Software Engineer Salary Guide (2026)

Software engineer salary ranges by experience level, work mode, and company. Real disclosed compensation data from active job listings. Based on 8,888 active job listings.

⌨️ Software Developer🔗 Full Stack Developer🔧 DevOps Engineer🧪 QA Engineer⚙️ Backend Developer

Salary Range (USD/year)

$168k$191k$224k

Based on 3,632 jobs with disclosed salaries

Top Skills

AWS 3,489 Python 3,465 TypeScript 2,909 Kubernetes 2,692 React 2,680 Java 2,470 Docker 2,113 GCP 1,767 PostgreSQL 1,530 Go 1,515 Node.js 1,502 JavaScript 1,180 C++ 1,135 Azure 1,090 Kafka 1,045 SQL 925 Terraform 806 MySQL 755 C# 752 Kotlin 728

Salary by Experience Level

Intern$105k
$73k24 jobs$123k
Entry Level$139k
$113k123 jobs$154k
Mid-Level$170k
$149k716 jobs$195k
Senior$195k
$171k2,164 jobs$225k
Lead / Staff+$229k
$208k396 jobs$260k

Salary by Work Mode

On-site$202k
$171k685 jobs$236k
Hybrid$201k
$174k920 jobs$233k
Remote$177k
$161k1,180 jobs$209k

Software Engineer Jobs Hiring Now

View all jobs
recruiting

Software Engineer

Recruiting·Arlington·$86k–$176k
Quantifind

Software Engineer

Quantifind·Palo alto·$130k–$155k
Reltio

Software Engineer

Reltio·Bengaluru·$1500k–$2500k
Adyen

Software Engineer

Adyen·Amsterdam·$120k–$160k
Abby Care

Software Engineer

Abby Care·San francisco·$100k–$150k
Shield AI

Software Engineer

Shield AI·$120k–$170k
Waymo

Software Engineer

Waymo·Mountain view·$240k–$259k
Atoms

Software Engineer

Atoms·New york·$145k–$183k

Build your resume with AI

ATS-optimized, tailored to any job description.

Start Free

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Software Engineer salary?

The median Software Engineer salary is $191,205 per year (USD). Salaries range from $168,489 (25th percentile) to $224,366 (75th percentile), based on 3,632 job listings with disclosed compensation.

How much do senior software engineers earn compared to entry level?

Senior software engineers earn a median of $195,037/year, while entry-level roles start around $138,877/year — a 40% increase with experience.

Do remote software engineers earn more or less?

Remote software engineer roles have a median salary of $177,380/year, which is 7% lower than the overall median. Based on 1,180 remote positions with disclosed pay.

What skills do software engineers need to earn top salaries?

The most in-demand skills for Software Engineer roles are AWS, Python, TypeScript, Kubernetes, React. Mastering these technologies can help you qualify for higher-paying positions in the $224,366+ range.

Which companies pay software engineers the most?

Top-paying companies for Software Engineer roles include speechify ($170k median), jobgether ($186k median), binance.us ($175k median), veeva ($190k median), open roles | anduril | anduril ($193k median). Salary varies by company size, location, and experience level.

How do I negotiate a higher software engineer salary?

Research market rates using salary data like this page. Quantify your impact with specific metrics and achievements. Highlight in-demand skills like AWS, Python, TypeScript on your resume. Use CareerPair's AI resume builder to create a compelling resume that showcases your value.