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💻 Official Bureau of Labor Statistics & Tech Benchmark (2026)

Software Engineer Salary in Seattle, WA

Detailed compensation breakdown, percentiles, and market demand for Software Engineer in Seattle, WA.

Demand: +25% (Much faster than average)
$185,600
/ year (Median Base Pay)
💵 Hourly Equivalent: $89.23/hr
📊 80% Range: $121,600 – $307,200
📍 Regional Multiplier: +28% vs National Baseline
10th % Entry $121,600
25th % Junior $153,600
50th % Median $185,600
75th % Senior $246,400
90th % Top 10% $307,200
Base Annual Salary $185,600
Target Annual Bonus $22,272
Annual Stock / Equity $40,832
Total Compensation (TC) $248,704
🛡️
Fact-Checked & Methodologically Verified by the SalaryPulse Research Team.
Data Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS Survey), DOL Certified H-1B Disclosures & Public SEC 10-K Filings. Learn about our formula →
Live Opportunities (Salary Transparency)

Verified Software Engineer Openings in Seattle, WA

Top employers actively hiring near or above the $185,600/yr median benchmark.

View All Openings →

Salary Progression by Experience Level in Seattle, WA

Estimated pay progression across career stages for Software Engineer

Entry-Level (0 - 2 yrs)

Junior Software Engineer

Recent graduates and early career entrants.

Median Pay
$121,600
Mid-Level (2 - 5 yrs)

Software Engineer

Autonomous execution and domain proficiency.

Median Pay
$185,600
Senior (5 - 8 yrs)

Senior Software Engineer

System architecture, mentorship, and project leadership.

Median Pay
$246,400
Lead / Principal (8+ yrs)

Staff / Principal

Strategic direction and cross-functional technical decisions.

Median Pay
$307,200

Top Paying Employers for Software Engineer

Verified total compensation packages by employer

Company Level Experience Base Salary Stock / Year Bonus Total Comp
NVIDIA IC5 (Principal) 9+ yrs $280,000 $420,000 $50,000 $750,000
Netflix Staff Software Engineer 9+ yrs $620,000 $80,000 $0 $700,000
Meta Platforms E6 (Staff) 8-12 yrs $275,000 $310,000 $65,000 $650,000
Google (Alphabet) L6 (Staff) 8-12 yrs $260,000 $260,000 $65,000 $585,000
Netflix Senior Software Engineer 5-9 yrs $480,000 $50,000 $0 $530,000
Apple ICT5 (Staff) 8-12 yrs $250,000 $220,000 $55,000 $525,000
NVIDIA IC4 (Senior GPU) 5-9 yrs $225,000 $240,000 $35,000 $500,000
Meta Platforms E5 (Senior) 5-8 yrs $220,000 $175,000 $42,000 $437,000
Google (Alphabet) L5 (Senior) 5-8 yrs $215,000 $150,000 $45,000 $410,000
Amazon SDE III (L6 Senior) 6-10 yrs $210,000 $165,000 $30,000 $405,000
Uber Technologies Senior 5-8 yrs $205,000 $140,000 $35,000 $380,000
Airbnb Senior 5-8 yrs $205,000 $140,000 $35,000 $380,000
Apple ICT4 (Senior) 5-8 yrs $205,000 $125,000 $35,000 $365,000
Citadel & Citadel Securities Graduate / Entry 0-2 yrs $200,000 $0 $150,000 $350,000
Jane Street Graduate / Entry 0-2 yrs $200,000 $0 $150,000 $350,000
Microsoft Senior SDE 63/64 5-9 yrs $195,000 $105,000 $40,000 $340,000
Meta Platforms E4 (Mid-Level) 2-5 yrs $178,000 $98,000 $28,000 $304,000
Google (Alphabet) L4 (Mid-Level) 2-5 yrs $175,000 $85,000 $30,000 $290,000
Amazon SDE II (L5) 2-6 yrs $172,000 $88,000 $22,000 $282,000
Uber Technologies Mid-Level 2-5 yrs $165,000 $75,000 $20,000 $260,000
Airbnb Mid-Level 2-5 yrs $165,000 $75,000 $20,000 $260,000
Apple ICT3 (Mid-Level) 2-5 yrs $165,000 $65,000 $20,000 $250,000
Microsoft SDE II 61/62 (Mid) 2-5 yrs $155,000 $55,000 $25,000 $235,000
Meta Platforms E3 (Rotational / Entry) 0-2 yrs $142,000 $50,000 $18,000 $210,000
Google (Alphabet) L3 (Entry / Junior) 0-2 yrs $145,000 $42,000 $22,000 $209,000
Amazon SDE I (L4) 0-2 yrs $138,000 $38,000 $18,000 $194,000
Microsoft SDE 59/60 (Entry) 0-2 yrs $128,000 $30,000 $15,000 $173,000

Software Engineer Salary in Other US Locations

Compare regional earnings and cost-of-living adjustments

Role Profile & Career Requirements

Software Engineers design, develop, test, and maintain software applications and systems. They write robust, scalable code, collaborate in Agile teams, and utilize cloud and modern frameworks.

Required Education
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or equivalent
Experience Benchmark
1-4 years
10-Year Projected Growth
+25% (Much faster than average)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Software Engineer make in Seattle, WA?

The median annual salary for a Software Engineer in Seattle, WA is $185,600, with entry-level professionals earning around $121,600 and top 10% senior specialists earning up to $307,200.

What is the average hourly rate for a Software Engineer in Seattle, WA?

On average, a Software Engineer in Seattle, WA makes approximately $89.23 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year.

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