Full Stack Engineer Salary New York 2026: What to Expect
FAANG tech giants, Wall Street fintechs, and NYC startups — what full stack engineers actually earn in New York in 2026
# Full Stack Engineer Salary New York 2026: What to Expect
New York City is the only tech market in the world where a full stack engineer can choose between Google, Meta, and Goldman Sachs for their next role — and have all three compete for their attention. That dual identity, a world-class technology hub and the global capital of finance, makes NYC's full stack salary market uniquely complex and uniquely rewarding. In 2026, senior full stack engineers in New York earn $140,000–$185,000 in base salary, with total compensation packages at top employers frequently exceeding $250,000.
This guide breaks down exactly what full stack engineers earn in New York by seniority, employer type, tech stack, and market sector. For a global perspective, see the Full Stack Developer Salary Guide 2026.
Full Stack Engineer Salary by Level in New York (2026)
| Level | Experience | Base Salary | Total Comp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | 0–2 years | $90,000–$120,000 | $95,000–$130,000 |
| Mid-Level | 2–5 years | $120,000–$155,000 | $135,000–$185,000 |
| Senior | 5–9 years | $140,000–$185,000 | $175,000–$260,000 |
| Staff / Principal | 9+ years | $175,000–$230,000+ | $230,000–$350,000+ |
NYC's salary transparency law requires employers to post salary bands in job listings. At large companies, posted ranges are often intentionally wide — a $100,000–$185,000 band for a senior role is common. Negotiate toward the upper third of posted ranges if your experience aligns with the senior end of the description.
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Top NYC Employers for Full Stack Engineers
New York's full stack talent market splits across two distinct sectors, each with its own compensation structure and engineering culture.
FAANG and global tech:---
Stack Premiums: What Pays Most in NYC (2026)
Not all full stack profiles earn equally. NYC's tech and finance sectors both reward specific stacks with meaningful salary premiums:
React + Node.js: The default full stack combination across NYC tech. Engineers who own both the React frontend and Node.js backend with strong TypeScript fluency are the most in-demand profile in 2026. Premium over general full stack: approximately 8–12%. TypeScript (strict mode): Employers across both tech and finance pay a clear premium for engineers who understand TypeScript at depth — generics, discriminated unions, type-safe API contracts. This is table stakes at Stripe and Meta, and increasingly required at JPMorgan and Goldman for new hires. Next.js: App Router expertise and SSR/SSG performance optimization is a visible differentiator in 2026. NYC product companies building consumer-facing applications pay a 5–10% premium for Next.js experience combined with Core Web Vitals knowledge. Python / Django / FastAPI: The lingua franca of Wall Street and data-heavy platforms. Full stack engineers who combine a React frontend with a Python backend (Django REST or FastAPI) are especially valuable at Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg, and hedge funds. Premium: 8–15% in finance-sector roles. Go: High-performance backend systems at financial firms and infrastructure companies. Full stack engineers with Go backend experience alongside React frontends are rare and command a 10–20% premium over standard Node.js profiles at employers like Stripe and infrastructure-focused teams. GraphQL: Meta's influence means GraphQL fluency is valued across the NYC market. Engineers who can architect and optimize GraphQL APIs alongside React frontends earn 8–12% above REST-only profiles at product companies.---
NYC vs San Francisco vs Remote: Full Stack Salary Comparison
| City / Market | Junior | Mid | Senior | Staff | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | $90K–$120K | $120K–$155K | $140K–$185K | $175K–$230K+ | Dual tech + finance market |
| San Francisco | $100K–$135K | $130K–$175K | $155K–$205K | $195K–$260K+ | Highest nominal base; CA tax 13.3% |
| Remote (US) | $80K–$110K | $105K–$140K | $125K–$165K | $155K–$200K | Employer HQ location drives band |
San Francisco continues to lead in nominal base salary, typically running 8–12% above NYC at equivalent seniority levels. However, California state income tax reaches 13.3% at top income levels, compared to New York City's combined state and city tax of approximately 12.7%. The effective difference is small — and NYC's fintech bonus culture at Goldman and JPMorgan means total cash compensation often closes or eliminates the gap at senior levels.
Remote salaries for full stack engineers have stabilized in 2026 after post-pandemic compression. US-based remote roles typically pay based on the employer's HQ location. See Software Engineer Salary New York 2026 for the broader NYC engineering market.
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The Dual Market: FAANG Tech vs Fintech and Wall Street
What makes NYC unique for full stack engineers is the genuine competition between two distinct employer ecosystems with fundamentally different compensation philosophies.
FAANG and tech companies lead on equity. A senior full stack engineer at Google's NYC office might earn $170,000 base, a $30,000 bonus, and $180,000 in RSUs vesting over four years — approximately $250,000 annually in total comp. The RSU component grows with performance, and strong engineers accumulate annual refresh grants that compound significantly over a four to five year tenure. The tradeoff: RSU value fluctuates with stock prices, and vest cliffs mean first-year realized compensation is lower than the steady-state average. Finance and fintech lead on annual cash. A senior full stack engineer at Goldman Sachs might earn $165,000 base with a $55,000–$65,000 annual bonus — $220,000–$230,000 in near-guaranteed annual cash, with modest deferred compensation. JPMorgan, Bloomberg, and major hedge funds follow similar structures. The appeal for engineers: cash is unconditional, unlike equity that may take four years to fully vest or that loses value in a market downturn. Stripe and MongoDB bridge both worlds — equity-heavy like tech but with finance-domain expertise valued.In 2026, the most effective negotiation strategy in NYC is leveraging cross-sector competition: a Goldman offer strengthens your position at Google, and vice versa.
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NYC Salary Transparency Law: What Full Stack Engineers Should Know
New York City's salary transparency law (effective 2022, enforced since 2023) requires employers with four or more employees to post minimum and maximum salary ranges for every advertised role. In practice, this means:
The law covers most NYC employers including remote roles based in NYC. Most major employers in the NYC market — FAANG offices, Wall Street firms, and established fintechs — comply.
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Cost of Living Context
New York City's cost of living is the highest in the continental United States. The $140,000–$185,000 base salary range for senior full stack engineers reflects this reality directly.
An engineer earning $165,000 base in Manhattan pays approximately $52,000–$58,000 in combined federal, state, and city income taxes, leaving a net annual take-home of approximately $107,000–$113,000. After a $3,000–$4,500 per month Manhattan apartment, transportation, and general living expenses, disposable income is comfortable but not exceptional compared to equivalently-paid engineers in lower-cost cities. Engineers choosing to live in Brooklyn, Queens, or Jersey City can reduce housing costs by 25–35% while maintaining easy commute access to Midtown and the Financial District.
For an international perspective, see Full Stack Engineer Salary London 2026 and Full Stack Engineer Salary Amsterdam 2026.
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Related Salary Guides
New York City's full stack engineering market in 2026 rewards engineers who combine TypeScript depth, cross-layer product ownership, and the ability to navigate both startup culture and enterprise finance requirements. Whether you are targeting FAANG equity packages or Wall Street cash bonuses, NYC offers the highest density of senior full stack opportunities in the world — and the salary transparency law means you can see exactly what each employer is willing to pay before you apply.
Check your current salary against live NYC market benchmarks: full stack engineer salary data →See How You Stack Up
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