Software engineer levels Sometimes, these years can be divided into categories. These designations offer a valuable framework, though specifics can vary by company. Levels at Facebook. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for DoorDash's total compensation packages. Level IV Software Engineers (SWEs) lead considerably larger teams of Software Engineers and operate independently, typically having Mar 17, 2025 · By embracing these strategies, you can take control of your career trajectory and confidently advance through the software engineering levels. A distinguished engineer occupies the topmost position of the hierarchy of different software engineer levels. 13M per year for Principal Architect. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Pinterest's total compensation packages. L4 (Software Engineer): Requires 2-5 years of experience. Meta also follows the same pattern. Nov 13, 2019 · Learn how software engineering job titles and levels are defined, standardized, and related to work and pay. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $127K. Nov 21, 2022 · Software Engineer standard career levels. Because there are many titles for software engineers, including: Developer; Software Developer; Programmer; Engineer; Software Development Engineer (SDE) Levels help keep everyone on the same page about expectations and career progression. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Salesforce's total compensation packages. fyi: The levels for a software engineer start at 59 with the title (with some small amount of variance Software Engineer, and each 2 levels is a title change. Level 5: Distinguished Engineer. Find out the national average salary, responsibilities and skills for each level, and how to advance your career in software development. 5 days ago · The highest paying role reported at Microsoft is Software Engineering Manager at the VP level with a yearly total compensation of $1,471,000. These positions serve as a launchpad for new engineers to start their careers in one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative tech companies. E6(Level 4): Software Engineer IV. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $370K. 2 days ago · The highest paying role reported at Netflix is Software Engineering Manager at the Director level with a yearly total compensation of $1,201,154. 4 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Discord ranges from $154K per year for L1 to $455K per year for L4. Nov 18, 2022 · Some companies use ‘Software Engineer’ and ‘Senior Software Engineer’ to address the employees who build and maintain the software product. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Goldman Sachs's total compensation packages. Apr 22, 2025 · A Staff Software Engineer, often referred to as SE V, is a senior-level position at Google that carries significant responsibilities in Software Engineering. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Snowflake's total compensation packages. Jul 6, 2024 · Level 4 Software Development Engineer I (SDE I) positions at Amazon are typically entry-level roles suitable for recent college graduates or individuals with limited professional experience. Some companies include the engineering level in their job titles. 5 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Stripe ranges from $193K per year for L1 to $933K per year for L5. 5 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Pinterest ranges from $201K per year for IC13 to $909K per year for IC17. Furthermore, engineers at this level are considered industry experts and possess an extensive knowledge base. Mid-level engineers take those problems and find solutions. Impact is typically at the immediate team scope. Dec 4, 2020 · For example, Google has eight levels on its software engineering ladder, while Facebook has seven and Microsoft thirteen. What does a Software Engineer do? A software engineer is responsible for Oct 11, 2024 · 2. Mid-level software engineer (level III) Mid-level or level three software engineers typically have three to six years of experience in programming and software development. More Levels. Search 300k+ salaries for different companies, job titles, career levels, and locations. In most product-based companies, a structured progression exists, providing techies with opportunities to advance and specialize. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for HPE's total compensation packages. 03M per year for E7. fyi developed a standard leveling tool that highlights the level ladders at many of the tech industry's most notable names. Consider that the levels above are a standard that every company can adopt and above all customize. Mid-level software engineers then explain the solution to junior engineers. 4 days ago · Amazon's salary ranges from $68,825 in total compensation per year for a Real Estate Agent in United Kingdom at the low-end to $1,893,500 for a Software Engineering Manager in United States at the high-end. 2 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Twitter ranges from $174K per year for Software Engineer (SWE) to $1. So: 59 & 60 - Software Engineer 61 & 62 - Software Engineer 2 63 & 64 - Senior Software Engineer 65, 66 & 67 - Principal Software Engineer Software engineer interns at Tiktok make $45. 00 per hour. Engineer II or Mid-Level Engineer. 28M per year for L9. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Twitter's total compensation packages. Tiktok Software Engineer Intern Salaries | $45. Software Engineer Level. L5 (Senior Software Engineer): Engineers with 5-8 years of experience. Google's software engineering levels are structured to assess an engineer’s experience, skill set, and contributions within the company. