What is the average Software Engineer salary in Seattle, WA?
Software Engineers in Seattle earn a median of $172,000 per year — about 30% above the national average. Pay ranges from $123,800 (25th percentile) to $266,600 (90th percentile).
Software Engineer salary by experience level
How Seattle pay compares
Cost-of-living adjusted is the Seattle salary translated into equivalent purchasing power vs the US average (COL index 100). Useful for comparing offers across cities.
5-year salary trend
Trend extrapolated from BLS May 2024 BLS OEWS OEWS data using the latest year-over-year growth rate of 4.3%.
Software Engineer job market in Seattle
Seattle is home to Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing and a thriving startup scene. Washington has no state income tax, which boosts net pay vs California.
An estimated 6,600 software engineers work in the Seattle metro. Daily responsibilities typically include:
- Write and review code
- Design system architecture
- Debug production issues
- Collaborate with product and design
- Run code reviews
Related job salaries in Seattle
Software Engineer salary in other cities
FAQ
How much does a Software Engineer make in Seattle, WA?+
Software Engineers in Seattle earn a median of $172,000 per year — about 30% above the national average of $132,270.
What's the entry-level Software Engineer salary in Seattle?+
Entry-level Software Engineers in Seattle typically earn around $111,800 per year. Salaries scale to about $249,400 at the senior level with 8+ years of experience.
Is $172,000 a good Software Engineer salary in Seattle?+
$172,000 is the median, meaning half of Software Engineers in Seattle earn more and half earn less. Adjusted for the city's cost-of-living index of 158, that's roughly $108,900 in nationally-equivalent purchasing power.
How fast is Software Engineer pay growing in Seattle?+
Software Engineer salaries in Seattle grew about 4.3% year-over-year in the latest BLS data. The 10-year national outlook for this role is +25%.
Where do Software Engineers in Seattle get paid the most?+
The 90th percentile Software Engineer salary in Seattle is around $266,600. These typically include senior, lead, or specialist roles at major employers.
Are you being paid fairly in Seattle?
Run a free comparison against BLS data — see if your salary is below, at, or above the Seattle median.
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