Software Engineer Salary in New York 2026: $155K-$310K Complete Guide

New York City has evolved into one of the most lucrative and diverse markets in the world for software engineers. In 2026, software engineers in New York earn $155K-$310K in total compensation depending on level, employer, and specialization - with finance-sector tech roles pushing even higher. The city's unique combination of FAANG offices, Wall Street's tech transformation, a thriving fintech ecosystem, and hundreds of well-funded startups creates demand that rivals Silicon Valley.

The catch: New York has some of the highest income taxes in the United States, with state and city taxes combining to take roughly 12-15% of high earners' income. Understanding the real after-tax picture is essential for evaluating and negotiating offers here.

This guide breaks down what software engineers actually earn at each level, which employers pay the most, how NYC's tax burden compares to other hubs, and how to maximize your compensation in the city.

The NYC Tech Market in 2026

New York's tech scene is unlike any other city in the world. Rather than being dominated by a handful of hyperscalers, NYC has at least five distinct employer ecosystems that compete for engineering talent simultaneously:

FAANG and Big Tech offices - Google's Chelsea campus (Hudson Square) employs thousands of engineers and is one of its largest global offices. Meta, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft all have significant NYC presences. These offices pay standard FAANG rates: $180K-$310K total comp depending on level. Finance and fintech - Wall Street's tech transformation is real and ongoing. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley now describe themselves as tech companies that happen to do banking. Beyond traditional finance, Two Sigma, Citadel, Jane Street, and Renaissance Technologies offer the highest software engineering salaries in the city - often $300K-$600K+ for senior quant engineers. Fintech startups - Stripe's NYC office, Plaid, Brex, Ramp, and dozens of other fintech companies have significant engineering teams in New York. These companies pay $190K-$280K for senior engineers, often with meaningful equity. Media and ad tech - The New York Times, Spotify (US HQ in NYC), Viacom/Paramount, and major ad tech companies employ large engineering teams. Pay is generally 10-20% below pure tech companies but still strong at $150K-$230K. Silicon Alley startups - The Flatiron District, SoHo, and Chelsea are home to hundreds of Series A-D startups across e-commerce, real estate tech, health tech, and enterprise SaaS. These companies pay $155K-$250K for senior engineers, often with meaningful equity upside.

Salary Ranges by Level

Junior Software Engineer (0-2 years): $110K-$165K total comp

Entry-level salaries in New York are among the highest in the country. FAANG companies (Google, Meta, Amazon) pay $130K-$160K base at entry level, with RSU grants pushing first-year total comp toward $155K-$175K once sign-on bonuses are included. Finance firms like Goldman Sachs technology division start at $130K-$145K base with substantial bonuses. NYC fintech startups typically offer $115K-$140K base with equity. Even media tech companies like The New York Times or Spotify pay $105K-$130K for junior engineers - competitive nationally, though below pure tech rates.

Mid-Level Software Engineer (2-5 years): $155K-$220K total comp

This is where the NYC market's breadth becomes an advantage. FAANG mid-level engineers (Google L4, Meta E4, Amazon SDE2) earn $165K-$210K in total comp. Bloomberg and finance-sector tech roles at this level pay $155K-$195K base with 20-40% target bonuses, pushing total comp to $185K-$250K. Fintech companies like Stripe or Databricks pay $175K-$220K total comp for equivalent-level engineers. Well-funded Series B/C startups offer $155K-$185K base plus equity.

Senior Software Engineer (5-10 years): $210K-$285K total comp

Senior engineering is where NYC truly distinguishes itself from other markets. Google NYC L5 engineers earn $220K-$275K in total comp. Meta E5 and Amazon SDE3 packages at NYC offices reach $235K-$290K. Bloomberg's senior engineers earn $190K-$250K base plus substantial annual bonuses - often making total comp equal to or exceeding pure tech companies. Goldman Sachs technology division VP engineers earn $200K-$290K total comp. At senior level, the finance premium becomes most pronounced: a senior quant engineer at Two Sigma or Citadel can clear $350K-$500K+ in total compensation.

Staff/Principal Engineer (10+ years): $280K-$400K+ total comp

Staff engineers at Google NYC, Meta, and Amazon earn $280K-$370K in total annual compensation - base salaries of $220K-$260K plus RSUs and performance bonuses. At finance firms, the equivalent tier (Executive Director or Managing Director in technology) can push $400K-$700K including year-end bonuses, particularly at hedge funds and quantitative trading firms. This is the unique feature of the NYC market: the ceiling is higher than any other US city for engineers who are willing to work in finance-adjacent technology.

