Key Factors That Influence Software Enginee Salaries
A Software Enginee'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 Enginee Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Software Enginee'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): $80,220
Early Career (1-2 years): $103,236
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $126,427
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $146,272
Expert (over 8 years): $168,148
Levels
Salary
Software ... Level Software Enginee
$80,220
Software ... Level Software Enginee
$103,236
Software ... Level Software Enginee
$126,427
Software ... Level Software Enginee
$146,272
Software ... Level Software Enginee
$168,148
$80,2200 yr
$103,236< 2 yrs
$126,4272-4 yrs
$146,2725-8 yrs
$168,148> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Software Enginee 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 Enginees.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $89,318.
California: $88,979.
Massachusetts: $87,793.
District of Columbia$89,318
California$88,979
Massachusetts$87,793
Washington$87,470
New Jersey$87,438
Alaska$87,325
Connecticut$86,212
New York$85,760
Hawaii$84,316
Rhode Island$83,638
Maryland$83,179
Minnesota$82,549
Colorado$82,307
Illinois$82,227
Oregon$81,920
Delaware$81,694
New Hampshire$81,552
Virginia$81,234
Pennsylvania$80,307
Nevada$79,839
North Dakota$79,686
Michigan$79,444
Wisconsin$79,355
Vermont$79,177
Texas$78,685
Maine$78,653
Arizona$78,605
Ohio$78,548
Georgia$77,806
Indiana$77,435
Wyoming$77,362
Utah$77,249
Iowa$77,201
Kansas$76,814
Louisiana$76,701
North Carolina$76,661
Missouri$76,644
Florida$76,330
Montana$76,160
Nebraska$75,999
Kentucky$75,910
South Carolina$75,588
Tennessee$75,386
Idaho$75,305
New Mexico$74,716
Oklahoma$74,587
Alabama$74,111
South Dakota$73,313
Arkansas$72,877
West Virginia$72,643
Mississippi$71,941
Top Paying Cities for Software Enginees
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: $101,749
San Francisco: $100,635
Oakland: $98,514
San Jose, CA$101,749
San Francisco, CA$100,635
Oakland, CA$98,514
New York, NY$92,882
Paramus, NJ$91,753
Queens Village, NY$91,749
Passaic, NJ$91,672
Bergenfield, NJ$91,665
Stamford, CT$91,488
Huntington, NY$91,455
Newark, NJ$90,858
Bridgeport, CT$90,688
Vallejo, CA$90,528
New Brunswick, NJ$90,495
Petaluma, CA$90,447
Middlesex, NJ$90,294
Somerset, NJ$90,237
Santa Cruz, CA$90,132
Boston, MA$89,640
Monterey, CA$89,357
Seattle, WA$89,172
Santa Rosa, CA$89,156
Los Angeles, CA$89,132
Juneau, AK$88,922
Washington, DC$88,834
Orange, CA$88,546
Santa Ana, CA$88,333
Long Beach, CA$88,253
Anaheim, CA$88,237
Anchorage, AK$88,196
Santa Maria, CA$87,954
Everett, WA$87,938
Danbury, CT$87,654
Bremerton, WA$87,543
Tacoma, WA$87,252
New Suffolk, NY$87,251
Sacramento, CA$87,228
Santa Barbara, CA$87,140
Trenton, NJ$87,051
San Diego, CA$87,051
Brockton, MA$86,962
Fairbanks, AK$86,764
Lompoc, CA$86,559
Lowell, MA$86,493
Ventura, CA$86,478
Nashua, NH$86,462
Stockton, CA$86,454
Modesto, CA$85,865
Poughkeepsie, NY$85,687
Olympia, WA$85,534
Kennewick, WA$85,534
New Haven, CT$85,502
Lawrence, MA$85,212
Hartford, CT$85,131
Riverside, CA$85,115
New Bedford, MA$85,034
Richland, WA$85,034
Bakersfield, CA$84,921
San Bernardino, CA$84,889
New Britain, CT$84,881
Atlantic City, NJ$84,881
New London, CT$84,848
Norwich, CT$84,824
Portsmouth, NH$84,808
Boulder, CO$84,637
Portland, OR$84,526
Worcester, MA$84,518
Minneapolis, MN$84,268
Philadelphia, PA$84,155
Honolulu, HI$83,889
Saint Paul, MN$83,850
Vineland, NJ$83,832
Providence, RI$83,598
Chicago, IL$83,364
Bellingham, WA$83,267
Springfield, MA$83,203
Baltimore, MD$83,179
Chico, CA$82,977
Pittsfield, MA$82,759
Manchester, NH$82,606
Spokane, WA$82,251
Denver, CO$82,243
Albany, NY$81,864
