{"id":26233,"date":"2024-02-07T23:59:20","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T07:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/?p=26233"},"modified":"2025-01-27T04:00:31","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T12:00:31","slug":"software-engineer-salary-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.springboard.com\/blog\/software-engineering\/software-engineer-salary-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Do Software Engineers Make in 2025?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In today\u2019s rapidly evolving tech landscape, understanding the financial rewards of a career in software engineering is more crucial than ever. This comprehensive guide delves into the expected salaries for software engineers in today’s market, offering a detailed analysis beyond mere numbers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we\u2019ll explore the many factors that influence these salaries, including experience, role, industry, location, and educational background, providing a holistic view of what software engineers can anticipate regarding compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post will also cover the essential skills required for various software engineering roles, especially those at the forefront of these technological advancements, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and other emerging technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you’re a recent graduate aiming to enter the field or an experienced engineer considering a specialization in AI or ML, understanding these dynamics is key to navigating your career path and salary potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is the Average Salary of a Software Engineer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Software engineers<\/a> can earn great money. The average salary of a software engineer in the US is $124,569<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Software engineer salaries depend on multiple factors, especially experience level, location, and industry. Due to these variables, the annual salary of a software engineer can fall between $65,123 to $84,014 in the USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Software Engineer Salary \u2014 By Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your software engineering career path<\/a> impacts how much you earn. Software engineer salaries based on experience level look like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Software Engineer Intern<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Software engineering internships on your resume will help you land tech jobs faster than those who haven\u2019t interned. A software engineer intern earns an average of $92,882<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Entry-Level Software Engineer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An entry-level software engineer with professional experience of 0-3 years can earn around $77,745<\/a> annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mid-Level Software Engineer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mid-level software engineers have 3-5 years of experience. They earn an average of $97,836<\/a> annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pay scale range for mid-level software engineers is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Senior Software Engineer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When mid-level software engineers specialize in niche roles or have been in the industry for more than 5-7 years, they will qualify as senior software engineers<\/a>. They can explore product manager roles, community manager roles, etc. Their average yearly salary is around $122,900<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Software Engineer Salary \u2014 By Role<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can pivot within the software engineering field per your interests. Here are some high-paying software engineering roles<\/a> you can explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Front-End Engineer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The software development cycle is divided into the front-end and back-end<\/a>. Front-end engineers work on the client side of the website or app, i.e., elements that the user interacts with. They coordinate with front-end developers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A front-end engineer can earn an average of $120,632<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Back-End Engineer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The back-end engineer works on the backend, i.e., the server side of the product. A back-end engineer can earn an average salary of $130,376<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Full-Stack Engineer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A full-stack engineer combines the expertise of both the front-end and the back-end. For example, the backend of an e-commerce website would be all the processes that happen behind the scenes to present information to the user based on their inputs. The front-end would reflect how this information is presented. Full-stack engineers work alongside full-stack developers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A full-stack engineer can earn an average salary of $122,307<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Related Read: Full-Stack Developer vs. Software Engineer: Complete Comparison<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quality Assurance Engineer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A quality assurance<\/a> engineer ensures that the product fulfills the quality thresholds at the development stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each part of the software development lifecycle requires a \u201cfit for use\u201d parameter. A QA engineer assesses the product at every step before it moves to the next part of the cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A QA engineer\u2019s average salary is $72,619<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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DevOps Engineer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

DevOps (development + operations) combines development and IT operations. A DevOps Engineer ensures the smooth functioning of the IT infrastructure during software development. They earn an average salary of $130,376<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Software Engineer Salary \u2014 By Industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some industries value software engineers more than others. Here\u2019s a glance at the top-paying fields for software engineers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tech<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The technology field is the highest-paying industry for software engineers. According to Dice\u2019s Tech Salary Report<\/a>, the average salary for tech talent in the software engineering field was $111,348 in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With an increase in the digitization of finance and banking processes, the finance sector also has a high demand for software engineers. They can earn an average of $127,949<\/a> every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Retail<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Retail engineers streamline the tech stack for e-commerce platforms and retail stores. During the pandemic, this role primarily involved shifting offline records and processes to online systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The yearly average salary of retail software engineers is $95,167.