Top Employers in New York City

Google NYC - The Largest Tech Campus

Google's New York office in Hudson Square / Chelsea is one of the company's largest globally, employing over 10,000 people including thousands of engineers. Google pays standard FAANG rates in NYC (equivalent to Mountain View packages), with L4 engineers earning $175K-$205K total comp and L5 engineers reaching $230K-$290K. The campus covers consumer products, ads infrastructure, cloud, and research.

Meta (Facebook) NYC

Meta's 50 Hudson Yards office is one of its flagship locations. Meta pays E4-E5 engineers $185K-$295K in total comp. The NYC office focuses on business products, infrastructure, and VR/AR development. Meta's stock performance directly affects RSU value - factor this into your evaluation of total comp.

Amazon NYC

Amazon has large offices in Manhattan with teams across AWS, Alexa, and Amazon retail. Amazon's NYC compensation is consistent with other US offices: SDE2 $165K-$210K, SDE3 $220K-$270K. The company's backend-loaded RSU vesting schedule (15%/25%/30%/30%) means Year 1 compensation is lower than later years.

Bloomberg LP - Finance Tech's Cornerstone

Bloomberg is one of the most important NYC-specific employers for software engineers. As a private company that provides data infrastructure to the global financial industry, Bloomberg employs thousands of engineers in Midtown Manhattan. Pay ranges from $155K-$195K base at mid-level to $195K-$240K at senior level, with total comp including bonuses reaching $180K-$285K. Bloomberg is known for strong engineering culture, interesting technical problems (the Bloomberg Terminal is one of the most demanding real-time data systems in existence), and exceptional job security.

Goldman Sachs Technology Division

Goldman Sachs has transformed into one of New York's largest tech employers. The firm's Marcus consumer banking platform, Marquee risk analytics platform, and core trading systems employ thousands of engineers. Associate-level engineers (2-5 years) earn $145K-$185K base plus 30-70% year-end bonus, pushing total comp to $190K-$280K. VP-level engineers (5-10 years) earn $200K-$280K base plus significant bonuses. Goldman's compensation structure rewards longevity and performance more than any tech company - but the culture and hours are demanding.

JPMorgan Chase Technology

JPMorgan is the world's largest bank by assets, and its technology organization employs over 60,000 people globally, with a large concentration in NYC. Software engineer compensation runs $130K-$185K base depending on level, with year-end bonuses of 10-30%. Total comp for senior engineers reaches $190K-$260K. JPMorgan's scale means interesting distributed systems problems but a more corporate culture than pure tech companies.

Stripe NYC

Stripe's New York office is a significant engineering hub. Stripe pays competitive senior engineer packages of $200K-$270K total comp, with meaningful equity for earlier hires. The company's focus on developer infrastructure and financial primitives makes it a strong option for engineers who want finance-adjacent problems without full Wall Street immersion.

Databricks NYC

Databricks has grown rapidly and its NYC office competes aggressively for data and platform engineers. Senior engineers earn $210K-$290K total comp, with meaningful equity in a company that was valued at $62B as of its last private round. If an IPO materializes in 2026, early-stage equity could be significant.

Snap NYC

Snap's NYC office focuses on advertising technology and content platforms. Senior engineers earn $190K-$260K total comp. Snap's stock volatility is a real factor in evaluating RSU-heavy offers.

Flatiron and SoHo Startups

The Flatiron District and SoHo are home to hundreds of well-funded tech startups. Notable names include Etsy, MongoDB (HQ), Peloton (tech division), Betterment, Noom, and many others. Series B-D startups in these neighborhoods pay $160K-$240K for senior engineers with equity packages that can be meaningful if the company succeeds. The startup ecosystem is deep enough that engineers can find roles with both competitive cash and real equity upside.

NYC Income Tax: The Elephant in the Room

No honest guide to New York software engineer salaries can ignore the tax situation. NYC has some of the highest combined income taxes in the United States.

New York State income tax: Progressive rates up to 10.9% on income over $1M; effective rate around 8-9% for most high-earning engineers. New York City income tax: An additional 3.078%-3.876% on top of state tax. Yes - the city charges its own income tax, which most other major US cities do not. Combined effective rate for a software engineer earning $200K-$300K: approximately 11-13% in state+city income tax, on top of federal taxes.

Here is what that means in practice for a $220K total comp package:

A Seattle offer of $195K total comp can beat a $220K NYC offer in after-tax take-home pay. This is why NYC engineers often need to target significantly higher total comp packages to match the financial outcomes achievable in tax-advantaged markets.

