What is the average Software Engineer salary?

The average Software Engineer base salary is $115,000, with typical range from $88,135 to $133,870. Top Engineers at late-stage companies can earn $165K+ base plus significant equity.

What's the difference between Software Engineer and Senior Software Engineer?

Software Engineers typically have 2-5 years of experience and focus on implementing features, while Senior Software Engineers have 5+ years and take on architecture decisions, mentoring, and technical leadership. Senior roles typically earn 20-40% more.

Do Software Engineers get equity compensation?

Yes, equity is a standard component of Software Engineer compensation at growth-stage SaaS companies. Typical grants range from 0.1-0.5% depending on company stage and experience level, with vesting over 4 years.

How does location affect Software Engineer salaries?

Location significantly impacts Software Engineer pay. San Francisco and New York typically pay 20-30% more than other markets. However, remote-first companies often standardize pay across locations, and many SaaS companies offer competitive remote packages.

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Software Engineer Salary Benchmarks

Comprehensive compensation data for Software Engineers at SaaS companies. Based on real salary information from 300+ companies.

Average Base Salary

$108,993

Salaries Analyzed

1,272

Typical Range

$75,000–$140,000

SaaS salary benchmarks

SaaS compensation benchmarks

B2B SaaS pay benchmarks

Salary ranges (P25–P75)

Benchmarks are derived from an anonymized dataset.
Pay is annualized to make hourly/monthly and salaried compensation comparable.

Software Engineer Salary Overview

$43,615

Bottom 25% Average

Early-stage startups

$104,357

Middle 50% Average

Growth companies

$174,706

Top 25% Average

Late-stage/public companies

Software Engineers at SaaS companies are responsible for building and maintaining the core product infrastructure. They work closely with Product Managers to implement features, write scalable code, and ensure system reliability. Many Software Engineers progress to Senior Software Engineer roles as they gain experience.

Software Engineer compensation includes competitive base salaries, equity packages at growth-stage companies, and performance bonuses. View all SaaS salary benchmarks.

Detailed Software Engineer Compensation Breakdown

Percentile Band	Average Base Salary	# of salaries
Top 25%	$174,706	342 salaries
Middle 50%	$104,357	631 salaries
Bottom 25%	$43,615	299 salaries

What Drives Higher Software Engineer Pay?

Technical expertise and specialization (full-stack, backend, frontend)
Years of experience and proven track record
Company stage and funding (Series B+ typically pays more)
Location and remote work policies

Software Engineer Compensation Structure

Base salary is primary component (vs. sales roles)
Equity grants common at growth-stage companies (0.1-0.5%)
Signing bonuses and relocation packages for senior roles
Performance bonuses typically 10-20% of base

Frequently Asked Questions

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