Frontend Engineer Salary Seattle 2026: What to Expect at Amazon, Microsoft & More
What Seattle Frontend Engineers Actually Earn at Amazon, Microsoft, Expedia, Zillow, and Beyond
Seattle is one of the most compelling markets for frontend engineers in 2026. Home to Amazon and Microsoft headquarters, a cluster of high-growth tech companies, and zero state income tax, the city offers a combination of strong compensation and financial efficiency that few US tech hubs can match.
Whether you are evaluating a Seattle offer, benchmarking your current salary, or planning a relocation, this guide covers exactly what the Seattle frontend engineering market pays in 2026.
For a broader comparison, see the Frontend Engineer Salary Guide 2026 covering nine cities worldwide.
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Seattle Frontend Engineer Salary by Level
All figures are gross annual base salary in USD. Total compensation including RSUs, signing bonuses, and annual bonuses can be substantially higher, particularly at Amazon and Microsoft.
| Seniority | Base Salary Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0–2 years) | $90,000 – $120,000 | Strong demand from mid-market; Amazon/Microsoft SDE I hits upper end |
| Mid-Level (2–5 years) | $120,000 – $150,000 | React/TypeScript proficiency unlocks the upper range |
| Senior (5–8 years) | $145,000 – $190,000 | Core hiring band at Amazon L5, Microsoft Senior SDE |
| Staff / Principal (8+ years) | $190,000 – $230,000+ | Rare, high-impact roles at big tech and late-stage startups |
Seattle senior frontend engineers cluster around $155K–$175K base at established tech companies, with total compensation frequently reaching $200K–$280K when RSUs and bonuses are included.
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Top 10 Seattle Employers for Frontend Engineers
Seattle's frontend market is anchored by large tech firms but supported by a diverse range of product companies:
1. Amazon — The dominant employer; SDE I–III roles, AWS console and consumer products, heavy React/TypeScript usage 2. Microsoft — Huge frontend surface area from Azure portal to Microsoft 365; strong benefits and ESPP 3. Meta (Seattle office) — FAANG-tier compensation; React Native, Relay, and GraphQL stack 4. Google (Kirkland) — Close to Seattle; L4–L6 frontend roles in Cloud and YouTube teams 5. Expedia Group — Travel tech; strong Next.js and React usage, solid equity 6. Zillow — Real estate platform; TypeScript-first codebase, good work-life balance reputation 7. Redfin — Real estate; competitive salaries, smaller scale than Zillow 8. Tableau (Salesforce) — Data visualization; complex frontend challenges, post-acquisition Salesforce benefits 9. Salesforce — Multiple Seattle offices; enterprise SaaS, Lightning Web Components 10. T-Mobile — Telecoms tech hub; growing engineering headcount, competitive packages
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Stack Premiums in Seattle
Employers consistently pay more for specific frontend skills in 2026:
| Stack / Technology | Salary Premium |
|---|---|
| React + TypeScript | +10–15% vs vanilla JS |
| Next.js (App Router) | +8–12% |
| TypeScript (standalone) | +6–10% |
| Vue.js | +5–8% |
| Angular | +4–7% |
React and TypeScript together form the dominant hiring requirement across Seattle's tech sector, particularly at Amazon (where TypeScript is the standard for internal tooling and consumer products) and Microsoft (which created TypeScript). Engineers with deep Next.js experience are in strong demand for Expedia's booking platform and Zillow's property search experiences.
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Seattle vs San Francisco vs New York vs Remote
| Market | Typical Senior Base | State Income Tax | Rent (1BR) | Post-Tax Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $155,000 – $175,000 | 0% | $2,100 – $2,800 | High |
| San Francisco | $170,000 – $195,000 | Up to 13.3% | $3,200 – $4,500 | Moderate |
| New York | $155,000 – $185,000 | Up to 10.9% | $3,200 – $4,800 | Moderate |
| Remote (US) | $140,000 – $175,000 | Varies | Varies | Very High |
Seattle's zero state income tax is a genuine differentiator. A senior engineer earning $165K in Seattle will typically take home $10K–$18K more per year than an engineer earning the same salary in San Francisco or New York, even before accounting for Seattle's lower average rent. For more details on the New York market, see Frontend Engineer Salary New York 2026.
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Stock and RSU Compensation Breakdown
Equity is where Seattle offers diverge dramatically:
Amazon (L5 Senior SDE)Amazon's back-weighted vesting is important to understand: many engineers see year 1 and 2 as relatively lower-paid compared to year 3 and 4. The signing bonus is designed to bridge this gap. Microsoft's even vesting and aggressive refresh program creates a more predictable long-term income ramp.
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The Washington State Tax Advantage
Washington has no personal income tax — a fact that dramatically changes the compensation math for Seattle engineers. On a $170K salary:
This means a Seattle senior frontend engineer at $165K base typically nets $10K–$22K more annually than an equivalent SF or NYC earner — a meaningful gap that compounds over a career. Combined with lower average rent and a similar cost of living profile to Portland or Denver, Seattle's total financial picture is stronger than headline salaries suggest.
For a European perspective on frontend salaries, see Frontend Engineer Salary Berlin 2026. For the broader Seattle tech market across all roles, see Tech Salaries Seattle 2026.
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Summary
Seattle offers frontend engineers a compelling combination in 2026: strong base salaries from Amazon and Microsoft, significant RSU upside, and the permanent advantage of zero state income tax. Senior frontend engineers can realistically achieve $200K–$280K in total compensation at established tech companies while keeping a greater share of their earnings than peers in California or New York.
The market rewards React, TypeScript, and Next.js expertise most heavily — engineers who can demonstrate end-to-end ownership of modern frontend architectures are consistently landing at the top of the salary ranges.
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