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The role of an Associate Software Engineer is integral in the tech industry, focusing on software development, testing, and maintenance. As of October 2025, the average annual salary is $78,981, which averages out to about $38 per hour. However, salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, experience level, and the specific industry.
For instance, states like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the demand for tech talent. In contrast, regions with a lower cost of living may present different salary scales. For example:
In addition to geographical factors, experience plays a vital role in salary determination. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced engineers can command significantly higher wages, especially in specialized fields.
To maximize earning potential, consider exploring various job platforms, networking opportunities, and skill enhancement courses. This proactive approach not only helps in securing higher-paying roles but also builds a robust professional network.
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The highest-paying states for associate software engineers are New Jersey, Delaware, and California. The lowest average associate software engineer salary states are North Dakota, Idaho, and Nebraska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $88,309 | $42.46 |
| 2 | California | $86,891 | $41.77 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $91,620 | $44.05 |
| 4 | Washington | $78,296 | $37.64 |
| 5 | Texas | $80,588 | $38.74 |
| 6 | New York | $86,512 | $41.59 |
| 7 | Vermont | $73,165 | $35.18 |
| 8 | Ohio | $81,548 | $39.21 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $70,461 | $33.88 |
| 10 | Illinois | $73,822 | $35.49 |
| 11 | Maine | $73,442 | $35.31 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $73,390 | $35.28 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $72,361 | $34.79 |
| 14 | Missouri | $76,026 | $36.55 |
| 15 | Alaska | $73,167 | $35.18 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $73,898 | $35.53 |
| 17 | Nevada | $73,599 | $35.38 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $72,308 | $34.76 |
| 19 | Virginia | $71,674 | $34.46 |
| 20 | Florida | $70,891 | $34.08 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $67,852 | $32.62 |
| 22 | Arizona | $68,274 | $32.82 |
| 23 | Michigan | $69,322 | $33.33 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $68,462 | $32.91 |
| 25 | Oregon | $68,310 | $32.84 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $66,686 | $32.06 |
| 27 | Maryland | $69,728 | $33.52 |
| 28 | Georgia | $68,202 | $32.79 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $65,302 | $31.40 |
| 30 | Indiana | $62,725 | $30.16 |
| 31 | Utah | $62,074 | $29.84 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $61,795 | $29.71 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $63,789 | $30.67 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $65,097 | $31.30 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $64,288 | $30.91 |
| 36 | Alabama | $62,210 | $29.91 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $63,142 | $30.36 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $64,468 | $30.99 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $62,408 | $30.00 |
| 40 | Colorado | $60,422 | $29.05 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $63,418 | $30.49 |
| 42 | Idaho | $59,602 | $28.65 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $59,869 | $28.78 |
| 44 | Kansas | $61,141 | $29.39 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $62,234 | $29.92 |
| 46 | Montana | $57,597 | $27.69 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $61,306 | $29.47 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $58,406 | $28.08 |
| 49 | Iowa | $60,003 | $28.85 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $58,369 | $28.06 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $53,139 | $25.55 |
The highest-paying cities for associate software engineers are San Francisco, CA, Jersey City, NJ, and Wilmington, DE.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $93,242 | $44.83 |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | $91,625 | $44.05 |
| 3 | Wilmington, DE | $88,390 | $42.50 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $86,760 | $41.71 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $81,840 | $39.35 |
| 6 | Westerville, OH | $81,380 | $39.13 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $79,403 | $38.17 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $75,121 | $36.12 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $74,126 | $35.64 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $73,930 | $35.54 |
