Software engineers generally make higher salaries than software developers. Their jobs require maintenance and architecture work over development, as well as more specialized skills. Most software engineers are expected to work longer hours and weekends.
highest salaries for software engineers
What’s the Salary of a Recent Grad with a Software Engineering Degree?
The salary you can expect with a software engineering degree depends on several factors, such as the type of software in which you specialize, your location and your employer. Read on to find out how much you can expect to earn as a recent grad.View Schools
Salary Overview
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), www.bls.gov, in May 2018 the annual median salary for a computer applications software developer was $103,620, while the annual median salary for computer systems software developers was $110,000. Depending on your company or the industry in which you work, the starting salary may be lower. The lowest-paid ten percent of application software developer salaries made $61,660 or less per year, while the highest-paid ten percent of these workers earned $161,290 or higher. For systems software developers, the lowest-paid ten percent of workers made $66,740 or less, while the highest-paid ten percent earned $166,960 or higher.
Important Facts About a Career in Software Engineering
| Work Environment | Typically in an office with the option to telecommute |
| Key Skills | Analytical, communication, computer, creativity, detail-oriented, interpersonal, and problem-solving |
| Specializations | Finance, insurance, software publishing, computer and electronic product manufacturing, computer systems design, and management |
| Similar Occupations | Computer hardware engineers, computer network architects, computer programmers, computer support specialists, computer systems analyst, and computer and information systems managers |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salaries by Industry
Your salary will also be determined, in part, by the particular job and industry in which you work. Many jobs fall into one of two categories: computer applications software developer or computer systems software developer. Typically, systems developers make higher salaries than applications developers.
The following shows average applications developer salaries for selected industries in May 2018, as reported by the BLS:
- Computer systems design: $106,830
- Software publishers: $117,270
- Management of companies and enterprises: $106,260
- Securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities: $125,050
- Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing: $130,460
The BLS also reported the following systems developer average salaries in May 2018:
- Computer systems design: $112,810
- Software publishers: $113,540
- Navigational, measuring, electromedical and control instruments manufacturing: $122,860
- Communications equipment manufacturing: $116,100
California-based software engineers earn the highest average wage of $106,857, with entries-level workers pocketing an average pay of $75,349. Meanwhile, software engineers in Illinois and New Jersey round out the top earners, bringing in average wages of $105,095 and $102,817 per year. However, compared to other states like California, New York, and Massachusetts have higher than average costs of living. Because of this, you might want to consider moving to where your potential employers are if you can afford it.
