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Computer software engineer salary
Average computer software engineer salary
$102,511
Computer Software Engineer Salary Overview
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Computer Software Engineer is approximately $102,511 annually or $49 per hour. This figure reflects a growing demand for skilled professionals in this sector. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific areas of expertise.
Salary Variation by State
In states like California and New York, software engineers can earn significantly higher salaries. For instance, California often ranks as one of the highest-paying states, with average salaries reaching up to $120,000 per year. Other states, such as Texas and Florida, also offer competitive salaries, making them attractive locations for software engineers.
Job Opportunities and Growth
With the rise of technology companies and startups, job opportunities for software engineers are abundant. Positions in fields such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and mobile app development are particularly lucrative. For those looking to enhance their prospects, gaining expertise in in-demand programming languages and frameworks can further increase earning potential.
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Where can a Computer Software Engineer earn more?
Computer software engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average computer software engineer salary by state
The average computer software engineer salary in Washington, California, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average computer software engineer salary states are West Virginia, Kansas, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for computer software engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $130,552 | $62.77 |
| 2 | California | $125,436 | $60.31 |
| 3 | Oregon | $117,498 | $56.49 |
| 4 | Vermont | $102,747 | $49.40 |
| 5 | Idaho | $101,693 | $48.89 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $101,828 | $48.96 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $100,839 | $48.48 |
| 8 | Nevada | $112,528 | $54.10 |
| 9 | New York | $103,164 | $49.60 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $91,230 | $43.86 |
| 11 | Maine | $95,239 | $45.79 |
| 12 | Utah | $88,851 | $42.72 |
| 13 | Delaware | $91,361 | $43.92 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $87,616 | $42.12 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $92,382 | $44.41 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $89,191 | $42.88 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $95,290 | $45.81 |
| 18 | Texas | $88,588 | $42.59 |
| 19 | Alaska | $95,181 | $45.76 |
| 20 | Arizona | $88,499 | $42.55 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $93,504 | $44.95 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $89,207 | $42.89 |
| 23 | Virginia | $88,454 | $42.53 |
| 24 | Maryland | $89,297 | $42.93 |
| 25 | Colorado | $88,095 | $42.35 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $88,467 | $42.53 |
| 27 | Illinois | $86,682 | $41.67 |
| 28 | Ohio | $85,035 | $40.88 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $85,175 | $40.95 |
| 30 | Montana | $84,056 | $40.41 |
| 31 | Michigan | $84,802 | $40.77 |
| 32 | Iowa | $84,829 | $40.78 |
| 33 | Indiana | $81,253 | $39.06 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $83,139 | $39.97 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $82,978 | $39.89 |
| 36 | Georgia | $81,235 | $39.06 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $81,010 | $38.95 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $79,739 | $38.34 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $81,729 | $39.29 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $78,546 | $37.76 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $80,821 | $38.86 |
| 42 | Alabama | $76,613 | $36.83 |
| 43 | Florida | $79,256 | $38.10 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $77,372 | $37.20 |
| 45 | Kansas | $77,160 | $37.10 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $78,328 | $37.66 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $79,058 | $38.01 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $60,465 | $29.07 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $73,749 | $35.46 |
| 50 | Missouri | $77,764 | $37.39 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $74,208 | $35.68 |
Highest paying cities for computer software engineers
The highest-paying cities for computer software engineers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Troy, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $134,889 | $64.85 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $131,514 | $63.23 |
| 3 | Troy, NY | $104,993 | $50.48 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $102,022 | $49.05 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $95,371 | $45.85 |
| 6 | Jersey City, NJ | $93,865 | $45.13 |
| 7 | Newark, DE | $91,364 | $43.92 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $90,367 | $43.45 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $89,692 | $43.12 |
| 10 | Reston, VA | $89,411 | $42.99 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $88,955 | $42.77 |
| 12 | Schaumburg, IL | $86,958 | $41.81 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $85,743 | $41.22 |
| 14 | Troy, MI | $85,055 | $40.89 |
| 15 | Newark, OH | $84,834 | $40.79 |
| 16 | Omaha, NE | $83,298 | $40.05 |
| 17 | Alpharetta, GA | $81,445 | $39.16 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $78,180 | $37.59 |
Computer software engineer salary details
A computer software engineer's salary ranges from $77,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $134,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a computer software engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| Average | $102,511 | $8,543 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
Highest paying computer software engineer jobs
The highest paying types of computer 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 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Data Engineer | $109,675 | $9,140 | $52.73 | 303,105 |
| Software Development Engineer | $109,147 | $9,096 | $52.47 | 356,971 |
| Software Engineer-Consultant | $113,987 | $9,499 | $54.80 | 317,033 |
| Software Systems Engineer | $107,102 | $8,925 | $51.49 | 370,518 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for computer software engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sheldon Logan Ph.D.
Top companies hiring computer software engineers now:
Which companies pay computer software engineers the most?
Computer software engineer salaries at The Citadel and Pacific Investment Management Company LLC are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average computer software engineer salary at companies like Mayo Clinic and Meta are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Citadel | $167,591 | $80.57 |
| 2 | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC | $144,425 | $69.44 |
| 3 | Mayo Clinic | $143,414 | $68.95 |
| 4 | Meta | $142,904 | $68.70 |
| 5 | Lord Abbett | $140,920 | $67.75 |
| 6 | Infoblox | $140,518 | $67.56 |
| 7 | F5 | $140,022 | $67.32 |
| 8 | Pure Storage | $139,570 | $67.10 |
| 9 | Extreme Networks | $139,326 | $66.98 |
| 10 | Palo Alto Networks | $139,280 | $66.96 |
| 11 | Apple | $138,961 | $66.81 |
| 12 | Foundry Networks | $138,863 | $66.76 |
| 13 | $138,482 | $66.58 | |
| 14 | Dolby Laboratories | $138,184 | $66.43 |
| 15 | $137,681 | $66.19 | |
| 16 | QuinStreet | $137,520 | $66.12 |
| 17 | Bridgewater Associates | $137,495 | $66.10 |
| 18 | Intuitive Surgical | $136,779 | $65.76 |
| 19 | Instinet Incorporated | $136,716 | $65.73 |
| 20 | Juniper Networks | $136,171 | $65.47 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Computer software engineer salary trends
The average computer software engineer salary has risen by $19,031 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average computer software engineer earned $83,480 annually, but today, they earn $102,511 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for computer software engineers over the last decade.
Compare computer software engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average computer software engineer salary over time
Compare computer software engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Computer software engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $103,000 | $49.28 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $99,100 | $47.66 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $96,900 | $46.58 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $95,200 | $45.76 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $93,600 | $44.99 | +1.8% |
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