Software Engineer Salary Guide (2026)
Software Engineer
Loading...
Software Engineer salaries vary significantly by location, experience level, and company size. Across the 34 locations we track, the average median salary is $92,539.
The highest-paying location is San Francisco, where the median salary reaches $171,061 (cost of living: 59/100). However, high salaries don't always translate to higher purchasing power — factor in the cost of living and tax implications for each location.
United States: US-based software engineers earn between $76,317 and $251,737. Cities like San Francisco, New York and Seattle offer the most competitive packages.
Europe: European software engineers typically earn between $43,200 and $140,400 (USD equivalent). While lower in absolute terms, strong worker protections, healthcare, and paid leave can offset the gap.
United Kingdom: UK-based roles range from $56,700 to $176,400 (USD equivalent).
These figures reflect base compensation and may not include bonuses, equity grants, or other benefits that often matter when you compare offers across markets. For the most accurate picture, click into a specific city to see detailed breakdowns, top hiring companies, and career advice tailored to that market.
Compare compensation across cities. All salaries shown in local currency with USD equivalent for comparison.
| Location | Salary Range | Median | Cost of LivingCoL |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco United StatesAll San Francisco salaries | $116,240 – $251,737 | $171,061 | 59/100 |
| New York United StatesAll New York salaries | $89,328 – $232,974 | $159,554 | 100/100 |
| Seattle United StatesAll Seattle salaries | $106,363 – $209,212 | $149,172 | 95/100 |
| Los Angeles United StatesAll Los Angeles salaries | $85,382 – $222,681 | $147,722 | 33/100 |
| Remote | $80,000 – $200,000 | $130,000 | — |
| London United KingdomAll London salaries | £45,000 – £140,000 ≈ $56,700 – $176,400 | £102,500 ≈ $129,150 | 54/100 |
| Austin United StatesAll Austin salaries | $76,317 – $199,040 | $127,139 | 74/100 |
| Denver United StatesAll Denver salaries | $90,000 – $210,000 | $126,421 | 83/100 |
| Boston United StatesAll Boston salaries | $85,967 – $224,209 | $116,207 | 100/100 |
| Chicago United StatesAll Chicago salaries | $79,654 – $207,744 | $107,673 | 71/100 |
| Munich GermanyAll Munich salaries | €65,000 – €130,000 ≈ $70,200 – $140,400 | €95,000 ≈ $102,600 | 57/100 |
| Amsterdam NetherlandsAll Amsterdam salaries | €50,000 – €115,000 ≈ $54,000 – $124,200 | €94,000 ≈ $101,520 | 47/100 |
| Toronto CanadaAll Toronto salaries | CA$50,000 – CA$270,000 ≈ $37,000 – $199,800 | CA$128,750 ≈ $95,275 | 45/100 |
| Frankfurt GermanyAll Frankfurt salaries | €65,000 – €105,000 ≈ $70,200 – $113,400 | €82,000 ≈ $88,560 | 52/100 |
| Berlin GermanyAll Berlin salaries | €55,000 – €110,000 ≈ $59,400 – $118,800 | €80,000 ≈ $86,400 | 48/100 |
| Vancouver CanadaAll Vancouver salaries | CA$87,168 – CA$136,322 ≈ $64,504 – $100,878 | CA$115,614 ≈ $85,554 | 46/100 |
| Stuttgart GermanyAll Stuttgart salaries | €60,000 – €105,000 ≈ $64,800 – $113,400 | €78,000 ≈ $84,240 | 55/100 |
| Hamburg GermanyAll Hamburg salaries | €55,000 – €95,000 ≈ $59,400 – $102,600 | €72,000 ≈ $77,760 | 51/100 |
| Hannover GermanyAll Hannover salaries | €52,000 – €95,000 ≈ $56,160 – $102,600 | €72,000 ≈ $77,760 | 47/100 |
| Nuremberg GermanyAll Nuremberg salaries | €55,000 – €95,000 ≈ $59,400 – $102,600 | €72,000 ≈ $77,760 | 48/100 |
| Sydney AustraliaAll Sydney salaries | A$100,000 – A$150,000 ≈ $65,000 – $97,500 | A$118,042 ≈ $76,727 | 57/100 |
| Paris FranceAll Paris salaries | €40,000 – €100,000 ≈ $43,200 – $108,000 | €70,000 ≈ $75,600 | 57/100 |
| Cologne GermanyAll Cologne salaries | €50,000 – €98,000 ≈ $54,000 – $105,840 | €68,000 ≈ $73,440 | 49/100 |
| Dortmund GermanyAll Dortmund salaries | €50,000 – €92,000 ≈ $54,000 – $99,360 | €68,000 ≈ $73,440 | 46/100 |
| Düsseldorf GermanyAll Düsseldorf salaries | €52,000 – €95,000 ≈ $56,160 – $102,600 | €68,000 ≈ $73,440 | 51/100 |
| Essen GermanyAll Essen salaries | €48,000 – €88,000 ≈ $51,840 – $95,040 | €65,000 ≈ $70,200 | 45/100 |
| Karlsruhe GermanyAll Karlsruhe salaries | €52,000 – €74,000 ≈ $56,160 – $79,920 | €65,000 ≈ $70,200 | 45/100 |
| Bonn GermanyAll Bonn salaries | €56,000 – €72,000 ≈ $60,480 – $77,760 | €63,000 ≈ $68,040 | 48/100 |
| Dresden GermanyAll Dresden salaries | €48,000 – €88,000 ≈ $51,840 – $95,040 | €62,000 ≈ $66,960 | 44/100 |
| Tokyo JapanAll Tokyo salaries | ¥4,500,000 – ¥29,900,000 ≈ $30,150 – $200,330 | ¥9,500,000 ≈ $63,650 | 58/100 |
| Leipzig GermanyAll Leipzig salaries | €42,000 – €82,000 ≈ $45,360 – $88,560 | €58,000 ≈ $62,640 | 43/100 |
| Singapore SingaporeAll Singapore salaries | SGD 42,000 – SGD 176,400 ≈ $31,080 – $130,536 | SGD 81,000 ≈ $59,940 | 33/100 |
| Dubai United Arab EmiratesAll Dubai salaries | AED 60,000 – AED 420,000 ≈ $16,200 – $113,400 | AED 192,000 ≈ $51,840 | 39/100 |
| Bangalore | ₹320,000 – ₹1,930,000 ≈ $8,000 – $23,160 | ₹1,556,046 ≈ $18,673 | 17/100 |
USD conversions use approximate exchange rates for comparison purposes. Cost of Living: 100 = most expensive, lower is cheaper.
Go beyond salary data — practical guides to help you land the role and negotiate the best offer.
The average median software engineer salary across 34 locations is $92,539 (USD). However, this varies significantly by location — from $32,856 to $218,877 depending on the city and market.
San Francisco currently shows the highest median salary in this data set at $171,061. Absolute pay is only one part of the picture, so compare employer mix, taxes, and cost of living before treating it as the strongest overall market.
Location is one of the biggest salary drivers for software engineers. Market maturity, employer mix, cost of living, and the density of local tech hiring all influence compensation, which is why city-by-city comparisons are more useful than a single global number.
The salary ranges shown here reflect base compensation. Some employers also add bonuses, equity, and benefits, so use the city-level pages as a starting point and pressure-test any offer against the specific employer and market you are targeting.
Paste a job posting for any software engineer position. Get your match score, skill gaps, and a tailored action plan in seconds.
Free to start. No credit card.
Not sure which career fits you? Take our free career quiz to discover your ideal path.