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How to hire an advanced software engineer

Advanced software engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring advanced software engineers in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire an advanced software engineer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per advanced software engineer on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 93,235 advanced software engineers in the US, and there are currently 263,252 job openings in this field.
  • Phoenix, AZ, has the highest demand for advanced software engineers, with 23 job openings.

How to hire an advanced software engineer, step by step

To hire an advanced software engineer, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an advanced software engineer:

Here's a step-by-step advanced software engineer hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write an advanced software engineer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new advanced software engineer
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an advanced software engineer do?

An advanced software engineer plans, designs, and develops software according to customers' requirements. They work with a company's IT branch. A software engineer's responsibility is to ensure that an application, software, or program is free from bugs, has a user-friendly user interface, and performs what it is programmed to do. They are also responsible for updates and troubleshooting after software is released.

Learn more about the specifics of what an advanced software engineer does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring an advanced software engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    An advanced software engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, advanced software engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list presents advanced software engineer salaries for various positions.

    Type of Advanced Software EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Advanced Software EngineerSoftware developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more$38-60
    Software AnalystA software analyst is responsible for creating and designing software programs and applications, as well as modifying existing ones for optimization according to business requirements. Software analysts work with the technical team to draw system codes, analyze programming languages, and ensure the stability and efficiency of software navigation by running multiple quality checks to the system... Show more$29-47
    Software ArchitectA Software Architect develops new programs for a variety of technological devices for businesses, computer games, mobile networks, and/or operating systems. They ensure architectural integrity and consistency across the entire product and work closely with executives to explain the benefits of the software.$39-75
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Java
    • Python
    • Linux
    • C
    • C++
    • C Net
    • Code Reviews
    • Debugging
    • Visualization
    • CSS
    • Jenkins
    • API
    • Front End
    • Technical Support
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Used knowledge of TCP/IP over ATM and ATM switches and Ethernet switches to accomplish demonstration.
    • Contribute to implementing microservices used to manage entities and maintain a synchronize state between supplier and distributor.
    • Improve the Java base UI performance through various optimization techniques.
    • Work on writing an API, which uses the ACTIV services to fetch the market data.
    • Azure media service is used as video server.
    • Create many T-SQL store procedures for the above mention web applications.
    More advanced software engineer duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your advanced software engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An advanced software engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for an advanced software engineer in Indiana may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level advanced software engineer usually earns less than a senior-level advanced software engineer. Additionally, an advanced software engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average advanced software engineer salary

    $101,121yearly

    $48.62 hourly rate

    Entry-level advanced software engineer salary
    $80,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 14, 2025

    Average advanced software engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Washington$119,013$57
    2California$117,735$57
    3Arizona$109,388$53
    4Texas$106,382$51
    5Georgia$104,360$50
    6Virginia$104,166$50
    7Nevada$103,828$50
    8Florida$102,373$49
    9New York$101,774$49
    10North Carolina$101,214$49
    11Illinois$98,362$47
    12Delaware$97,822$47
    13Massachusetts$96,539$46
    14New Jersey$95,985$46
    15Connecticut$95,841$46
    16Wisconsin$95,194$46
    17Pennsylvania$93,024$45
    18Colorado$92,932$45
    19Alabama$92,871$45
    20Michigan$92,740$45

    Average advanced software engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1JPMorgan Chase & Co.$119,410$57.41987
    2Electronic Arts$117,485$56.484
    3Kroger$117,065$56.287
    4Intermec Technologies Corporation$113,933$54.78
    5General Dynamics Mission Systems$112,889$54.274
    6Groupon$112,713$54.19
    7Ball$111,242$53.48
    8Tridium$109,282$52.54
    9Warner Bros.$108,272$52.0553
    10Ford Motor$107,125$51.50492
    11BorgWarner$105,639$50.791
    12ResMed$104,871$50.422
    13Masimo$104,476$50.233
    14Oshkosh$104,356$50.1711
    15Zebra Technologies$104,091$50.043
    16TGS-NOPEC GEOPHYSICAL CO LP$104,082$50.04
    17Pinnacle Technical Resources$103,330$49.6844
    18Siemens Enterprise Communications Inc$102,914$49.48
    19Relativity$102,876$49.46238
    20Movista$102,325$49.19
  4. Writing an advanced software engineer job description

    A job description for an advanced software engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an advanced software engineer job description:

    Advanced software engineer job description example

    • Bachelor's or Masters degree in an appropriate engineering discipline required
    • Minimum 8 years of engineering experience
    • 5+ years Mobile software development experience with C++ and Java programming
    • 4+ years of software design and architecture experience
    • Linux Android Experience
    • Fluency in Modern C++
    • Experience on working on Android Native Development ( CMakeLists ),
    • Experience on Conan library management. Computer Vision library integration ( Opencv , OpenPCL )
    • Camera/Image Processing skills/experience

    Preferred Qualification

    • Experience in Developing in application Java/Kotlin (Preferred)
    • Android Camera Experience ( Preferred )
    • Experience on technologies like SLAM ( ARCore ), 3D Depth Sensing (Preferred)
    • Good communications skills
    • Excellent Leadership skills, 2 years + leading/mentoring others
    • Organizational skills and attention to detail is important

    Zebra is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by law. If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance in applying for a position, please contact us at .

    The EEO is the Law poster is available here: The EEO is the Law poster supplement is available here:

    We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.


    Zebra Total Rewards includes more than just pay and is structured to meet the needs of our changing global business and evolving talent. We are committed to providing our employees with a benefits program that is comprehensive and competitive - including healthcare, wellness, inclusion networks, and continued learning and development offerings. We offer community service days, in addition to the traditional insurances, compensation, parental leave, employee assistance program and paid time off offerings depending on the country where you work.


    Salary: USD 111200.00 - USD 166800.00 Yearly


    Salary offered will vary depending on your location, job-related skills, knowledge, and experience.
    Additionally, all Zebra roles are eligible for cash incentive programs. For example, sales roles have additional opportunity to earn substantial variable compensation tied to quota achievement. In most other roles, the Zebra annual cash incentive program links Company and individual performance together. Some roles may also be eligible for long-term incentive equity awards.

  5. Post your job

    To find advanced software engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any advanced software engineers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level advanced software engineers with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your advanced software engineer job on Zippia to find and attract quality advanced software engineer candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting advanced software engineers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    Sometimes, it's not enough to interview advanced software engineer candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

    • TestDome
    • CodeSignal
    • Testlify
    • BarRaiser
    • Coderbyte

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new advanced software engineer

    Once you've decided on a perfect advanced software engineer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an advanced software engineer?

Hiring an advanced software engineer comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting advanced software engineers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of advanced software engineer recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

You can expect to pay around $101,121 per year for an advanced software engineer, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for advanced software engineers in the US typically range between $38 and $60 an hour.

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