| 11 | Norwalk, CT | $73,595 | $35.38 |
| 12 | McLean, VA | $72,309 | $34.76 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | $72,228 | $34.73 |
| 14 | Tampa, FL | $71,623 | $34.43 |
| 15 | Columbia, MD | $69,715 | $33.52 |
| 16 | Merrimack, NH | $68,649 | $33.00 |
| 17 | Alpharetta, GA | $68,403 | $32.89 |
| 18 | Raleigh, NC | $67,508 | $32.46 |
| 19 | Columbia, SC | $64,610 | $31.06 |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN | $62,621 | $30.11 |
Associate Software Engineers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
An associate software engineer's salary ranges from $60,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $102,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $102,000 | $8,500 | $49 |
| 75th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| Average | $78,981 | $6,582 | $38 |
| 25th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
| 10th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
The highest paying types of associate software engineers are staff software engineer, principal software engineer, and software engineer lead.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Analyst | $78,400 | $6,533 | $37.69 | 274,053 |
| Lead Engineer | $84,927 | $7,077 | $40.83 | 301,777 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Software Engineering Internship | $47,164 | $3,930 | $22.67 | 301,105 |
| Data Engineer | $109,675 | $9,140 | $52.73 | 303,105 |
| Software Development Engineer | $109,147 | $9,096 | $52.47 | 356,971 |
Top companies hiring associate software engineers now:
Associate software engineer salaries at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wasabi Technologies are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate software engineer salary at companies like Match Group and The New York Times Company are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $122,752 | $59.02 |
| 2 | Wasabi Technologies | $117,634 | $56.55 |
| 3 | Match Group | $117,634 | $56.55 |
| 4 | The New York Times Company | $112,432 | $54.05 |
| 5 | Walgreens | $111,715 | $53.71 |
| 6 | JCPenney | $111,166 | $53.45 |
| 7 | Cerner | $111,111 | $53.42 |
| 8 | American Tower | $107,946 | $51.90 |
| 9 | Morgan Stanley | $107,137 | $51.51 |
| 10 | Move | $105,751 | $50.84 |
| 11 | Kohl's | $104,413 | $50.20 |
| 12 | Payscale | $104,256 | $50.12 |
| 13 | Riot Games | $103,302 | $49.66 |
| 14 | Moody's | $101,738 | $48.91 |
| 15 | Goldman Sachs | $101,591 | $48.84 |
| 16 | Belk | $101,354 | $48.73 |
| 17 | BlackLine | $101,159 | $48.63 |
| 18 | Zynga | $100,998 | $48.56 |
| 19 | DemandTec | $100,493 | $48.31 |
| 20 | NetSuite | $98,822 | $47.51 |
The average associate software engineer salary has risen by $14,662 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate software engineer earned $64,319 annually, but today, they earn $78,981 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for associate software engineers over the last decade.
Compare associate software engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare associate software engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $79,000 | $37.97 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $76,400 | $36.72 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $74,600 | $35.89 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $73,300 | $35.26 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $72,100 | $34.66 | +1.8% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | Compiler Software Engineers (Associate/Mid-Level) | El Segundo, CA | 06/30/2025 | $114,750 |
| Jeppesen | Associate Software Engineer-Test & Verification (Test & Verification) | Ridley Park, PA | 06/30/2025 | $85,000 |
| Jeppesen | Associate Software Engineer | Herndon, VA | 06/30/2025 | $92,650 |
| Jeppesen | Software Engineers-Devsecops (Associate or Experienced) | Berkeley, MO | 06/30/2025 | $104,550 |
| Blackrock | Software Engineer, Associate | Atlanta, GA | 06/30/2025 | $120,000 |
| Perspecta | Software Engineer, Associate | Annapolis, MD | 06/29/2025 | $86,000 |
| Ripplematch | UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)-Associate Software Engineer, Application VIA Ripplematch | Boston, MA | 06/29/2025 | $70,100 |
| Ripplematch | UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)-Associate Software Engineer, Application VIA Ripplematch | Atlanta, GA | 06/29/2025 | $70,100 |
| Ripplematch | UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)-Associate Software Engineer, Application VIA Ripplematch | Weston, FL | 06/29/2025 | $70,100 |
| Brooksource | Associate Software Engineer | Lansing, MI | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
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