How much are senior software engineers paid?

Senior software engineers are paid around $126,708 a year ($64 an hour). However, this number can range from as low as $105,000 to as high as $165,000.

Factors such as the number of years of experience in the role, location, type of software engineer, and the company you work for all impact the earning potential of a senior software engineer.

The number of years of experience working as a senior software engineer and earning potential:

• An entry-level senior software engineer with less than one year of experience can expect to earn an average of $103,390 a year.

• An early career senior software engineer with 1-4 years of experience earns an average of $112,504 a year.

• A mid-career Senior Software Engineer with 5-9 years of experience earns an average of $118,045 a year.

• An experienced Senior Software Engineer with 10-19 years of experience earns an average of $122,907 a year.

• In their late-career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $124,419 a year.

The state where the senior software engineer position is will also impact earning potential.

The top states have the highest pay rates for senior software engineers:

• New York averages $150,000 a year

• California averages $149,986 a year

• Virginia averages $136,500 a year

• Maryland averages $135,675 a year

• Washington averages $135,000 a year

• Massachusetts averages $135,000 a year

The top states have the lowest pay rates for senior software engineers:

• Missouri averages $102,500 a year

• Oklahoma averages $102,375 a year

• Arkansas averages $100,445 a year

• Idaho averages $100,000 a year

• Montana averages $60,000 a year

The company you work for also plays a large role in earning potential.

Top companies for Senior Software Engineers:

• Bloomberg averages $172,146 per year

• Workday averages $171,217per year

• NetApp averages $170,759

• Capital One averages $168,817

• Google averages $167,472 per year

Finally, the type of senior software engineer you are (e.g., web developer, cloud) also impacts your earning potential.

Types of senior software engineers and average pay rates:

• Senior software engineer manager averages $140,000 a year

• Senior backend developer software engineer averages $120,000 a year

• Senior frontend developer software engineer averages $110,000 a year

• Senior full-stack developer software engineer averages $112,000 a year

• Senior mobile software engineer averages $120,000 a year

• Senior backend developer software engineer averages $120,000 a year

• Senior software engineer/business analyst averages $100,000 a year