Software Design Engineer Salary in Massachusetts

How much does a Software Design Engineer make in Massachusetts?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Software Design Engineer in Massachusetts is $141,395 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $68.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $163,029
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $129,157 to $152,719
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $118,015

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI-Powered Talent

AI-Powered HR

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Software Design Engineer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$152,719	$12,727	$2,937	$73
Average	$141,395	$11,783	$2,719	$68
25th Percentile	$129,157	$10,763	$2,484	$62

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Software Design Engineer Job Openings in Massachusetts

Senior Electrical Design Engineer

Real Time Recruitment Solutions (RTRS) - Waltham, MA

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Grove Technical Resources - Danvers, MA

Sr Mechanical Design Engineer

ATR International - Danvers, MA

Software Engineer

EVONA - Cambridge, MA

Search More Software Design Engineer Jobs in Massachusetts

Key Factors That Influence Software Design Engineer Salaries

A Software Design 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Software Design Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Software Design 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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $90,256
Early Career (1-2 years): $116,148
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $142,245
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $164,576
Expert (over 8 years): $189,182

Levels	Salary
Software ... Level Software Design Engineer	$90,256
Software ... Level Software Design Engineer	$116,148
Software ... Level Software Design Engineer	$142,245
Software ... Level Software Design Engineer	$164,576
Software ... Level Software Design Engineer	$189,182

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $143,851.
California: $143,305.
Massachusetts: $141,395.

District of Columbia $143,851 California $143,305 Massachusetts $141,395 Washington $140,876 New Jersey $140,824 Alaska $140,642 Connecticut $138,849 New York $138,121

Hawaii $135,796 Rhode Island $134,704 Maryland $133,964 Minnesota $132,950 Colorado $132,560 Illinois $132,431 Oregon $131,937 Delaware $131,573

New Hampshire $131,344 Virginia $130,832 Pennsylvania $129,338 Nevada $128,585 North Dakota $128,338 Michigan $127,948 Wisconsin $127,805 Vermont $127,519

Texas $126,727 Maine $126,675 Arizona $126,597 Ohio $126,506 Georgia $125,311 Indiana $124,713 Wyoming $124,596 Utah $124,414

Iowa $124,336 Kansas $123,713 Louisiana $123,531 North Carolina $123,466 Missouri $123,440 Florida $122,933 Montana $122,660 Nebraska $122,400

Kentucky $122,258 South Carolina $121,738 Tennessee $121,413 Idaho $121,283 New Mexico $120,335 Oklahoma $120,127 Alabama $119,360 South Dakota $118,074

Arkansas $117,372 West Virginia $116,996 Mississippi $115,865

Top Paying Cities for Software Design Engineers

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:

Agawam: $134,025
Amherst: $135,004
Barre: $136,353

Agawam, MA $134,025 Amherst, MA $135,004 Barre, MA $136,353 Belchertown, MA $134,878 Blandford, MA $134,626 Bondsville, MA $134,902 Brimfield, MA $135,633 Chester, MA $134,068

Chesterfield, MA $134,084 Chicopee, MA $134,008 Cummington, MA $133,722 Easthampton, MA $134,323 East Longmeadow, MA $134,104 East Otis, MA $134,650 Feeding Hills, MA $134,099 Gilbertville, MA $135,984

Goshen, MA $134,073 Granby, MA $134,361 Granville, MA $135,080 Hadley, MA $134,647 Hampden, MA $134,379 Hardwick, MA $136,059 Hatfield, MA $134,672 Haydenville, MA $134,507

Holyoke, MA $134,130 Huntington, MA $134,251 Leeds, MA $134,338 Leverett, MA $135,173 Ludlow, MA $134,255 Monson, MA $134,909 North Amherst, MA $134,913 Northampton, MA $134,431

Florence, MA $134,349 North Hatfield, MA $134,609 Oakham, MA $136,301 Palmer, MA $135,068 Plainfield, MA $133,679 Russell, MA $134,605 Shutesbury, MA $135,381 Southampton, MA $134,249