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Healthcare<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Medical software engineers have a pivotal role in the healthcare industry. They maintain patient records and ensure that data-sharing across different hospital departments is smooth for the healthcare staff’s timely delivery of care. Their job duties include troubleshooting any issues with medical devices like X-ray imaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Software engineers in the healthcare industry earn an average of $134,298<\/a> per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Government<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Prevalent use of government-funded apps and websites leads to high demand for software engineers and software developers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A software engineer working for the government can earn an average of $111,000<\/a> per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Software Engineer Salary \u2014 By Popular Companies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now it\u2019s time to look at what the most coveted organizations in the software engineering field pay. Remember, these organizations may have intricate hierarchies for software engineers at different experience levels. These figures will present an average of these salary bands for each organization:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Google is part of the FAANG group of companies<\/a>. Most budding software engineers aim to work at Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fresh college grad or someone with only internship experience can expect a yearly starting base salary of $147,987<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Amazon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As another FAANG tech company, Amazon pays its software engineers well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Entry-level software engineers can expect a total pay of about $177,000<\/a>. This includes the base pay, bonuses, and stock options. As you progress through levels of experience (starting from L4 till L10), you can expect to hit $547,000 as a principal software engineer<\/a>, which is the 4th level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wells Fargo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The software engineering salary at Wells Fargo is determined across 6 levels. You start as an associate software engineer in your first year. You can earn a total starting salary of $99,000<\/a> at this level, with a base salary of $95,000 plus additional cash compensations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Boeing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At Boeing, software engineers start with a total salary of $89,000<\/a>. When they gain 2-3 years of experience, they can earn $105,000 as an L2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Microsoft<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Microsoft is not a part of the FAANG cohort. Their indicator for the level of experience is also unlike other organizations on this list. Entry-level software engineers start at the software development engineer (SDE) level. They earn a total starting salary of $163,000<\/a>. Microsoft has 13 levels, with the highest being Distinguished Engineer and Technical Fellow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Meta<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Facebook, or Meta, is one of the most sought-after companies in the FAANG club. It has 7 levels, i.e., E3 to E9. You can start with a total salary of $192,000<\/a>. E3 to E4 is a significant jump, with the total annual salary amounting to $303,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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McKinsey & Company<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At McKinsey, your starting position will be that of a junior engineer. The base salary varies depending on your background and credentials. The average annual wage for entry-level engineers is $115,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you reach SE I, the salary jumps to $132,000<\/a>. There are 7 levels in total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Software Engineer Salary \u2014 By Education<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Building a successful career in software engineering is possible regardless of your educational background. There will be some variation in salary depending on your education level:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Degree<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can become a software engineer without a degree<\/a>. Companies are open to candidates with a solid knowledge base from other sources like software engineering bootcamps<\/a>. They also take cognizance of software engineering certifications<\/a> as an indicator of proficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With certifications and\/or bootcamp knowledge, you can earn close to an applicant with a degree if you show your expertise during the software engineering interview<\/a>. Talk about your background and learning journey in your software engineering cover letter<\/a> to compensate for the lack of a degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bachelor’s Degree<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The average salary of an entry-level software engineer with a bachelor\u2019s degree will be $77,073<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Master’s Degree<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For candidates with a master\u2019s degree, the average software engineer salary will be $77,977<\/a>. A master\u2019s degree becomes more relevant when you have the practical experience to pair with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Software Engineer Salary \u2014 By Location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depending on location, the salary of a software engineer can vary significantly. Here\u2019s what you can earn as an entry-level software engineer in the following locations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The cost of living within major states and cities in the US determines the software engineer’s salary. Here are the top-paying locations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Francisco<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The average salary of a software engineer in San Francisco is $96,466<\/a> due to high living costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Seattle<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Entry-level software engineers in Seattle earn an average of $85,153<\/a>. The annual salary range as per percentiles is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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San Jose<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Entry-level software engineers in San Jose, California (another popular choice among tech talent) earn an average of $96,852<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Boston<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Software engineers in Boston, Massachusetts, earn an average of $86,951<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New York<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The average annual salary of a software engineer in New York is $90,678<\/a>. Their salaries fall in the following percentile range:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UK<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the United Kingdom, the average entry-level software engineer salary is around \u00a350,784<\/a>. The top-paying organizations in the UK for software engineers are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n