Software Engineer Salary — What They Really Pay (2026)

Q: What is the average Software Engineer salary?

The median is $142.5k per year across 415 current Software Engineer postings that list pay, with a typical range of $113.7k–$170k.

From 415 real Software Engineer postings that listed pay · annualized · updated July 2026

Median Software Engineer salary $142.5k Typical range $113.7k–$170k

$90k10th $142.5kmedian $197.9k90th

25th pct $113.7k 75th pct $170k 90th pct $197.9k 186 remote-eligible

How much does a Software Engineer make?

Across 415 real Software Engineer postings that published pay, the median salary is $142.5k a year. Most roles fall between $113.7k and $170k (the 25th–75th percentiles); the top 10% of postings pay $197.9k or more. These are annualized from live postings on the job boards and company career sites we sweep daily — hourly and contract rates converted to a yearly figure — so they reflect what employers are advertising right now, not a stale survey.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Software Engineer salary?

The median is $142.5k/year across 415 current Software Engineer postings that list pay. Half advertise more, half less; the typical range is $113.7k–$170k.

What does a top Software Engineer earn?

The 90th-percentile Software Engineer posting advertises $197.9k or more per year.

How is this salary data calculated?

From the compensation employers publish on live Software Engineer job postings, annualized to a yearly figure and aggregated into percentiles. It updates as new postings are scraped.