South Barre, MA $136,298 South Hadley, MA $134,287 Southwick, MA $134,577 Thorndike, MA $134,894 Three Rivers, MA $134,709 Wales, MA $135,512 Ware, MA $135,523 Warren, MA $135,740

West Chesterfield, MA $134,069 Westfield, MA $134,292 West Hatfield, MA $134,537 West Springfield, MA $134,016 West Warren, MA $135,540 Whately, MA $134,617 Wheelwright, MA $136,211 Wilbraham, MA $134,320

Williamsburg, MA $134,229 Woronoco, MA $134,469 Worthington, MA $133,792 Springfield, MA $134,003 Longmeadow, MA $134,049 Indian Orchard, MA $134,062 Pittsfield, MA $133,288 Adams, MA $133,149

Ashley Falls, MA $134,939 Becket, MA $133,662 Berkshire, MA $133,275 Cheshire, MA $133,235 Dalton, MA $133,288 Glendale, MA $133,332 Great Barrington, MA $134,190 Hinsdale, MA $133,393

Housatonic, MA $133,353 Lanesboro, MA $133,183 Lee, MA $133,427 Lenox, MA $133,262 Lenox Dale, MA $133,282 Middlefield, MA $133,504 Mill River, MA $134,609 Monterey, MA $134,166

North Adams, MA $133,081 North Egremont, MA $134,034 Otis, MA $134,286 Richmond, MA $133,145 Sandisfield, MA $134,974 Savoy, MA $133,392 Sheffield, MA $134,722 South Egremont, MA $134,460

Southfield, MA $135,039 South Lee, MA $133,545 Stockbridge, MA $133,265 Tyringham, MA $133,817 West Stockbridge, MA $133,174 Williamstown, MA $132,673 Windsor, MA $133,370 Greenfield, MA $134,822

Ashfield, MA $134,005 Athol, MA $136,413 Bernardston, MA $135,055 Buckland, MA $134,017 Charlemont, MA $133,747 Colrain, MA $134,569 Conway, MA $134,478 Deerfield, MA $134,787

Drury, MA $133,472 Erving, MA $135,528 Heath, MA $133,910 Lake Pleasant, MA $135,264 Millers Falls, MA $135,385 Monroe Bridge, MA $133,271 Montague, MA $135,207 Gill, MA $135,281

New Salem, MA $135,760 Northfield, MA $135,372 Orange, MA $135,955 Petersham, MA $136,322 Rowe, MA $133,541 Royalston, MA $136,054 Shelburne Falls, MA $134,417 South Deerfield, MA $134,711

Sunderland, MA $135,039 Turners Falls, MA $135,191 Warwick, MA $135,446 Wendell, MA $135,572 Wendell Depot, MA $135,618 Fitchburg, MA $137,343 Ashburnham, MA $136,922 Ashby, MA $137,310

Ayer, MA $138,533 Devens, MA $138,220 Baldwinville, MA $136,536 East Templeton, MA $136,683 Gardner, MA $136,834 Westminster, MA $136,845 Groton, MA $138,641 Harvard, MA $138,381

Hubbardston, MA $136,705 Leominster, MA $137,373 Littleton, MA $138,872 Lunenburg, MA $137,808 Pepperell, MA $138,616 Shirley, MA $138,200 Still River, MA $138,038 Templeton, MA $136,678

Townsend, MA $138,111 West Groton, MA $138,387 West Townsend, MA $137,792 Winchendon, MA $136,439 Winchendon Springs, MA $136,562 Auburn, MA $136,146 North Dartmouth, MA $136,953 South Dartmouth, MA $136,962

North Attleboro, MA $136,278 Plainville, MA $137,217 Attleboro Falls, MA $136,471 North Dighton, MA $136,770 Norton, MA $138,606 Raynham, MA $139,342 Raynham Center, MA $139,201 Rehoboth, MA $135,372

Rochester, MA $137,283 Seekonk, MA $134,750 Swansea, MA $135,621 Berkley, MA $137,421 Taunton, MA $138,238 Westport, MA $136,908 Westport Point, MA $136,893 Berlin, MA $137,122

