston, TX$80,157
Eugene, OR$80,116
Gary, IN$80,020
Springfield, OR$79,955
Bismarck, ND$79,939
Galveston, TX$79,883
Medford, OR$79,762
Fort Collins, CO$79,730
Concord, NH$79,690
Austin, TX$79,666
Mesa, AZ$79,497
Reading, PA$79,489
Phoenix, AZ$79,481
Dallas, TX$79,457
Saint Cloud, MN$79,379
Madison, WI$79,272
Utica, NY$79,054
Rochester, NY$78,926
Des Moines, IA$78,918
Raleigh, NC$78,909
Atlanta, GA$78,789
Battle Creek, MI$78,765
Salt Lake City, UT$78,741
Lancaster, PA$78,620
Harrisburg, PA$78,507
Kansas City, MO$78,427
Champaign, IL$78,411
Kansas City, KS$78,411
Fort Worth, TX$78,403
Columbus, OH$78,389
Boca Raton, FL$78,370
Pittsburgh, PA$78,338
Richmond, VA$78,306
Indianapolis, IN$78,290
Cleveland, OH$78,282
Las Vegas, NV$78,185
Cincinnati, OH$78,185
Petersburg, VA$78,065
Huntsville, AL$77,944
Lansing, MI$77,890
Lebanon, PA$77,880
Pueblo, CO$77,872
Appleton, WI$77,847
Buffalo, NY$77,815
Dayton, OH$77,791
Racine, WI$77,775
Charlotte, NC$77,767
Saint Louis, MO$77,743
York, PA$77,694
Elkhart, IN$77,694
Gastonia, NC$77,679
Billings, MT$77,660
Beaumont, TX$77,638
Lorain, OH$77,622
Benton Harbor, MI$77,606
Toledo, OH$77,590
Binghamton, NY$77,550
Rock Hill, SC$77,542
Rockford, IL$77,501
Springfield, IL$77,469
Elyria, OH$77,461
Fargo, ND$77,461
Flagstaff, AZ$77,405
Fort Lauderdale, FL$77,357
Duluth, MN$77,308
Miami, FL$77,308
Cheyenne, WY$77,252
Grand Forks, ND$77,252
Bangor, ME$77,075
Cedar Rapids, IA$76,986
Durham, NC$76,953
Louisville, KY$76,946
Grand Rapids, MI$76,930
Hialeah, FL$76,922
Casper, WY$76,809
Scranton, PA$76,713
New Orleans, LA$76,689
Virginia Beach, VA$76,681
Akron, OH$76,640
Peoria, IL$76,536
Sarasota, FL$76,520
Nashville, TN$76,463
Omaha, NE$76,463
Green Bay, WI$76,463
Baton Rouge, LA$76,423
Charleston, SC$76,407
Jamestown, NY$76,367
Davenport, IA$76,367
Tucson, AZ$76,327
Saint Petersburg, FL$76,278
Tampa, FL$76,262
Evansville, IN$76,214
Port Arthur, TX$76,214
Bradenton, FL$76,182
Santa Fe, NM$76,037
Orlando, FL$75,892
Clearwater, FL$75,868
Canton, OH$75,699
La Crosse, WI$75,699
Albuquerque, NM$75,651
Newport News, VA$75,643
High Point, NC$75,619
Ogden, UT$75,586
Corpus Christi, TX$75,522
Norfolk, VA$75,474
Laramie, WY$75,474
Rock Island, IL$75,425
Saginaw, MI$75,409
Jacksonville, FL$75,401
Salisbury, NC$75,385
Boise, ID$75,369
Moline, IL$75,329
Fort Myers, FL$75,305
Memphis, TN$75,289
Tulsa, OK$75,248
Waterloo, IA$75,200
Spartanburg, SC$75,120
Lincoln, NE$75,079
Fort Wayne, IN$75,063
Provo, UT$75,055
Cedar Falls, IA$74,959
San Antonio, TX$74,927
Greensboro, NC$74,894
South Bend, IN$74,886
Savannah, GA$74,798
Muskegon, MI$74,766
Birmingham, AL$74,758
Winston Salem, NC$74,718
Lake Charles, LA$74,524
Anderson, IN$74,508
Lexington, KY$74,484
Augusta, GA$74,460
Greenville, SC$74,460
Lima, OH$74,396
Wichita, KS$74,387
Tuscaloosa, AL$74,387
Columbia, SC$74,315
Springfield, OH$74,299
Asheville, NC$74,170
Bloomington, IN$74,114
Knoxville, TN$73,824
Shreveport, LA$73,816
Wilmington, NC$73,712
Roanoke, VA$73,712
Topeka, KS$73,567
Frankfort, KY$73,558
Oklahoma City, OK$73,502
Chillicothe, OH$73,470
Longview, TX$73,462
Melbourne, FL$73,454
Sioux Falls, SD$73,325
Mobile, AL$73,317
Terre Haute, IN$73,285
Altoona, PA$73,237
Amarillo, TX$73,181
Killeen, TX$73,156
Fayetteville, AR$73,092
Chattanooga, TN$73,068
Sioux City, IA$72,995
Idaho Falls, ID$72,979
Lynchburg, VA$72,915
Gainesville, FL$72,810
Portsmouth, OH$72,770
Little Rock, AR$72,754
Lafayette, LA$72,722
Youngstown, OH$72,722
Daytona Beach, FL$72,674
Clarksville, TN$72,666
Pensacola, FL$72,658
Temple, TX$72,652
Hopkinsville, KY$72,416
Erie, PA$72,400
Florence, SC$72,368
Charleston, WV$72,239
Great Falls, MT$72,199
Macon, GA$72,086
Tallahassee, FL$72,078
Fayetteville, NC$72,062
Waco, TX$72,046
Helena, MT$71,990
Pine Bluff, AR$71,959
