"How much does a software engineer make?" has two correct answers that differ by about $60,000. Here's why, and what actually moves your number in 2026.
Two numbers, both right
- $135,980: the median US software developer wage (BLS, May 2025). It covers every employer, from banks and hospitals to small agencies, and counts base pay and bonuses but not stock. The middle half earned $105,210 to $171,980.
- $198,000: the median total compensation reported to Levels.fyi (Oct 23, 2026, 47,830 reports). That includes stock and bonuses, and skews toward the companies that pay the most.
The gap between the two is mostly equity and the type of employer. Whether a company grants stock can matter as much as your city.
Has pay kept up with inflation? Barely. The BLS median rose 2.2% from May 2024 to May 2025, while prices rose 2.4%. Matching the May 2025 median's buying power in September 2026 takes about $142,600, a useful floor if you're asking for a raise.
Level is the biggest lever
Stack Overflow's 2026 survey (US developers, median pay):
| Experience | Median |
|---|---|
| 0–2 years | $90,000 |
| 3–5 years | $100,000 |
| 6–10 years | $144,000 |
| 11–15 years | $170,000 |
| 16+ years | $167,000 |
At top-paying tech companies (Levels.fyi), the curve is far steeper: $155,000 entry level → $226,000 mid → $312,600 senior → $457,500 staff → $551,200 principal. In 2025, staff pay grew fastest (+7.52%) while principal pay fell 6.58%.
Location: cost of living reshuffles the middle
San Jose has the highest median developer wage, $213,110, and stays #1 even after adjusting for local prices. The surprises are further down a ranking of 43 metros:
- Huntsville, AL: a $128,080 median ranks 37th, but 14th after the price adjustment, ahead of Austin, Denver and Chicago.
- Miami: a $132,650 median drops from 24th to 42nd once prices are counted.
Highest-paying states: California ($174,410), Washington ($166,540), New York ($166,180), Massachusetts ($165,210). Taxes aren't in these numbers. Washington, Texas and Florida have no state income tax.
Remote pays more, but only for experienced engineers
Fully remote US developers earned about 11% more than in-person peers with similar experience (hybrid about 6% more). The premium is concentrated at the senior end: at 11–15 years it was $181,000 vs $137,500 (32%), while at 3–5 years there was no gap. It's a correlation, not a raise you collect by going remote: remote roles cluster at bigger, better-paying employers.
The pool is also shrinking. 30.4% of US software postings mentioned remote or hybrid work at the end of September 2026, down from a 45.2% peak in May 2023 (Indeed).
Takeaways
- Compare offers on total compensation, and ask how the equity is valued.
- Price-adjust before relocating. A lower headline salary can buy more.
- Remote is a perk to negotiate around, not a pay bump to count on.
The full guide, with an interactive salary explorer (metro × level × remote), charts and sources: Software Engineer Salary 2026: Pay by Level, City and Remote Status.
This post was written with the help of AI, as a summary of the StackChief article above.
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