Cataumet, MA $137,586 Blackstone, MA $136,591 Boylston, MA $136,372 Brookfield, MA $136,084 Charlton, MA $136,253 Charlton City, MA $136,258 Charlton Depot, MA $136,258 Clinton, MA $136,941

East Brookfield, MA $136,196 Douglas, MA $136,430 East Princeton, MA $136,709 Fiskdale, MA $136,025 Grafton, MA $136,302 Holden, MA $136,175 Holland, MA $135,802 Jefferson, MA $136,292

Lancaster, MA $137,591 Leicester, MA $136,158 Linwood, MA $136,647 Manchaug, MA $136,328 Millbury, MA $136,157 Millville, MA $136,498 New Braintree, MA $136,159 Northborough, MA $136,579

Northbridge, MA $136,604 North Brookfield, MA $136,202 North Grafton, MA $136,222 North Oxford, MA $136,210 North Uxbridge, MA $136,526 Oxford, MA $136,278 Princeton, MA $136,692 Rochdale, MA $136,168

Rutland, MA $136,375 Shrewsbury, MA $136,175 Southbridge, MA $136,226 South Grafton, MA $136,387 South Lancaster, MA $137,268 Spencer, MA $136,205 Sterling, MA $136,865 Sturbridge, MA $136,128

Upton, MA $136,767 Uxbridge, MA $136,567 Webster, MA $136,380 Dudley, MA $136,333 Westborough, MA $136,689 West Boylston, MA $136,317 West Brookfield, MA $135,937 West Millbury, MA $136,171

Whitinsville, MA $136,562 Sutton, MA $136,313 Worcester, MA $136,120 East Walpole, MA $140,383 Cherry Valley, MA $136,136 Paxton, MA $136,180 Framingham, MA $139,294 Village Of Nagog Woods, MA $139,067

Boxborough, MA $138,623 Acton, MA $139,062 Ashland, MA $138,447 Bedford, MA $139,637 Hanscom Afb, MA $140,399 Bolton, MA $137,833 Carlisle, MA $139,206 Concord, MA $139,555

Fayville, MA $138,193 Holliston, MA $138,411 Hopedale, MA $137,256 Hopkinton, MA $137,420 Hudson, MA $138,033 Marlborough, MA $137,807 Maynard, MA $139,019 Mendon, MA $137,009

Milford, MA $137,481 Natick, MA $141,004 Sherborn, MA $140,041 Southborough, MA $137,790 Foxboro, MA $139,270 Franklin, MA $137,782 Greenbush, MA $140,610 Green Harbor, MA $139,852

Hingham, MA $141,530 Hull, MA $142,956 Humarock, MA $140,026 Mansfield, MA $139,060 Marshfield, MA $139,926 Marshfield Hills, MA $140,160 Medfield, MA $140,318 Medway, MA $138,386

Millis, MA $139,416 Minot, MA $140,610 Norfolk, MA $139,011 North Marshfield, MA $139,852 North Scituate, MA $140,848 Norwell, MA $140,470 Norwood, MA $141,183 Ocean Bluff, MA $139,852

Scituate, MA $140,747 Sharon, MA $140,014 Sheldonville, MA $137,808 South Walpole, MA $139,506 Stoughton, MA $140,122 Walpole, MA $140,048 Westwood, MA $142,005 Wrentham, MA $137,785

Boston, MA $144,370 Roxbury, MA $144,360 Roxbury Crossing, MA $144,363 Dorchester, MA $144,321 Dorchester Center, MA $144,218 Mattapan, MA $144,129 Charlestown, MA $144,352 Jamaica Plain, MA $144,300

Roslindale, MA $144,101 West Roxbury, MA $143,890 Allston, MA $144,328 Brighton, MA $144,256 Hyde Park, MA $143,665 Readville, MA $143,581 Cambridge, MA $144,274 Somerville, MA $144,342

Malden, MA $144,057 Everett, MA $144,259 Chelsea, MA $144,276 Revere, MA $144,052 Winthrop, MA $144,179 Medford, MA $144,120 West Medford, MA $144,004 Quincy, MA $143,184

