Salary data · Seattle

Software Engineer Salary in Seattle 2026.

Average base
$200,000
Median
$190,000
Range
$125,000–$390,000

Complete 2026 breakdown by level. Data compiled from Levels.fyi, Glassdoor US Tech Salaries, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Built In Seattle, Payscale.

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Salary by level

Base salary ranges + averages across all levels in Seattle.

LevelRangeAverage
Junior (L3 / E3)
New grads. Amazon and Microsoft hire heavily at this band in Seattle.
$125,000–$165,000$145,000
Mid-level (L4 / E4)
Ships independently. The most-hired band across Seattle big tech.
$155,000–$205,000$180,000
Senior (L5 / E5)
Owns systems and leads projects. Total comp with equity often $340K+.
$195,000–$255,000$225,000
Staff (L6)
Cross-team leadership. Total comp routinely $430K-$580K at Amazon/Microsoft.
$245,000–$320,000$280,000
FAANG / Big Tech
Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta all have huge Seattle-area orgs. Base plus equity.
$270,000–$390,000$320,000
Base vs total comp

Seattle SWE comp is base + equity + bonus. Amazon front-loads sign-on bonuses to offset back-weighted RSU vesting; Microsoft and Google lean on steady RSUs. At senior levels total comp runs 30-60% above base.

Market bimodality

Seattle software engineer pay clusters at big tech (Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta) at $190K+ base, with a second tier of local startups and non-tech employers at $125K-$180K. Washington has no state income tax, which lifts take-home.

Top hiring companies

Companies actively hiring Software Engineers in Seattle + their typical salary bands.

Amazon
Seattle HQ, largest tech employer in the region
$160K-$350K base
Microsoft
Redmond HQ, huge eng org
$160K-$330K base
Google
Large Seattle + Kirkland offices
$175K-$340K base
Meta
Seattle + Bellevue offices
$180K-$350K base
Snowflake
Bellevue HQ, data cloud
$180K-$320K base
Stripe
Seattle engineering hub
$185K-$340K base
Zillow
Seattle HQ
$150K-$270K base
Remitly
Seattle fintech HQ
$150K-$260K base
Tableau (Salesforce)
Seattle HQ
$155K-$270K base
Redfin
Seattle HQ
$145K-$250K base

FAQs

What is the average software engineer salary in Seattle?+
The average base salary for a software engineer in Seattle is approximately $200,000 as of 2026, with a median around $190,000. Junior engineers earn $125K-$165K, mid-level $155K-$205K, senior $195K-$255K, and staff $245K-$320K. Total compensation including equity runs higher, and Washington has no state income tax.
How much do software engineers make at Amazon or Microsoft in Seattle?+
At Amazon and Microsoft, Seattle-area software engineer base salaries range from about $160K early-career to $350K for staff. Amazon caps base around $185K-$190K and adds large sign-on bonuses plus RSUs, so total comp for a senior SDE regularly reaches $350K-$450K. Microsoft leans on steady RSU grants with similar total comp.
Is $190K a good software engineer salary in Seattle?+
$190K base is right at the Seattle median and a strong mid-to-senior level. With equity and bonus, a $190K base senior role often totals $280K-$380K. Combined with no Washington state income tax, take-home is competitive with the Bay Area at equivalent levels.
Does Seattle or San Francisco pay software engineers more?+
San Francisco base salaries run slightly higher on average, but Seattle closes much of the gap through no state income tax and a lower cost of living. Amazon and Microsoft anchor a deep Seattle market. For most engineers, take-home purchasing power in Seattle is comparable to or better than the Bay Area.
What is the difference between base salary and total comp in Seattle?+
Base is fixed cash; total comp adds RSUs and bonus. Amazon's structure is distinctive: lower base cap, large sign-on bonuses in years one and two, and back-weighted RSU vesting. Microsoft and Google use steadier RSUs. At senior levels total comp is commonly 30-60% above base, so engineers compare total comp, not base.
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Salary data compiled from publicly-available sources: Levels.fyi, Glassdoor US Tech Salaries, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Built In Seattle, Payscale. Ranges reflect market observations for Software Engineer roles in Seattle as of 2026-07-28. Individual offers vary based on company, level, equity, and negotiation.