Salary of Software Engineer in United States 2026
How much does a Software Engineer earn?
$134,777
/ Annual
Based on 1175 job listings
The average Software Engineer salary in United States is 4,777 per year or per hour. Entry level positions start at an income of ,700 per year, while more experienced professionals earn up to 5,000 per year.
$72,700 Average salary
$134,777 Maximum
$225,000
Salary data updated: March 2026
Salary distribution
Based on 482 job listings with salary
Salary by city
| City | Median / Annual | Listings | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rtp | $196,850 | 5 | +52.6% |
| San Francisco | $180,000 | 19 | +39.5% |
| San Jose | $162,000 | 18 | +25.6% |
| Redmond | $155,000 | 7 | +20.2% |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 6 | +16.3% |
| Sunnyvale | $150,000 | 5 | +16.3% |
| Annapolis Junction | $149,487 | 22 | +15.9% |
| Chantilly | $146,900 | 9 | +13.9% |
| Seattle | $142,250 | 13 | +10.3% |
| New York | $140,000 | 25 | +8.5% |
About this role
Software developers implement or program all kinds of software systems based on specifications and designs by using programming languages, tools, and platforms.
- Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system.
- Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
- Confer with data processing or project managers to obtain information on limitations or capabilities for data processing projects.
- Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
- Consult with customers or other departments on project status, proposals, or technical issues, such as software system design or maintenance.
- Coordinate installation of software system.
- Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and consequences of design.
- Determine system performance standards.
Career progression
ESCO (EU Open Data) | O*NET (U.S. DOL)
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FAQ - Software Engineer
Data updated: March 2026
Jobs in other cities
Duties, skills, education and opportunities
Methodology
- Sample: 482 job listings with published salary
- Period:
- Calculation: P10, P25, P50 (median), P75, P90 percentiles from salary ranges
- Outliers removed: salaries below P1 and above P99
- City data: minimum 5 listings for inclusion