Software Engineer Salaries in the US: An Ultimate Guide

Role of a Software Engineer

A software engineer develops, tests and designs software to meet clients' demands. Software engineers or architects must understand programming language usage, platform, and architecture when creating applications ranging from games to network control systems. They try innovating new systems and testing and improving existing ones to implement updates.

Software Engineer Salary in the US

Multiple factors affect the individual software engineer's salary in the US. Below is a table from various sources presenting the average software engineer salary in the USA.

Source	Average Software Engineer Salary in US (Annual)
Indeed	$105,415 (+$5,000 bonus)
Built In	$136,106 (+$18,548 compensation)
Levels.fyi	$180,000
Salary.com	$130,380
Payscale	$93,805

Factors Influencing Software Engineer Salaries in the US

The significant factors that influence software engineer salaries in the US are: 

Experience Level

In general, your earning potential increases with experience. Employers value you and can pay you more as you accumulate more years of experience. Senior software engineers frequently take on leadership roles and may receive much higher salaries because they have many years of experience.

Skills and Certifications

The specialty and skill set mainly determines a software engineer's income potential. Engineers specializing in in-demand technologies like cloud computing, blockchain, or machine learning frequently earn more money.

Location

Location is one of the most powerful variables. Salaries could be lower in smaller cities or towns with fewer IT companies. On the contrary, the demand for software engineers is high, as is the pay in tech cities such as Silicon Valley and Seattle.

Scale of the Company

Software engineers working in large software companies like Google, Microsoft, or Amazon often get paid more than those in startups or smaller firms. Additionally, large IT companies often offer attractive incentives such as stock options and performance bonuses, increasing total compensation.

Average Software Engineer Salary in the US

The average annual compensation for a software engineer in the US is $105,152, including a $5,000 cash incentive. Salaries differ based on the abovementioned factors and can go as high as $227,753 in a city like San Francisco.

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Software Engineer Salary in the US: Based on City [Top 10 Cities]

The software engineer’s salary in the US per month and annually differs based on their position and location. Here is a list of software engineers' annual salaries in the top US cities.

US Cities	Software Engineer Salaries
San Francisco	$150,814 per year
New York	$150,201 per year
Seattle	$134,242 per year
Los Angeles	$123,371 per year
Atlanta	$110,000 per year
Austin	$103,930 per year
Chicago	$102,297 per year
Plano	$95,264 per year
Dallas	$92,459 per year
Houston	$90,907 per year

Software Engineer Salary in the US: Based on Company [Top 5 Companies]

The salary of a software engineer also varies based on the companies in which they work. Here is the list of the USA’s highest-paying companies for software engineers.

Companies in the US	Software Engineer Salaries
Databricks	$180,000 per year
IMC	$180,000 per year
Roblox	$200,000 per year
Two Sigma	$129,000 per year
Netflix	$325,000 per year

Software Engineer Salary in the US by Experience Level

A software engineer with less than one year of experience typically earns around $66,155, including tips, bonuses, and overtime pay.

A mid-career software engineer has one to four years of experience and an average annual salary of $86,082.

The earnings increase with an increase in experience. When experience is for ten years or more and is accompanied by good analytical skills and project management capability, one may earn between $110,000 and $167,137 annually. Pay is also anticipated for those who advance into leadership positions like development manager, technical lead, or principal software engineer. Those who advance to executive-level roles like Chief Technology Officer (CTO) can expect higher compensation.

Potential Career Growth Opportunities for Software Engineers

The career map of a software engineer is very diverse, and here are the career opportunities:

Senior Software Engineer

Software engineers can advance to a senior engineer position after gaining sufficient experience. Senior software engineers will likely be responsible for software development and implementation within a software engineering team. This is usually a highly specialized role that requires a higher degree of technical proficiency and ability.

DevOps Engineer

After gaining sufficient experience, a software engineer can decide to pursue a career in DevOps. Strong technical scripting, coding, system administration, and network engineering abilities are common among DevOps engineers.

Full-Stack Engineer

A full-stack engineer is a highly skilled software engineer who creates, tests and implements various software applications. In addition to leading code teams, they develop software, apps, and scalable web services. Full-stack engineers usually have extensive expertise in architecture design, data structure completion, code review, internal tool management, performance evaluation and upgrades.

Cloud Engineer

Cloud engineers oversee and advance any company's general cloud infrastructure. To become a software engineer in this area, one has to be equipped with technical skills in cloud computing. They should know DevOps tools that can be used to automate, monitor, and configure systems using automation and configuration management. They should also know GCP, Microsoft Azure, and other cloud computing platforms like AWS.

Technical Architect

Technical architects are responsible for developing high-level designs and managing software system implementation. They work with development teams to ensure projects comply with business goals and industry standards.

Software Engineering Manager

Along with other standard responsibilities, engineering managers supervise every facet of their team, including job performance, project deadlines, and team morale. Many software developers can transition into this job title.

VP of Engineering

Another software engineer career ladder position is the vice president of engineering, who usually answers to the chief technology officer. In addition to technical expertise, this team leadership position requires excellent managerial and strategic abilities. These professionals are in charge of managing the development process and supervising complete software development teams.

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The Impact of Certifications and Training on Software Engineer Salaries in the US

Although many organizations may offer a bonus outside of compensation for certificates preferred for specific roles, IT certifications increase professional options by offering recognizable credentials and opening up more work choices for which certifications are required.

Because AWS is now the industry standard for cloud services, certification in AWS is especially useful in domains like systems engineering and cloud architecture. The typical salary range for professionals with this certification is $130,000 to $150,000.

Professionals with CISSP certification are highly sought after due to the increasing significance of cybersecurity.

CKA-certified experts should anticipate pay increases of 15% to 20% as microservices and containerized apps become more important in software development. Data science certifications, like the Certified Data Professional (CDP), frequently result in pay that is 18% higher than that of non-certified peers, especially in sectors like tech, healthcare, and finance.

Salary of Related Professions in the USA

Listed below are the salaries of other related professionals in the US.

Profession	Salary
Field Technician	$53,170
Operations Manager	$104,813
Quality Engineer	$114,290
Project Engineer	$105,000
Test Engineer	$129,990
Project Manager	$115,026

Conclusion

This article has provided detailed insights into software engineers' salaries in the US. Do note that these figures are mentioned according to multiple sources. Apart from cities and companies, the salary of a software engineer can also vary depending on the years of experience, job position, knowledge, and expertise.

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FAQs

1. How is the salary of a software engineer in the US compared to other countries?

The US is well-recognized for paying the highest IT salaries compared to other countries.

2. What factors influence a software engineer's salary in the US?

Education, experience level, skills, industry demand, and location are major factors affecting a software engineer's salary in the US.

3. Do software engineers in the US receive bonuses?

Yes, software engineers in the US do receive bonuses.

4. How does the cost of living affect software engineer salaries in the US?

A high-paying job comes with a higher cost of living and vice versa.

5. How do salaries for software engineers in the US change with experience?

Salaries for software engineers with experience gradually increase in the US.

6. How much does an Indian software engineer earn in the USA?

In the United States, an Indian software engineer can earn between $63,500 and $205,500 annually, with most wages ranging between $120,000 and $173,000.

7. How Can I Negotiate a Higher Salary as a Software Engineer?

Understanding market trends, industry norms, and the worth of your expertise and experience is part of negotiation. Let your employer take the lead in discussing your pay scale since it may give valuable information on what the employer expects to pay and what is within their budget.

8. Which Cities Offer the Highest Software Engineer Salaries?

Seattle, Miami, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco are the cities that offer the highest incomes for software engineers.