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Software applications engineer salary
Average software applications engineer salary
$104,885
Average Salary for Software Applications Engineers
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Software Applications Engineer is $104,885 per year. Factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry can significantly impact earnings. Software Applications Engineers in high-demand locations or specialized industries often see higher compensation.
Salary by State
In states like California and New York, salaries can exceed the national average, with top earnings reaching around $120,000 annually. This variation emphasizes the importance of considering regional job markets when evaluating salary potential.
Career Opportunities
With a growing reliance on technology, the demand for skilled Software Applications Engineers is increasing. Opportunities range from large tech firms to startups, each offering unique benefits and challenges. Job seekers should explore various paths, including roles in software development, application support, and systems analysis.
Conclusion
Understanding the salary landscape is crucial for aspiring Software Applications Engineers. By considering factors like location and industry, candidates can better position themselves for competitive salaries and fulfilling careers.
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Where can a Software Applications Engineer earn more?
Software applications engineer salary estimates from across the web
Average software applications engineer salary by state
The average software applications engineer salary in California, Washington, and Idaho are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average software applications engineer salary states are Wisconsin, Kansas, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for software applications engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $121,890 | $58.60 |
| 2 | California | $123,408 | $59.33 |
| 3 | Oregon | $109,118 | $52.46 |
| 4 | Idaho | $116,777 | $56.14 |
| 5 | Utah | $95,267 | $45.80 |
| 6 | Nevada | $111,362 | $53.54 |
| 7 | Texas | $96,210 | $46.25 |
| 8 | Arizona | $97,595 | $46.92 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $91,435 | $43.96 |
| 10 | Vermont | $89,669 | $43.11 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $92,360 | $44.40 |
| 12 | Montana | $88,146 | $42.38 |
| 13 | New York | $93,952 | $45.17 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $94,312 | $45.34 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $89,372 | $42.97 |
| 16 | Delaware | $87,083 | $41.87 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $86,685 | $41.68 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $86,706 | $41.69 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $88,468 | $42.53 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $84,630 | $40.69 |
| 21 | Colorado | $88,264 | $42.43 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $87,237 | $41.94 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $85,095 | $40.91 |
| 24 | Maryland | $86,687 | $41.68 |
| 25 | Georgia | $85,959 | $41.33 |
| 26 | Alaska | $88,841 | $42.71 |
| 27 | Virginia | $85,136 | $40.93 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $85,281 | $41.00 |
| 29 | Ohio | $84,958 | $40.85 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $86,449 | $41.56 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $84,635 | $40.69 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $85,071 | $40.90 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $81,978 | $39.41 |
| 34 | Iowa | $84,297 | $40.53 |
| 35 | Florida | $84,460 | $40.61 |
| 36 | Illinois | $82,300 | $39.57 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $84,374 | $40.56 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $79,037 | $38.00 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $80,214 | $38.56 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $77,397 | $37.21 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $78,562 | $37.77 |
| 42 | Michigan | $78,532 | $37.76 |
| 43 | Connecticut | $80,033 | $38.48 |
| 44 | Maine | $78,779 | $37.87 |
| 45 | Missouri | $79,554 | $38.25 |
| 46 | Alabama | $76,731 | $36.89 |
| 47 | Kansas | $76,885 | $36.96 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $77,361 | $37.19 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $76,116 | $36.59 |
| 50 | Indiana | $75,801 | $36.44 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $76,229 | $36.65 |
Highest paying cities for software applications engineers
The highest-paying cities for software applications engineers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $132,262 | $63.59 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $122,490 | $58.89 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $110,639 | $53.19 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $98,097 | $47.16 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $96,284 | $46.29 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $94,150 | $45.26 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $89,413 | $42.99 |
| 8 | Bloomington, MN | $87,261 | $41.95 |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $85,855 | $41.28 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $85,586 | $41.15 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $85,332 | $41.02 |
| 12 | Jersey City, NJ | $84,779 | $40.76 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $84,738 | $40.74 |
| 14 | Des Plaines, IL | $82,394 | $39.61 |
| 15 | Raleigh, NC | $82,278 | $39.56 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $79,269 | $38.11 |
| 17 | Detroit, MI | $78,683 | $37.83 |
| 18 | Omaha, NE | $78,324 | $37.66 |
| 19 | Columbus, IN | $75,827 | $36.46 |
Software applications engineer salary details
A software applications engineer's salary ranges from $77,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $141,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a software applications engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $141,000 | $11,750 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59 |
| Average | $104,885 | $8,740 | $50 |
| 25th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| 10th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
Highest paying software applications engineer jobs
The highest paying types of software applications engineers are staff software engineer, principal software engineer, and software engineer lead.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Engineer | $84,927 | $7,077 | $40.83 | 301,777 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Software Analyst | $78,400 | $6,533 | $37.69 | 274,053 |
| Software Engineer-Consultant | $113,987 | $9,499 | $54.80 | 317,033 |
| Principal Software Engineer | $134,230 | $11,186 | $64.53 | 345,893 |
| Applications Developer | $89,205 | $7,434 | $42.89 | 279,877 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for software applications engineers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Rudisill
Department Head and Professor of Engineering Technology, Northern Michigan University
Top companies hiring software applications engineers now:
Which companies pay software applications engineers the most?