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Oracle's total compensation packages. 06M per year for Principal SWE. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Walmart's total compensation packages. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Nvidia's total compensation packages. Mar 5, 2024 · What is a Level 7 Software Engineer? Level 7 Software Engineer represents a senior-level position within the software engineering hierarchy. Mar 28, 2025 · An entry-level engineer usually requires at least a few years in this role before being promoted to a mid-level software engineer. For example, a Software Engineer II is a level two engineer. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $167K. Engineers handle moderately complex projects and mentor junior developers. Dec 22, 2024 · An entry-level software engineer can expect to earn (on average) a total compensation of around $83,699, while the annual senior software engineer salaries at JPMorgan usually are in the range of $94,100 and $200,000, the average being $144,350. Jun 23, 2023 · Salesforce Software Engineer Salary by Level. Oct 28, 2023 · Levels set general expectations and responsibilities. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $115K. The system ranges from Level 3 to Level 10, each representing a different stage in an engineer's career. Staff Engineer (Senior Staff Engineer) The Staff Engineer or Senior Staff Engineer level, is expected to lead and own complex technical initiatives. They lead major initiatives and influence the engineering culture of teams around them. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Stripe's total compensation packages. How many software engineer levels are there? There may be up to seven software engineer levels at a company, ranging Mar 5, 2025 · Here is a comprehensive breakdown of software engineer levels to help you understand roles, responsibilities, skills, experience and salary (CTC) for each level: Level 1: Software Development Engineer 1 (SDE 1) SDE 1 is an entry-level software engineer responsible for developing clean code under supervision and working on well defined tasks. Feb 16, 2025 · A level 4 principal software engineer earns, on average, around $264,518 per year. Sep 21, 2023 · Level III Software Engineers (SWEs) at Facebook must possess at least five years of engineering experience and may serve as entry-level Software Engineering Managers. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $277K. Understanding these levels — from entry-level to senior positions — and their corresponding responsibilities and expectations is crucial for career planning and progression in software engineering. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $156K. 3 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Salesforce ranges from $175K per year for Associate MTS to $1. 4 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Walmart ranges from $104K per year for L1 to $357K per year for L7. Sep 29, 2022 · The highest level engineers find problems and focus teams on those problems. Ability to mentor engineers, provide technical guidance, code reviews, design and deliver on small projects end-to-end. This software engineer is an individual who has played an enormous role in shaping the entire company. Jan 28, 2025 · Learn about the 10 engineering levels for software engineers, from entry-level to senior and managerial roles. 3. United States Average Annual Total Compensation$304,865 Base Salary . Software Engineers across all levels enjoy extensive benefits, including comprehensive health insurance, retirement plans, and complimentary gourmet meals. 4 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at DoorDash ranges from $184K per year for E3 to $1. Levels. Google has a tier-based (level-based) system for Software Engineers, from Level 3 (Software Engineer II) to Level 11 (Senior Google Fellow). Work under guidance on well-defined tasks. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $350K. 6 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at HPE ranges from $115K per year for Entry to $457K per year for Strategist. This means that your company will likely have more Jun 11, 2024 · After 15 years working in the industry I decided to create this guide where we'll explore the different levels of software engineering roles, from Associate Software Engineer to Distinguished Software Engineer, along with their scopes, technical skill requirements, soft skills, and some key takeaways that define their levels, always considering Aug 18, 2023 · Staff Engineers (L6) are at the same level as engineering managers. 00 / hr | Levels. Software engineering is no different. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $410K. For instance, within the title of "Software Engineer," there might be levels such as Software Engineer I, Software Engineer II, Senior Software Engineer, Staff Engineer, and Principal Engineer. Level Numbers: Google starts from L3, Microsoft from 59/60, and Amazon from L4. 4 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at General Motors ranges from $107K per year for L5 to $240K per year for L8. 5 days ago · The highest paying role reported at Facebook is Software Engineer at the E9 level with a yearly total compensation of $3,673,750. What company pays the most for Software Engineer? The highest paying company for a Software Engineer is OpenAI with an average total compensation of $860,000. The median total compensation package for a Partner at Microsoft is $821,922. 