Vincennes, IN$71,861
Lubbock, TX$71,829
Alamogordo, NM$71,781
Twin Falls, ID$71,708
Rapid City, SD$71,684
Jackson, MS$71,539
Huntington, WV$71,533
Greenville, MS$71,531
Parkersburg, WV$71,449
Montgomery, AL$71,435
Wichita Falls, TX$71,354
Springfield, MO$71,354
Biloxi, MS$71,314
Monroe, LA$71,233
Johnstown, PA$71,177
Sumter, SC$71,145
Columbus, GA$71,137
Pascagoula, MS$70,984
Abilene, TX$70,984
Kingsport, TN$70,775
Albany, GA$70,775
Gulfport, MS$70,751
Alexandria, LA$70,485
Fort Smith, AR$70,284
El Paso, TX$70,067
Las Cruces, NM$69,705
Harlingen, TX$69,500
Pocatello, ID$69,487
Florence, AL$69,383
Brownsville, TX$69,367
Mcallen, TX$69,198
Dothan, AL$69,085
Columbus, MS$68,607
Altus, OK$68,232
Lawton, OK$68,079
Pierre, SD$67,790
What Skills Can Increase a Junior Software Engineer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 2.82% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Python (Mentioned in 4.66% Job Postings): Applying the concepts and algorithms of Python to design, develop and maintain software applications to comply with business requirements.
Linux (Mentioned in 2.71% Job Postings): Managing a system's hardware and resources using a Unix-like open-source operating system.
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 Junior Software Engineer's salary.
Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Code Review: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Kubernetes: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Junior Software Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Junior Software Engineer 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 Biotechnology and Insurance
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average.
In contrast, Junior Software Engineer positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Junior Software Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Junior Software Engineer
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$100,578
$48.0
25%
Insurance
$96,555
$46.0
20%
Aerospace & Defense
$92,532
$44.0
15%
Internet
$92,532
$44.0
15%
Energy & Utilities
$88,509
$43.0
10%
How Education impacts a Junior Software Engineer's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Junior Software Engineers enter the field with a Bachelor'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 Junior Software Engineer with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$78,103
and $82,080).
Understanding how a Junior Software Engineer'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
$73,852
Average$80,462/year
$86,565
$6,154
Average$6,705/month
$7,214
$1,420
Average$1,547/week
$1,665
$36
Average$39/hour
$42
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$86,565
$7,214
$1,665
$42
Average
$80,462
$6,705
$1,547
$39
25th Percentile
$73,852
$6,154
$1,420
$36
Salaries of Jobs related to Junior Software Engineer
Salaries for a Junior Software Engineer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $83,081 in 2023
to around $82,506 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Junior Software Engineer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Junior Software Engineer Over Time
$???
$83,081
$83,181
$82,506
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$83,081
2024
$83,181
2025
$82,506
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Junior Software Engineer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Junior Software Engineer
Here are companies hiring for Junior Software Engineer 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 Junior Software Engineer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Junior Software Engineer?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Junior Software Engineer 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.