Software applications engineer salaries at The Citadel and Apple are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average software applications engineer salary at companies like PayPal and Netflix are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Citadel | $161,239 | $77.52 |
| 2 | Apple | $146,955 | $70.65 |
| 3 | PayPal | $143,828 | $69.15 |
| 4 | Netflix | $141,061 | $67.82 |
| 5 | Flexport | $140,943 | $67.76 |
| 6 | Cloudflare | $140,720 | $67.65 |
| 7 | eBay | $139,781 | $67.20 |
| 8 | Box | $136,290 | $65.52 |
| 9 | $135,250 | $65.02 | |
| 10 | Brocade Services Corporation | $134,562 | $64.69 |
| 11 | Evernote | $134,313 | $64.57 |
| 12 | Scribd | $132,656 | $63.78 |
| 13 | Varian Medical Systems | $132,316 | $63.61 |
| 14 | Blackstone Group | $132,099 | $63.51 |
| 15 | The Walt Disney Company | $131,607 | $63.27 |
| 16 | Intuit | $131,056 | $63.01 |
| 17 | GainSpan | $130,440 | $62.71 |
| 18 | Hulu | $130,290 | $62.64 |
| 19 | Poshmark | $128,915 | $61.98 |
| 20 | Walmart | $128,814 | $61.93 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Software Applications Engineer salary by industry
The average software applications engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average software applications engineer salary in the technology industry is $120,071, the highest of any industry.
- The average software applications engineer salary in the finance industry is $102,465.
- Software applications engineers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $94,701, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for software applications engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $120,071 | $57.73 |
| 2 | Health Care | $102,465 | $49.26 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $101,395 | $48.75 |
| 4 | Professional | $94,701 | $45.53 |
High paying software applications engineer jobs
Software applications engineer salary trends
The average software applications engineer salary has risen by $19,472 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average software applications engineer earned $85,413 annually, but today, they earn $104,885 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for software applications engineers over the last decade.
Compare software applications engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average software applications engineer salary over time
Compare software applications engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Software applications engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $105,000 | $50.43 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $101,000 | $48.76 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $99,100 | $47.66 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $97,400 | $46.82 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $95,700 | $46.03 | +1.8% |
Recently added software applications engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spacex | Application Software Engineer, Data-Top Secret Clearance | Hawthorne, CA | 06/29/2025 | $140,000 |
| Heartflow | Software Engineer, Reporting Applications | San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $130,000 |
| Calyxo Inc. | Software Engineer, Endoscopic Imaging Application Software | Pleasanton, CA | 06/28/2025 | $143,000 |
| Calyxo | Software Engineer, Endoscopic Imaging Application Software | Pleasanton, CA | 06/28/2025 | $143,000 |
| KLA Corporation | Software Applications Engineer | Austin, TX | 06/27/2025 | $131,600 |
| Apple Inc. | Software Engineering Applications | Cupertino, CA | 06/25/2025 | $143,100 |
| Intel Corp | Software Application Development Engineer | Santa Clara, CA | 06/25/2025 | $113,130 |
| Intel Corp | Software Application Development Engineer | Austin, TX | 06/25/2025 | $113,130 |
| Intel Corp | Software Application Development Engineer | Phoenix, AZ | 06/25/2025 | $113,130 |
| Intel Corp | Software Application Development Engineer | Hillsboro, OR | 06/25/2025 | $113,130 |
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