

It's a measure of total compensation, which is a combination of the base salary, bonus, equity compensation, and sometimes benefits. When a software engineer at a large tech company says that they make $200,000 a year, that's not actually a $200,000 salary. In any income comparison, it's important to keep in mind that there's a difference between salary and compensation. The crucial difference between salary and compensation (Bonus: Links to where to apply!) Entry-level software engineers Ultimately, the list of highest-paying employers depends on the job you're looking for, your geographical location, and the skills you learned in a coding bootcamp online or equivalent, which can affect your rank as a software engineer.īased on anonymous survey data, here are the top 10 highest-paying employers for entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level software engineers. Top 10 highest-paying employers of software engineers But even if you're just starting out as a software engineer, the salary numbers are still attractive. Those who make the most money are more likely to report their income, which can skew the numbers toward the top end. These stratospheric compensation packages are awarded only to top-level software engineers who have extensive experience in high-demand specialties.Īlso, it's important to remember that crowdsourced information (such as survey data from Glassdoor or Levels.fyi) is inherently self-selecting, and may not be entirely reliable.

Obviously, employers aren't handing out seven-figure salaries to just anyone. At Facebook, for example, a Level E7 software engineer might make just over $1 million in total annual compensation, while a Level E8 software engineer earns $3.5 million annually. Here are the highest-paid software engineer positions in the world, earning more than $1 million per year, according to Levels.fyi:Ībove the $1 million threshold, compensation escalates rapidly. Some top software engineers earn more than $1 million per year. Which employers pay software engineers more than $1 million? Where do you fall on the level spectrum? If you're just starting out, use this list of equivalent base levels at some of the biggest software engineer employers: The majority of software engineers fall somewhere between 元 and L5 (or the equivalent). In order to get the highest-paying job possible, you need to know your level. In other words, your level can determine the entire trajectory of your career. A higher level means more seniority and higher pay. Microsoft has an entirely different leveling system that starts at Level 59 for software development engineers and tops out at Level 80 for so-called "technical fellows" who lead the field.Īlthough the exact ranking method differs between employers, the end result is the same. Google starts its entry-level engineers at Level 3, while at Apple, engineers are divided into five levels ranging from ICT2 up to ICT6. The answer depends on your level of experience.Įvery major employer uses some kind of level-based system to rank their software engineers. Whether you're a recent coding bootcamp graduate or a mid-career software engineer, the question is the same: Where should you look for the highest-paid software engineer position? A handful of senior coders can even command millions. The amount you'll be paid depends heavily on your experience, your negotiating skills, and your choice of employer.Įxperienced software engineers working at the right company can bring home several hundred thousand dollars per year.

But actual compensation varies widely from one employer to the next. The average base pay for a software engineer is $89,201 per year, according to an anonymous Glassdoor survey.
