Software engineer salary 2026: median midpoint is $190,587

The median published midpoint for a US software engineer job range is $190,587. The middle half of published midpoints runs from $166,000 to $222,000.

That is a current snapshot of the jobs in our index, not a forecast for the whole economy. Use it this week to judge a posting, set an offer target, or decide whether a range deserves a response.

The median published range midpoint gives you a market reference

We counted 5,072 US job postings that state an annual salary range. For each posting, we averaged the bottom and top figures, then found the median across those midpoints. Half of the postings sit above that midpoint and half below.

The median published range runs from $160,000 at the bottom to $220,000 at the top. That gap gives you two questions to ask: where does the employer place your offer, and what evidence would move it higher? Compare an offer’s midpoint with the market reference before you decide whether to negotiate.

The middle half of published midpoints spans $56,000. A range can look generous at the top while leaving less room at the bottom. Check both ends before treating a posting as a strong offer. The lower end matters because it often sets the employer’s first offer position.

Experience level changes the reference point you should use

We grouped postings by the seniority level stated in each listing. Entry-level roles account for 227 postings, mid-level roles for 1,383, senior roles for 2,541, and staff roles for 915. The level-specific benchmarks help when a company’s title or range feels vague.

The progression is steepest between senior and staff. If the work sounds staff-level while the range tracks a lower level, ask what decisions, systems, or teams the role owns. That gives you a concrete basis for requesting clarification or a different offer position.

Use the benchmark closest to the work, rather than accepting a broad title at face value. Entry-level data has the smallest group here, so treat that reference with more care when comparing a single posting.

Higher midpoint postings are common, while a small group of employers sits far above the market

We counted 2,163 postings with midpoints at or above $200,000, or 42.6% of the sample. By comparison, 67 postings fall below $100,000, or 1.3%. The contrast changes your search: compensation-focused candidates have a substantial pool of higher-midpoint roles, while the lowest group is relatively small.

A separate 228 postings reach at least $300,000, or 4.5% of the sample. Eight employers have median published midpoints above that level. Their current employer medians are Thinking Machines Lab at $412,500, Anthropic at $402,500, XOXO AI at $375,000, HubSpot at $346,050, Block at $329,500, Astronomer at $326,000, Ivo Inc. at $315,000, and Roku at $301,500.

Company medians are useful for deciding where to look first, but they do not predict your offer. The groups behind these employer figures range from 5 to 70 postings, so inspect the level, location, and exact range in each open role before drawing a conclusion.

If compensation is your priority, search these employers and compare the specific posting with your experience. A high employer median narrows your research; it does not remove the need to check the job itself.

Workplace arrangement shifts the benchmark for your search

Remote postings account for 756 listings, compared with 926 on-site listings and 518 hybrid listings. The median midpoint is $170,000 for remote roles, $193,000 for on-site roles, and $205,000 for hybrid roles.

The remote reference is $35,000 below the hybrid reference. That difference gives you a better starting point than applying the overall market figure to every workplace arrangement. For a remote role, compare against remote postings first. For hybrid or on-site work, ask what location expectations and office requirements justify the range.

The median published range width is $60,000. That width gives you room to ask where your experience places you inside the range, especially when a role’s midpoint is below the benchmark for its workplace arrangement. Ask, “What would place this offer closer to the middle of the posted range?”

Use the midpoint as an anchor and the range bottom as a negotiation test

Start with the midpoint that matches the role’s level and workplace arrangement. Then inspect the lower end of the range. The median bottom of published ranges is $160,000, so an offer below that warrants a question about level, location, or scope.

The upper end is information too. Ask what evidence moves a candidate toward it, such as ownership or scarce experience. Keep the discussion tied to the posting instead of treating the range as a promise.

Here are fresh postings that match this analysis.

Published ranges describe employer offers, not pay received

We measured employer-published ranges, not final negotiated pay. Your offer can land above or below the posted midpoint.

The sample includes US postings with a stated annual range. Salary disclosure covers 6,693 software engineer roles, or 30.2% of the 22,127 active software engineer roles in the index. The 5,072 postings analyzed here represent 47.6% of 10,656 active US roles, so roles without ranges may differ.

Every figure in this report is US-only, annual, and drawn from this snapshot. The midpoint is the average of a posting’s bottom and top figures. Per-level and workplace comparisons use groups with dozens of listings at minimum; employer medians use groups with at least 5 postings. Use the results to screen opportunities and prepare questions, then confirm the details of the role in front of you. Browse live roles.