Software Engineering

Software Engineering Salary

$63.5K

$143K

$205.5K

$147,524

/year

$70.92

/hour

Software Engineering Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$147,524

Columbus

Ohio

$142,493

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    How much does a Software Engineering make?

    As of Jun 16, 2026, the average annual pay for a Software Engineering in the United States is $147,524 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $70.92 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,837/week or $12,293/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $205,500 and as low as $63,500, the majority of Software Engineering salaries currently range between $120,000 (25th percentile) to $173,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $205,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Software Engineering varies greatly (by as much as 53000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Software Engineering in your area makes on average $142,493 per year, or $5,031 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $147,524. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Software Engineering salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Software Engineering jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Software Engineering on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Software Engineering Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Software Engineering job is above the national average. Topping the list is Mexico, IL, , with Nome, AK, and Cupertino, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Cupertino, CA, beats the national average by $34,482 (23.4%), and Mexico, IL, furthers that trend with another $39,455 (26.7%) above the $147,524 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Software Engineering appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Mexico, IL, and San Francisco, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Software Engineering role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Mexico, IL

    $186,979

    $89.89

    Nome, AK

    $183,002

    $87.98

    Cupertino, CA

    $182,006

    $87.50

    Berkeley, CA

    $180,634

    $86.84

    Sitka, AK

    $177,719

    $85.44

    Wyoming, WY

    $175,940

    $84.59

    Mountain View, CA

    $175,555

    $84.40

    Menlo Park, CA

    $173,850

    $83.58

    San Francisco Bay Area, CA

    $173,808

    $83.56

    San Francisco, CA

    $173,808

    $83.56

    What are Top 0 Best Paying Related Software Engineering Jobs in the U.S.

    Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Software Engineering job category, we found that related job jobs have average salaries similar than Software Engineering jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Software Engineering salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $147,524 per year or $70.92 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.