Melrose, MA $143,604 Stoneham, MA $142,943 Braintree, MA $141,677 Milton, MA $143,410 Milton Village, MA $143,875 Weymouth, MA $141,482 East Weymouth, MA $141,639 South Weymouth, MA $140,473

North Weymouth, MA $142,862 East Boston, MA $144,369 Brockton, MA $140,057 Avon, MA $140,119 Bridgewater, MA $139,744 Bryantville, MA $139,848 Carver, MA $138,415 Duxbury, MA $139,467

East Bridgewater, MA $140,008 Easton, MA $140,030 Elmwood, MA $139,947 Halifax, MA $139,718 Hanover, MA $140,178 Hanson, MA $139,915 Holbrook, MA $140,182 Middleboro, MA $138,242

Manomet, MA $138,650 Lakeville, MA $137,830 Monponsett, MA $139,766 Abington, MA $140,126 North Carver, MA $138,811 North Easton, MA $140,056 North Pembroke, MA $139,949 Pembroke, MA $139,889

Plymouth, MA $138,465 Kingston, MA $139,345 South Carver, MA $138,233 Plympton, MA $139,288 Randolph, MA $140,688 Rockland, MA $140,190 South Easton, MA $139,950 West Bridgewater, MA $140,048

White Horse Beach, MA $138,729 Whitman, MA $140,074 Lexington, MA $141,815 Brookline, MA $144,299 Brookline Village, MA $144,318 Waltham, MA $142,683 North Waltham, MA $143,478 New Town, MA $143,925

Babson Park, MA $142,646 Newton, MA $144,040 Newton Center, MA $143,943 Newtonville, MA $143,847 Newton Highlands, MA $143,818 Newton Lower Falls, MA $143,167 Newton Upper Falls, MA $143,652 West Newton, MA $143,616

Auburndale, MA $143,332 Chestnut Hill, MA $144,202 Waban, MA $143,556 Watertown, MA $144,163 Arlington, MA $143,807 Arlington Heights, MA $143,735 Belmont, MA $143,903 Waverley, MA $144,035

Wellesley Hills, MA $142,644 Wellesley, MA $142,133 Needham, MA $142,919 Weston, MA $142,062 Needham Heights, MA $143,418 Nonantum, MA $143,925 Buzzards Bay, MA $137,917 Lincoln, MA $140,957

Stow, MA $138,532 Sudbury, MA $139,653 Wayland, MA $140,833 Woodville, MA $137,312 Woburn, MA $141,660 Burlington, MA $140,365 Andover, MA $137,533 Billerica, MA $139,189

Chelmsford, MA $139,283 Dracut, MA $139,041 Dunstable, MA $138,983 Haverhill, MA $137,403 Georgetown, MA $137,626 Groveland, MA $137,491 Lawrence, MA $137,238 Methuen, MA $137,262

North Andover, MA $137,403 Lowell, MA $139,302 Merrimac, MA $137,334 North Billerica, MA $139,246 North Chelmsford, MA $139,266 North Reading, MA $138,766 Nutting Lake, MA $139,255 Pinehurst, MA $139,411

Reading, MA $140,115 Tewksbury, MA $138,771 Tyngsboro, MA $139,119 Wakefield, MA $141,834 West Boxford, MA $137,653 Westford, MA $139,128 Wilmington, MA $138,890 Winchester, MA $143,227

Lynn, MA $143,048 Saugus, MA $143,230 Swampscott, MA $142,357 Nahant, MA $143,473 Amesbury, MA $137,256 Beverly, MA $139,821 Boxford, MA $137,595 Byfield, MA $137,716

Danvers, MA $139,549 Essex, MA $138,746 Gloucester, MA $138,897 Hamilton, MA $139,015 Hathorne, MA $139,081 Chilmark, MA $137,396 East Falmouth, MA $137,651 East Sandwich, MA $138,235

