Software Engineer Salary Guide 2026
AI-integrated roles seeing consistent premiums.
National Median: $129,000
Range: $97K – $173K
Avg Total Comp
$157,000
Experience Level
Mid-level average $130k nationally; seniors reach $175k+ in Tier 1 metros.
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High Demand Track
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Metro Area Breakdown
20 MarketsSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CA
CalculatedMedian: $174,150
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley CA
Median: $186,500
New York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJ-PA
Median: $160,109
Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH
CalculatedMedian: $157,380
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue WA
CalculatedMedian: $154,800
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV
CalculatedMedian: $154,800
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA
CalculatedMedian: $154,800
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad CA
CalculatedMedian: $148,350
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL-IN-WI
CalculatedMedian: $141,900
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood CO
CalculatedMedian: $139,320
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown TX
CalculatedMedian: $135,450
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington TX
CalculatedMedian: $135,450
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta GA
CalculatedMedian: $132,870
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach FL
CalculatedMedian: $131,580
Raleigh-Durham-Cary NC
CalculatedMedian: $129,000
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI
CalculatedMedian: $126,420
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC
CalculatedMedian: $126,420
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler AZ
CalculatedMedian: $125,130
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MI
CalculatedMedian: $123,840
Salt Lake City UT
CalculatedMedian: $122,550
Benchmarks marked "Calculated" are derived from the national median using verified geographic cost-of-living multipliers. Direct survey data is used where available.