Technology · Level IC3 · Salary
Senior Software Engineer salary
Typical total compensation (US national)
$243,000–$300,000
Base
$185,000
Bonus
$25,000
Equity (annual)
$60,000
Indicative, sourced — not a guarantee. Levels.fyi senior total comp p25 $135k-p75 $277k (national blend below FAANG L5 ~$423k); BLS May 2025 15-1252 p90 $214,670 anchors upper base
Pay by metro — nominal vs cost-adjusted
“Real” adjusts for cost of living, so a high headline number in an expensive metro can be worth less in practice. Ranked by real pay.
| Metro | Nominal | Real (cost-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| Austin | $283,500 | $277,941 |
| Remote (US national) | $270,000 | $270,000 |
| Atlanta | $264,600 | $270,000 |
| Seattle | $318,600 | $265,500 |
| Chicago | $270,000 | $250,000 |
| Denver | $270,000 | $245,455 |
| Boston | $291,600 | $216,000 |
| New York City | $318,600 | $205,548 |
| Los Angeles | $291,600 | $201,103 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $337,500 | $187,500 |
Grow this number — your highest-value routes
Director of Engineeringup to $660,000
$270,000 now → $610,000 in 9 yrs
Principal Engineerup to $620,000
$270,000 now → $575,000 in 9 yrs
Director of Productup to $555,000
$270,000 now → $510,000 in 11 yrs
Group Product Managerup to $475,000
$270,000 now → $435,000 in 8 yrs
Senior Engineering Managerup to $455,000
$270,000 now → $415,000 in 5 yrs