Post job

What is a software requirements engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Brian Glas

A software requirements engineer is responsible for all the activities related to software requirements. He/She evaluates, analyzes, records, coordinates, verifies, and manages requirements of new software projects aimed at improving operational efficiency. He/She defines acceptance criteria and system performance standards. Also, he/she modifies existing software to correct errors. Additionally, he/she works with the development team to identify alternative solutions that can lower development costs or improve quality. Besides that, he/she serves as a technical liaison with end-user clients during the development of software requirements, designs, and test procedures.

Employers require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a related discipline and at least four years of related experience. Candidates must possess communication, analytical, decision-making, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. You must also be familiar with Agile development processes. Software requirements engineers earn an average salary of $84,431 yearly or $40.59 per hour. It ranges from $62,000 to $113,000.

What general advice would you give to a software requirements engineer?

Brian GlasBrian Glas LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Union University

Build relationships: Different technologies will interest and challenge you, but throughout your career, you'll find that it's the relationships that are the most important. This is harder to grasp earlier in your career, but much easier to understand after 15-20 years.
Gain different perspectives: Spend time with people in other roles that your job interacts with, and gain a solid understanding of how they view things; this is most valuable for career progression and understanding of how your work fits into the big picture.
ScoreSoftware Requirements EngineerUS Average
Salary
7.3

Avg. Salary $93,453

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.0

Growth rate 21%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 31.31%

Black or African American 2.85%

Hispanic or Latino 6.37%

Unknown 4.34%

White 54.97%

Gender

female 16.33%

male 83.67%

Age - 38
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38
Stress level
4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Software requirements engineer career paths

Key steps to become a software requirements engineer

  1. Explore software requirements engineer education requirements

    Most common software requirements engineer degrees

    Bachelor's

    70.8 %

    Master's

    22.9 %

    Associate

    4.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific software requirements engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    CSS19.07%
    HTML18.19%
    Html Css17.59%
    SQL9.08%
    Windows8.99%
  3. Complete relevant software requirements engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New software requirements engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a software requirements engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real software requirements engineer resumes.
  4. Research software requirements engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Contribute to implementing microservices used to manage entities and maintain a synchronize state between supplier and distributor.
    • Create UML sequence diagrams and message tables for visual requirements.
    • Perform requirement test, firmware, hardware diagnostics, ClearCase, and VxWorks.
    • Perform configuration management and administer SourceSafe database.
  5. Get software requirements engineer experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a software requirements engineer. The most common roles before becoming a software requirements engineer include software engineer, software engineer lead team lead and lead software architect.
  6. Apply for software requirements engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a software requirements engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first software requirements engineer job

Zippi

Are you a software requirements engineer?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average software requirements engineer salary

The average software requirements engineer salary in the United States is $93,453 per year or $45 per hour. Software requirements engineer salaries range between $66,000 and $130,000 per year.

Average software requirements engineer salary
$93,453 Yearly
$44.93 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do software requirements engineers rate their job?

Working as a software requirements engineer? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse computer and mathematical jobs