East Wareham, MA $137,886 Edgartown, MA $137,826 Falmouth, MA $137,457 Woods Hole, MA $137,182 Menemsha, MA $137,446 Monument Beach, MA $137,682 Nantucket, MA $138,614 North Falmouth, MA $137,505

Oak Bluffs, MA $137,687 Onset, MA $137,716 Pocasset, MA $137,631 Sagamore, MA $138,113 Sagamore Beach, MA $138,180 Sandwich, MA $138,130 Siasconset, MA $138,471 Silver Beach, MA $137,444

Vineyard Haven, MA $137,551 Wareham, MA $137,601 West Chop, MA $137,590 West Falmouth, MA $137,420 West Tisbury, MA $137,514 West Wareham, MA $137,542 Hyannis, MA $138,715 Barnstable, MA $138,412

Brewster, MA $138,603 Centerville, MA $138,364 Chatham, MA $138,697 Cotuit, MA $138,086 Ipswich, MA $138,251 Cummaquid, MA $138,454 Lynnfield, MA $140,609 Manchester, MA $139,587

Marblehead, MA $141,233 Middleton, MA $138,472 Newburyport, MA $137,444 Newbury, MA $137,695 Salisbury, MA $137,153 Peabody, MA $140,818 Prides Crossing, MA $139,908 Rockport, MA $138,616

Rowley, MA $137,930 Salem, MA $140,773 South Hamilton, MA $138,792 Topsfield, MA $138,347 Wenham, MA $139,135 West Newbury, MA $137,490 Accord, MA $140,565 Bellingham, MA $137,217

Brant Rock, MA $139,570 Canton, MA $140,777 Cohasset, MA $141,504 Dedham, MA $143,179 Dover, MA $141,403 East Mansfield, MA $139,609 Dennis, MA $138,569 Dennis Port, MA $138,842

East Dennis, MA $138,467 Eastham, MA $138,415 East Orleans, MA $137,900 Forestdale, MA $137,946 Harwich, MA $138,720 Harwich Port, MA $138,784 Hyannis Port, MA $138,458 Marstons Mills, MA $138,211

Mashpee, MA $137,907 North Chatham, MA $138,669 North Eastham, MA $138,413 North Truro, MA $138,171 Orleans, MA $138,537 Osterville, MA $138,226 Provincetown, MA $138,384 South Chatham, MA $138,729

South Dennis, MA $138,728 South Harwich, MA $138,749 South Orleans, MA $138,581 South Wellfleet, MA $138,124 South Yarmouth, MA $138,806 Truro, MA $138,067 Wellfleet, MA $138,232 West Barnstable, MA $138,389

West Chatham, MA $138,717 West Dennis, MA $138,753 West Harwich, MA $138,786 West Hyannisport, MA $138,541 West Yarmouth, MA $138,694 Yarmouth Port, MA $138,629 Assonet, MA $137,080 Attleboro, MA $135,858

Chartley, MA $138,732 Cuttyhunk, MA $137,118 Dartmouth, MA $136,956 Dighton, MA $136,322 East Freetown, MA $137,108 East Taunton, MA $138,141 Fairhaven, MA $136,958 Fall River, MA $136,721

Somerset, MA $136,054 Marion, MA $137,257 Mattapoisett, MA $137,027 New Bedford, MA $136,952 Acushnet, MA $136,999

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

Understanding how a Software Design 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.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

$129,157

Average $141,395/year

$152,719

$10,763

Average $11,783/month

$12,727

$2,484

Average $2,719/week

$2,937

$62

Average $68/hour

$73

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$152,719	$12,727	$2,937	$73
Average	$141,395	$11,783	$2,719	$68
25th Percentile	$129,157	$10,763	$2,484	$62

Salaries of jobs related to Software Design Engineer

Find Your Next Software Design Engineer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Software Design Engineer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Cost of Living In Massachusetts

Cost of Living in Massachusetts is

8.8% Higher

than the National Average

Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.

Explore Cost of Living Calculator

Empower Your Team

Salary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.

Find Salary.com Comp Consulting

See Salary Trends in 2025

Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.

Price Your Company Jobs and Make Pay Fair

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.