Software Engineer Salaries by City: 2024 Benchmark

The US continues to lead global software engineer compensation, with significant variation between markets: San Francisco Bay Area: - Junior (0-2 years): $120K-$160K base - Mid-level (2-5 years): $160K-$220K base - Senior (5-8 years): $200K-$280K base - Staff+ (8+ years): $280K-$400K base - Total comp with equity: Add 30-100% for FAANG/top startups New York City: - Junior: $110K-$145K - Mid-level: $145K-$200K - Senior: $180K-$260K - Staff+: $260K-$380K - Note: Finance and fintech pay 20-30% premiums Seattle: - Junior: $115K-$150K - Mid-level: $150K-$210K - Senior: $190K-$270K - Staff+: $270K-$390K - Amazon and Microsoft anchor the market Austin: - Junior: $95K-$130K - Mid-level: $130K-$180K - Senior: $160K-$230K - Staff+: $220K-$320K - Growing rapidly; Tesla, Meta, Google presence increasing Remote US roles typically pay 80-90% of Bay Area rates for equivalent experience and role.

European salaries are typically 30-50% lower than US equivalents when comparing base salary, though the gap narrows when accounting for benefits, healthcare, and work-life balance. London: - Junior: £45K-£65K ($55K-$80K) - Mid-level: £65K-£95K ($80K-$115K) - Senior: £90K-£140K ($110K-$170K) - Staff+: £130K-£200K ($160K-$245K) - Finance sector pays 30-50% premiums Berlin: - Junior: €50K-€65K ($54K-$70K) - Mid-level: €65K-€90K ($70K-$97K) - Senior: €85K-€120K ($92K-$130K) - Staff+: €110K-€160K ($119K-$173K) - Strong startup ecosystem, growing quickly Amsterdam: - Junior: €50K-€70K ($54K-$76K) - Mid-level: €70K-€100K ($76K-$108K) - Senior: €95K-€130K ($103K-$141K) - Staff+: €120K-€170K ($130K-$184K) - Booking.com, Uber, Netflix anchor market Note: European packages often include 25-30 days vacation, strong parental leave, and employer pension contributions worth 5-15% additional.

APAC markets show the widest variation, from near-US levels in Singapore to 70-80% lower in parts of India. Singapore: - Junior: SGD 60K-85K ($45K-$64K) - Mid-level: SGD 85K-130K ($64K-$98K) - Senior: SGD 120K-180K ($90K-$135K) - Staff+: SGD 160K-250K ($120K-$188K) - Regional HQ for many tech giants Tokyo: - Junior: ¥5M-7M ($33K-$47K) - Mid-level: ¥7M-12M ($47K-$80K) - Senior: ¥10M-18M ($67K-$120K) - Staff+: ¥15M-30M ($100K-$200K) - Foreign tech companies pay 50-100% more than traditional Japanese firms Sydney: - Junior: AUD 80K-110K ($52K-$72K) - Mid-level: AUD 110K-160K ($72K-$104K) - Senior: AUD 150K-220K ($98K-$144K) - Staff+: AUD 200K-300K ($130K-$196K) - Canva, Atlassian, and Afterpay drive premium compensation Bangalore: - Junior: INR 8L-15L ($10K-$18K) - Mid-level: INR 15L-30L ($18K-$36K) - Senior: INR 30L-60L ($36K-$72K) - Staff+: INR 50L-100L+ ($60K-$120K+) - Top tech companies (Google, Microsoft) pay 2-3x market rates