Troy, NY$81,831
Nassau, NY$81,745
Schenectady, NY$81,662
Wilmington, DE$81,598
Burlington, VT$81,485
Salem, OR$81,452
Portland, ME$81,202
Yakima, WA$81,122
Rochester, MN$80,871
Reno, NV$80,831
Fresno, CA$80,831
Milwaukee, WI$80,759
Detroit, MI$80,678
Ann Arbor, MI$80,664
Allentown, PA$80,654
Colorado Springs, CO$80,517
Syracuse, NY$80,476
Carson City, NV$80,476
Houston, TX$80,363
Eugene, OR$80,323
Gary, IN$80,226
Springfield, OR$80,162
Bismarck, ND$80,145
Galveston, TX$80,089
Medford, OR$79,968
Fort Collins, CO$79,936
Concord, NH$79,895
Austin, TX$79,871
Mesa, AZ$79,702
Reading, PA$79,694
Phoenix, AZ$79,686
Dallas, TX$79,661
Saint Cloud, MN$79,584
Madison, WI$79,476
Utica, NY$79,258
Rochester, NY$79,129
Des Moines, IA$79,121
Raleigh, NC$79,113
Atlanta, GA$78,992
Battle Creek, MI$78,968
Salt Lake City, UT$78,943
Lancaster, PA$78,822
Harrisburg, PA$78,710
Kansas City, MO$78,629
Champaign, IL$78,613
Kansas City, KS$78,613
Fort Worth, TX$78,605
Columbus, OH$78,591
Boca Raton, FL$78,572
Pittsburgh, PA$78,540
Richmond, VA$78,508
Indianapolis, IN$78,492
Cleveland, OH$78,484
Las Vegas, NV$78,387
Cincinnati, OH$78,387
Petersburg, VA$78,266
Huntsville, AL$78,145
Lansing, MI$78,091
Lebanon, PA$78,080
Pueblo, CO$78,072
Appleton, WI$78,048
Buffalo, NY$78,016
Dayton, OH$77,992
Racine, WI$77,975
Charlotte, NC$77,967
Saint Louis, MO$77,943
York, PA$77,895
Elkhart, IN$77,895
Gastonia, NC$77,879
Billings, MT$77,860
Beaumont, TX$77,838
Lorain, OH$77,822
Benton Harbor, MI$77,806
Toledo, OH$77,790
Binghamton, NY$77,750
Rock Hill, SC$77,741
Rockford, IL$77,701
Springfield, IL$77,669
Elyria, OH$77,661
Fargo, ND$77,661
Flagstaff, AZ$77,604
Fort Lauderdale, FL$77,556
Duluth, MN$77,508
Miami, FL$77,508
Cheyenne, WY$77,451
Grand Forks, ND$77,451
Bangor, ME$77,274
Cedar Rapids, IA$77,185
Durham, NC$77,151
Louisville, KY$77,145
Grand Rapids, MI$77,128
Hialeah, FL$77,120
Casper, WY$77,007
Scranton, PA$76,911
New Orleans, LA$76,886
Virginia Beach, VA$76,878
Akron, OH$76,838
Peoria, IL$76,733
Sarasota, FL$76,717
Nashville, TN$76,661
Omaha, NE$76,661
Green Bay, WI$76,661
Baton Rouge, LA$76,620
Charleston, SC$76,604
Jamestown, NY$76,564
Davenport, IA$76,564
Tucson, AZ$76,523
Saint Petersburg, FL$76,475
Tampa, FL$76,459
Evansville, IN$76,410
Port Arthur, TX$76,410
Bradenton, FL$76,378
Santa Fe, NM$76,233
Orlando, FL$76,088
Clearwater, FL$76,064
Canton, OH$75,894
La Crosse, WI$75,894
Albuquerque, NM$75,846
Newport News, VA$75,838
High Point, NC$75,813
Ogden, UT$75,781
Corpus Christi, TX$75,717
Norfolk, VA$75,668
Laramie, WY$75,668
Rock Island, IL$75,620
Saginaw, MI$75,604
Jacksonville, FL$75,596
Salisbury, NC$75,580
Boise, ID$75,563
Moline, IL$75,523
Fort Myers, FL$75,499
Memphis, TN$75,483
Tulsa, OK$75,442
Waterloo, IA$75,394
Spartanburg, SC$75,313
Lincoln, NE$75,273
Fort Wayne, IN$75,257
Provo, UT$75,249
Cedar Falls, IA$75,152
San Antonio, TX$75,120
Greensboro, NC$75,087
South Bend, IN$75,079
Savannah, GA$74,991
Muskegon, MI$74,958
Birmingham, AL$74,950
Winston Salem, NC$74,911
Lake Charles, LA$74,716
Anderson, IN$74,700
Lexington, KY$74,676
Augusta, GA$74,652
Greenville, SC$74,652
Lima, OH$74,587
Wichita, KS$74,579
Tuscaloosa, AL$74,579
Columbia, SC$74,507
Springfield, OH$74,490
Asheville, NC$74,361
Bloomington, IN$74,305
Knoxville, TN$74,015
Shreveport, LA$74,006
Wilmington, NC$73,902
Roanoke, VA$73,902
Topeka, KS$73,756
Frankfort, KY$73,748
Oklahoma City, OK$73,692
Chillicothe, OH$73,660
Longview, TX$73,652
Melbourne, FL$73,643
Sioux Falls, SD$73,514
Mobile, AL$73,506
Terre Haute, IN$73,474
Altoona, PA$73,426
Amarillo, TX$73,369
Killeen, TX$73,345
Fayetteville, AR$73,280
Chattanooga, TN$73,256
Sioux City, IA$73,184
Idaho Falls, ID$73,168
Lynchburg, VA$73,103
Gainesville, FL$72,998