The counterargument: NYC's employer diversity means the ceiling is genuinely higher here. A senior engineer who lands a Goldman Sachs VP role or a quant trading firm position can earn $350K-$600K+ - well above what's achievable in Seattle or Austin. The tax cost is real, but so is the earning potential at the top.

NYC vs SF, Seattle, and Austin: Full Comparison

For senior engineers, Seattle and Austin offer meaningfully better after-tax, after-rent take-home despite lower gross salaries. But NYC's job market depth - particularly the finance premium - means that the highest earners are disproportionately concentrated here.

See also: Software Engineer Salary Seattle 2026 and Software Engineer Salary Berlin 2026 for international comparisons.

H1B and OPT in New York

New York is one of the most H1B-friendly markets in the United States, for structural reasons beyond just employer size:

Finance sector tradition: Wall Street has recruited international talent for decades. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Two Sigma, and Citadel have well-established H1B sponsorship pipelines and legal infrastructure. This institutional comfort with immigration processing extends to their technology divisions. FAANG all sponsor: Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft all routinely sponsor H1B visas from their NYC offices. The application process follows the same national lottery but these companies have resources to pursue cap-exempt pathways and can offer L-1 transfers for international employees. STEM OPT extension: Most large NYC tech employers explicitly support 24-month STEM OPT extensions, giving international graduates from US universities up to 3 years of work authorization before needing H1B status. The concentration of international talent in NYC tech means there are well-established support networks, immigration attorneys, and internal HR resources. NYC-specific note: Some smaller NYC fintech startups and hedge funds are slower to process sponsorship due to their legal infrastructure. Always confirm sponsorship capability early in the interview process if this is relevant to your situation.

Negotiation Tips for NYC Tech Roles

Negotiating in New York requires understanding which levers actually work at each type of employer.

FAANG Negotiation

The most effective approach at Google, Meta, and Amazon is competing offers. These companies have rigid leveling and band structures for base salary, but they have significant flexibility on sign-on bonuses, RSU grant sizes, and RSU vesting schedule adjustments. A competing offer - even from a company you don't intend to join - creates urgency and justification for recruiters to push for better packages. Aim for at least two competing offers before your final deadline.

Research the actual band for your level before negotiating. Tools like Levels.fyi aggregate self-reported compensation data and give you a realistic range for what L5 or L6 engineers are actually receiving. Don't accept the first offer without at least one counter.

Finance Sector Negotiation

Finance compensation is more opaque and variable than tech. Base salaries are often non-negotiable at large banks (they have strict grade structures), but year-end bonus expectations are negotiable - particularly if you have competing tech offers that document higher total comp. Getting explicit written clarity on target bonus percentage and how it's determined is more valuable than fighting over base.

At hedge funds and quant firms, compensation is often entirely custom and negotiable. If you're a strong candidate at Two Sigma or Citadel, the number is not predetermined - it's what they're willing to pay to get you. Multiple competing offers are essential.

Startup Negotiation

At funded startups, the equity is often the most important negotiable component. Get the share count, total shares outstanding (for ownership percentage), last 409A valuation, and preferred vs common distinction in writing. Negotiate for a longer exercise window (2-5 years post-termination) and ask about secondary liquidity options if you're considering a late-stage company. Cash compensation is generally 70-85% of FAANG rates, but equity can make up the difference if the company succeeds.

General NYC Tips

Don't anchor to your current salary when interviewing. New York employers - particularly in finance - will often ask for your compensation history. Know your rights: New York City's salary transparency laws require employers to post pay ranges in job listings, giving you pre-negotiation intelligence on what they're willing to pay.

Take advantage of CareerCheck's salary data for software engineers in New York to benchmark your offer against real market data before accepting or countering. You can also explore all software engineer salary data for cross-city comparisons, or take the CareerCheck career quiz to see how your profile compares to the market.

The NYC Advantage: Career Optionality

The most underrated benefit of building your career in New York is what economists call option value. NYC is the only city in the world where a software engineer can fluidly move between:

A FAANG product engineering role

A quant trading firm's research engineering team

A Series B fintech startup with real equity upside

A major investment bank's core trading system

A media company's recommendation algorithm team

Each of these trajectories pays differently and requires different skills, but they all exist in the same city, often within the same professional network. Engineers who spend 5-10 years building a NYC career often accumulate optionality and contacts that simply don't exist in more tech-concentrated markets.

The tax cost is real. The job market depth is also real. Whether NYC is right for you depends on which level you're targeting, which industries interest you, and how much you value having a maximally diverse set of career options within a single geography.

For most senior engineers with an interest in finance-adjacent technology, the answer is that New York's earning ceiling - even after taxes - is worth serious consideration.

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Compare live salary data: Software Engineer | New York - updated monthly with real market data.