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As of October 2025, the average salary for a designation-senior software engineer stands at $126,953 annually, translating to approximately $61 per hour. This figure reflects the growing demand for skilled professionals in software engineering, indicating a robust job market.
Salary variations by state can significantly impact earnings. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for technology talent. To maximize earning potential, consider relocating to high-paying states or cities.
Beyond geographical factors, the industry sector can also influence earnings. Designation-senior software engineers in finance, healthcare, and technology typically command higher salaries. Understanding these dynamics can help candidates align their career paths with lucrative opportunities.
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The highest-paying states for designation-senior software engineers are California, Washington, and Oregon. The lowest average designation-senior software engineer salary states are Louisiana, Georgia, and Alabama.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $141,344 | $67.95 |
| 2 | Oregon | $136,293 | $65.53 |
| 3 | California | $142,005 | $68.27 |
| 4 | Vermont | $123,861 | $59.55 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $119,759 | $57.58 |
| 6 | Arizona | $121,846 | $58.58 |
| 7 | Montana | $113,935 | $54.78 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $115,266 | $55.42 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $120,513 | $57.94 |
| 10 | Delaware | $114,522 | $55.06 |
| 11 | Idaho | $113,900 | $54.76 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $117,263 | $56.38 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $111,459 | $53.59 |
| 14 | Nevada | $113,150 | $54.40 |
| 15 | New York | $116,733 | $56.12 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $112,557 | $54.11 |
| 17 | Texas | $110,032 | $52.90 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $105,753 | $50.84 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $110,770 | $53.25 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $110,016 | $52.89 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $109,107 | $52.46 |
| 22 | Maine | $108,768 | $52.29 |
| 23 | Alaska | $113,808 | $54.72 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $106,927 | $51.41 |
| 25 | Utah | $103,275 | $49.65 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $106,313 | $51.11 |
| 27 | Virginia | $103,505 | $49.76 |
| 28 | Maryland | $103,985 | $49.99 |
| 29 | Indiana | $101,749 | $48.92 |
| 30 | Colorado | $102,513 | $49.29 |
| 31 | Illinois | $103,227 | $49.63 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $102,219 | $49.14 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $102,423 | $49.24 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $102,059 | $49.07 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $101,857 | $48.97 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $105,528 | $50.73 |
| 37 | Michigan | $101,027 | $48.57 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $106,578 | $51.24 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $101,686 | $48.89 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $101,472 | $48.78 |
| 41 | Kansas | $99,574 | $47.87 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $97,011 | $46.64 |
| 43 | Missouri | $99,393 | $47.79 |
| 44 | Iowa | $98,476 | $47.34 |
| 45 | Georgia | $96,074 | $46.19 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $96,477 | $46.38 |
| 47 | Alabama | $94,018 | $45.20 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $89,374 | $42.97 |
| 49 | Ohio | $93,513 | $44.96 |
| 50 | Florida | $93,522 | $44.96 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $96,315 | $46.31 |
The highest-paying cities for designation-senior software engineers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Beaverton, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $150,624 | $72.42 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $142,103 | $68.32 |
| 3 | Beaverton, OR | $136,152 | $65.46 |
| 4 | Milford, CT | $120,647 | $58.00 |
| 5 | Reno, NV | $119,012 | $57.22 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $116,888 | $56.20 |
| 7 | Cary, NC | $112,520 | $54.10 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $110,930 | $53.33 |
| 9 | Milford, MA | $109,373 | $52.58 |
| 10 | Saint Louis Park, MN | $106,916 | $51.40 |
| 11 | Ashburn, VA | $104,487 | $50.23 |
| 12 | Germantown, MD | $103,725 | $49.87 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $103,612 | $49.81 |
| 14 | Salt Lake City, UT | $102,706 | $49.38 |
| 15 | Franklin, TN | $102,283 | $49.17 |
| 16 | Dearborn, MI | $101,348 | $48.73 |
| 17 | Tulsa, OK | $100,387 | $48.26 |
| 18 | Fargo, ND | $96,726 | $46.50 |
| 19 | New Berlin, WI | $96,425 | $46.36 |
| 20 | Peachtree City, GA | $95,829 | $46.07 |
A designation-senior software engineer's salary ranges from $95,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $169,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $169,000 | $14,083 | $81 |
| 75th Percentile | $147,000 | $12,250 | $71 |
| Average | $126,953 | $10,579 | $61 |
| 25th Percentile | $109,000 | $9,083 | $52 |
| 10th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
The highest paying types of designation-senior software engineers are software engineering manager, staff software engineer, and principal software engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Architect | $114,406 | $9,534 | $55.00 | 319,594 |
| Lead Engineer | $84,927 | $7,077 | $40.83 | 301,777 |
| Software Development Engineer | $109,147 | $9,096 | $52.47 | 356,971 |
| Software Engineer-Consultant | $113,987 | $9,499 | $54.80 | 317,033 |
| Software Engineering Manager | $140,929 | $11,744 | $67.75 | 262,296 |
| Software Systems Engineer | $107,102 | $8,925 | $51.49 | 370,518 |
Top companies hiring designation-senior software engineers now:
Designation-senior software engineer salaries at Microsoft and Harley-Davidson are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average designation-senior software engineer salary at companies like Dolby Laboratories and Tesla are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $166,713 | $80.15 |
| 2 | Harley-Davidson | $158,849 | $76.37 |
| 3 | Dolby Laboratories | $156,238 | $75.11 |
| 4 | Tesla | $149,005 | $71.64 |
| 5 | Texas Instruments | $143,323 | $68.91 |
| 6 | Napster | $143,198 | $68.85 |
| 7 | Expedia Group | $142,661 | $68.59 |
| 8 | Waters | $140,595 | $67.59 |
| 9 | Nokia | $140,578 | $67.59 |
| 10 | STMicroelectronics | $137,237 | $65.98 |
| 11 | PMC-Sierra | $136,751 | $65.75 |
| 12 | Big Fish Games | $136,463 | $65.61 |
| 13 | Microsemi | $133,856 | $64.35 |
| 14 | ASML Holding | $132,615 | $63.76 |
| 15 | Reflexis Systems | $132,211 | $63.56 |
| 16 | Live Nation Entertainment | $132,147 | $63.53 |
| 17 | Hitachi U.S.A. | $131,466 | $63.20 |
| 18 | Foot Locker | $130,385 | $62.69 |
| 19 | Schneider Electric Critical Systems | $127,793 | $61.44 |
| 20 | Panasonic | $127,395 | $61.25 |
The average designation-senior software engineer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $128,462 | $61.76 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $127,428 | $61.26 |
| 3 | Retail | $127,351 | $61.23 |
| 4 | Professional | $116,393 | $55.96 |
The average designation-senior software engineer salary has risen by $23,568 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average designation-senior software engineer earned $103,385 annually, but today, they earn $126,953 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for designation-senior software engineers over the last decade.
Compare designation-senior software engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare designation-senior software engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $127,000 | $61.04 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $123,000 | $59.02 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $120,000 | $57.69 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $118,000 | $56.67 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $116,000 | $55.72 | +1.8% |
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