Portsmouth, OH$72,958
Little Rock, AR$72,942
Lafayette, LA$72,909
Youngstown, OH$72,909
Daytona Beach, FL$72,861
Clarksville, TN$72,853
Pensacola, FL$72,845
Temple, TX$72,839
Hopkinsville, KY$72,603
Erie, PA$72,587
Florence, SC$72,554
Charleston, WV$72,425
Great Falls, MT$72,385
Macon, GA$72,272
Tallahassee, FL$72,264
Fayetteville, NC$72,248
Waco, TX$72,232
Helena, MT$72,175
Pine Bluff, AR$72,145
Vincennes, IN$72,046
Lubbock, TX$72,014
Alamogordo, NM$71,966
Twin Falls, ID$71,893
Rapid City, SD$71,869
Jackson, MS$71,724
Huntington, WV$71,718
Greenville, MS$71,715
Parkersburg, WV$71,633
Montgomery, AL$71,619
Wichita Falls, TX$71,538
Springfield, MO$71,538
Biloxi, MS$71,498
Monroe, LA$71,417
Johnstown, PA$71,361
Sumter, SC$71,328
Columbus, GA$71,320
Pascagoula, MS$71,167
Abilene, TX$71,167
Kingsport, TN$70,957
Albany, GA$70,957
Gulfport, MS$70,933
Alexandria, LA$70,667
Fort Smith, AR$70,465
El Paso, TX$70,247
Las Cruces, NM$69,884
Harlingen, TX$69,679
Pocatello, ID$69,666
Florence, AL$69,562
Brownsville, TX$69,545
Mcallen, TX$69,376
Dothan, AL$69,263
Columbus, MS$68,784
Altus, OK$68,408
Lawton, OK$68,255
Pierre, SD$67,964
What Skills Can Increase a Software Enginee'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.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Analysis
2.82%
Python
4.66%
Linux
2.71%
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 Enginee'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%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Coaching
$97,610
21%
Code Review
$89,543
11%
Kubernetes
$89,543
11%
Project Management
$89,543
11%
API
$89,543
11%
AWS
$89,543
11%
Get Latest Data
Software Enginee Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Software Enginee 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, Software Enginee positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Software Enginee as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Software Enginee
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$100,837
$48.0
25%
Insurance
$96,804
$47.0
20%
Aerospace & Defense
$92,770
$45.0
15%
Internet
$92,770
$45.0
15%
Energy & Utilities
$88,737
$43.0
10%
How Education impacts a Software Enginee's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Software Enginees 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 Software Enginee with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$78,103
and $82,080).
Software Enginee Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Software Enginee
No Diploma0.3%
High School1.8%
Associates2.5%
Bachelors58.4%
Masters34.0%
Doctorate3.0%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
0.3%
High School
1.8%
Associates
2.5%
Bachelors
58.4%
Masters
34.0%
Doctorate
3.0%
view as graph
Software Enginee Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Software Enginee'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.
Salaries for a Software Enginee can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $83,293 in 2023
to around $82,717 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Software Enginee salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Software Enginee Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$83,293
2024
$83,393
2025
$82,717
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$83,293
2024
$83,393
2025
$82,717
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Software Enginee
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Software Enginee
Here are companies hiring for Software Enginee 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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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
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