Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science offers an online M.S. in Computer Science focusing on subjects crucial to understanding emerging systems.<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\nAbout<\/span><\/button><\/p>\nSyracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science offers an online M.S. in Computer Science focusing on subjects crucial to understanding emerging systems.<\/section>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAnd tech companies employ armies of them, experts say.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenerally, large tech companies will have thousands of software engineers,\u201d says Zuahyeer Musa, co-founder of Levels.fyi. Software engineers, in the tech space, are \u201calmost seen like an investment,\u201d he says. \u201cFor large tech companies working on a large swath of products, engineering is an investment they make in building out those products.\u201d<\/p>\n
How much do software engineers make?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\nThe average software engineer in the U.S. commands a healthy salary, too. \u201cThe median compensation for a software engineer in the U.S., for base salary, is $155,000, according to our data on Levels.fyi,\u201d says Musa. Furthermore, other internal data, sourced from ZipRecruiter and provided to Fortune<\/em>, shows that the average base salary for software engineers is roughly $116,800.\u00a0<\/p>\nBut there are other things to take into consideration beyond base salaries for software engineers\u2014who are often compensated in a variety of ways, including stock options and bonuses. \u201cThe most important thing is total compensation package, not just base salary,\u201d says Musa.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Additionally, salaries and compensation for software engineers can vary based on where you live. States where tech companies may be clustered (e.g., California, Washington, and Massachusetts) may have tighter labor pools, where workers have a bit more leverage. Conversely, states with weaker labor markets (including many states in the South and Midwest) may see the typical software engineer earn less.<\/p>\n
Senior software engineer salary<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the software engineering field, it\u2019s also important to note that you can \u201clevel\u201d up, and earn much more than your base salary indicates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the industry, there\u2019s a concept of leveling\u2014it\u2019s a median value across the whole industry that gives you a sense of what the compensation looks like overall,\u201d says Musa, who named his company, Levels.fyi, after the concept. In effect, a higher \u201clevel\u201d means you\u2019re a more senior engineer, and generally earn more money.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeveling allows you to look at what each group or level pays,\u201d he says. \u201cThe pay drastically goes up as you go up in level. At the highest levels, you\u2019re seeing more than 50% of your total compensation in stocks and bonuses\u2014it\u2019s always important to think of that,\u201d he says, when considering your options on the market.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cost of living<\/strong><\/h2>\nIf you\u2019re thinking about a career in software engineering, and want to get the most bang for your buck in terms of purchasing power (pairing a high salary with low costs), you\u2019ll also want to consider the cost of living in a given state when or if you accept a position. A high-paying job in Massachusetts will also come with higher living costs, while a high salary in Mississippi will likely coincide with lower living costs.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a lot to consider when thinking about salaries and costs, but the overall cost of living from state to state is, broadly, important.<\/p>\n\n
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