2026 Salary Data
How Much Do SoftwareEngineers Make?
I went from running a hedge fund to writing Salesforce code. My salary dropped by more than half. Somehow I am happier, my net worth is growing faster (because I actually save now), and I finally understand why everyone wants to be a software engineer. Here is the real salary data.
$127K
median base salary (BLS)
17%
projected job growth
1.8M
employed developers (US)
Salary by Experience Level
Click a level to see detailed salary ranges. Base salary data reflects widely-reported BLS and public compensation data. Total comp ranges include equity and bonuses at larger tech companies.
Senior
5-10 yearsBase Low
$120,000
Base Median
$155,000
Base High
$220,000
Total Comp Low
$150,000
Total Comp High
$400,000
Expected to drive technical decisions, design systems, and unblock others. Total comp at Big Tech (salary + RSU + bonus) can exceed base by 50-100%.
Salary by Location (Cost-of-Living Adjusted)
A $165K salary in San Francisco is not the same as $165K in Austin. The "adjusted salary" column shows what the median software engineer salary buys in each city compared to the national average cost of living.
| Location | Median Salary | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco / Bay Area | $165,000 | $92,000 |
| Seattle | $155,000 | $103,000 |
| New York City | $150,000 | $88,000 |
| Austin, TX | $130,000 | $118,000 |
| Denver / Boulder | $125,000 | $104,000 |
| Raleigh-Durham, NC | $115,000 | $121,000 |
| Remote (US-based) | $130,000 | $130,000 |
| Midwest (Chicago, Minneapolis) | $110,000 | $116,000 |
The remote work insight: If you can earn a San Francisco salary while living in Raleigh, your purchasing power is nearly double. This is geographic arbitrage — and it is the biggest financial hack available to software engineers right now. I live in Miami and work remotely as a Salesforce developer. No state income tax. Beach on weekends. The math works.
Salary by Company Type
Where you work matters as much as what level you are. The gap between a senior engineer at a startup and a senior engineer at Google can be $200K+ in total compensation. But the startup engineer might own equity worth $0 or $2 million — nobody knows until exit day.
Big Tech (FAANG+)
Base Salary
$130K-$280K
Equity
$50K-$400K/yr RSU
Work-Life
Varies by team
Growth
Structured levels
Highest total comp but intense competition for promotions. Equity vesting typically 4-year cliff. Brand name opens every future door.
Mid-size Tech (public)
Base Salary
$100K-$200K
Equity
$20K-$100K/yr RSU
Work-Life
Generally good
Growth
Faster promotion path
Sweet spot for many. Strong comp without FAANG intensity. Examples: Atlassian, HubSpot, Datadog, Cloudflare.
Startup (Series A-C)
Base Salary
$80K-$170K
Equity
0.1%-1% options
Work-Life
Expect long hours
Growth
Very fast (if it works)
Lower base offset by equity upside. 90% of startups fail. The 10% that work out can be life-changing. Do the math on your options realistically.
Enterprise / Non-tech
Base Salary
$85K-$160K
Equity
Rare
Work-Life
Usually 40 hrs
Growth
Slow but steady
Banks, insurance, manufacturing. Lower ceiling but stable. Pension and benefits can add significant non-salary value.
Consulting / Agency
Base Salary
$70K-$150K
Equity
Very rare
Work-Life
Project-dependent
Growth
Skill growth is fast
You build breadth across many tech stacks and industries. Great for years 1-5 of your career to build a versatile resume.
Government / Military
Base Salary
$60K-$130K (GS scale)
Equity
None
Work-Life
Excellent
Growth
Slow, seniority-based
Lower salary but pension, FEHB health insurance, TSP match (5%), and job security. Total comp gap is smaller than it looks.
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What to Do With a Software Engineer Salary
I need to say this because nobody in tech talks about it enough: a six-figure salary is wasted if you spend all of it. I have watched engineers at top companies earn $300K+ total comp and somehow live paycheck to paycheck. $4,000/month apartments. $800/month car payments. $200 dinners every weekend. It is the hedonic treadmill on steroids.
When I ran my hedge fund, I learned something that changed how I think about money: the return on your savings rate is higher than the return on any investment. An engineer saving 40% of a $130K salary builds wealth faster than an engineer saving 5% of a $300K salary. I have done the math. The savings rate wins every time.
Max your 401(k). Open a Roth IRA. Check your savings rate. Run the FIRE calculator to see when you can stop working if you want to. Software engineering salaries make financial independence possible in 10-15 years if you are disciplined. Most people take 40.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average software engineer salary in the US?
According to the BLS (Occupational Outlook Handbook), the median annual wage for software developers was approximately $127,260 as of the most recent data. The bottom 10% earned less than $74,600 and the top 10% earned more than $208,620. However, these numbers only reflect base salary — total compensation at large tech companies (including equity and bonuses) can be 50-100% higher.
How much do FAANG software engineers make?
Entry-level (L3/E3) engineers at companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, and Netflix typically see total compensation of $180,000-$250,000 (base + equity + bonus). Senior engineers (L5/E5) earn $300,000-$500,000+ in total comp. Staff and Principal engineers can exceed $600,000-$1,000,000. These numbers are widely reported on Levels.fyi and represent total compensation, not just base salary.
Do software engineers really need a CS degree?
No. While a CS degree remains the most common path, many successful engineers are self-taught, bootcamp graduates, or career changers. Studies show that approximately 30% of professional developers do not have a CS degree. What matters more is demonstrated ability: a strong portfolio, open-source contributions, or relevant work experience. That said, some companies (especially in finance and defense) still filter by degree.
How much does location affect software engineer salary?
Significantly. The same role can pay $80,000 in a low-cost market and $165,000 in San Francisco. However, cost-of-living adjustment narrows the gap — a $165K salary in SF buys roughly the same lifestyle as $92K in the average US city. Remote work has complicated this: some companies pay location-adjusted rates while others pay a flat national rate.
Is software engineering still a good career in 2026?
Yes. The BLS projects 17% growth for software developer jobs through 2033 — much faster than average for all occupations. AI tools are changing what engineers do day-to-day (more system design, less boilerplate) but are increasing productivity rather than replacing jobs. The engineers who learn to leverage AI tools effectively are seeing their output — and value — increase substantially.
What is the difference between base salary and total compensation?
Base salary is your regular paycheck. Total compensation includes base salary plus bonuses (typically 10-20% at larger companies), equity/RSUs (which can be 20-60% of total comp at Big Tech), 401(k) match, health insurance value, and other benefits. When comparing offers, always compare total compensation, not base salary alone.
How do I maximize my software engineering salary?
Five strategies: (1) Negotiate every offer — most people leave $5K-$15K on the table. (2) Switch companies every 2-3 years in your first decade — internal raises average 3-5% while external moves average 10-20%. (3) Target higher-paying company types (Big Tech vs agencies). (4) Specialize in high-demand areas (ML, security, distributed systems). (5) Build leverage through side projects, open source, or a personal brand that makes companies come to you.
What should software engineers do with their high salaries?
The biggest trap for high-earning engineers is lifestyle inflation: $3,000/month apartments, $80K cars, $200 dinners. The engineers who build real wealth max out their 401(k), save 30-50% of after-tax income, invest in low-cost index funds, and resist the urge to 'keep up' with colleagues. A software engineer saving $50K/year at 7% returns will have over $2 million in 20 years — regardless of whether they ever make Staff level.
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