3 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Oracle ranges from $138K per year for IC-1 to $1. 11M per year for IC-6. Compare Levels . View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Discord's total compensation packages. TLDR: In the software engineering field, there are common levels and roles that span across industries, with some variations. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $280K. While a lot of other companies like Amazon and Microsoft use the SDE(Software Development Engineer) job family (SDE-1, SDE-2, SDE-3) to address the different levels of software developers. 5 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at HPE ranges from $115K per year for Entry to $457K per year for Strategist. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $360K. View more Software Engineer salary ranges with breakdowns by base, stock, and bonus amounts. Why Companies Structure Software Engineering Levels. Mar 4, 2025 · What is a software engineer level? A software engineer level refers to an engineer's role or position within a team or organisation. The median total compensation package for a Senior Software Engineer at LinkedIn is $308,896. Jun 21, 2024 · Software Engineer Levels: Guidance for Employers and Developers. This guide covers the fundamentals and best practices of roles, titles, levels, and compensation for technical hiring and recruiting. " They typically request four to six years of experience. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for General Motors's total compensation packages. For software engineers at Salesforce, there are five levels: Associate MTS, MTS, Senior MTS, Lead MTS, and Principal MTS. Levels range from 1 to 7 and almost till Level 3 we have SDE 1 engineers categorized. What Are Software Engineering Levels? Aug 28, 2024 · Titles and Responsibilities: The title progression differs, with Google using "Engineer" or "Staff Engineer" terms, while Microsoft uses "Software Engineer" with levels, and Amazon uses "SDE" (Software Development Engineer). Moreover, Level 7 engineers are often responsible for driving technical strategies, overseeing Feb 1, 2021 · The Senior Engineer is typically considered a 'career-level', meaning the majority of Software Engineers will spend their careers operating and contributing at this level. 4 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Goldman Sachs ranges from $113K per year for Analyst to $224K per year for Vice President. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Google's total compensation packages. However, they need less supervision and rework. Staff Software Engineers are recognised for their expertise, leadership, and contributions to the development of software projects. And junior engineers work on coding one piece of that solution. Here are the major differences between L5 and L6: Jan 15, 2025 · Examples of mid-level software engineer positions include: Mid-level software engineer. Explore our tools to help you get paid more! Software Engineer. The tool may be used to compare levels and, occasionally, titles across companies. Engineers at this level are expected to be competent, but not experts. E3; E4; E5; Show 4. Jul 29, 2024 · In the Software Technology Industry, there exists a hierarchical level designation titles based on skills, expertise, and experience. E4. They solve problems that few others can and play a critical role in setting team direction. 4 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Snowflake ranges from $215K per year for IC1 to $878K per year for IC5. Salary Levels for Software Engineers at JPMorgan Chase & Co 2 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Google ranges from $185K per year for L3 to $2. An individual's engineering level usually depends on how many years of experience they have, in addition to their skills and knowledge. Engineer II tasks and responsibilities are very similar to Engineer I. Whereas companies like Amazon or Apple follow the same SDE levels as SDE 1, SDE 2, and SDE 3. Job postings for mid-level or intermediate software engineers may be listed under levels such as "software engineer III" or "engineer 3. Levels 57 and 58 are reserved for non-permanent employees and Levels 59 and 60 are reserved for New Graduates. SDE I (L4): This is a software engineer in the greater market, someone who usually has between one to three years of industry experience. This software engineer title ranks above Engineer I in terms of field experience and craft mastery. 3 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Twitter ranges from $174K per year for Software Engineer (SWE) to $1. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $198K. The Job titles for this position are: Software Development Engineer SDE; Software Development Engineer Test SDET; Program Manager PM; Following is the complete list of Job levels at Microsoft: 5 days ago · Software Engineer compensation in United States at Nvidia ranges from $172K per year for IC1 to $601K per year for IC6. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $214K. The software engineering landscape is a dynamic arena driven by innovation and fueled by expertise. Apply to open internships and view details such as housing, relocation, transportation, and more. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $203K. 4 days ago · Apple's salary ranges from $30,845 in total compensation per year for a Human Resources in India at the low-end to $1,417,600 for a Software Engineering Manager in United States at the high-end. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $423K. Jun 12, 2024 · Software Development Engineer I (SDE 1): SDE 1 is an entry-level position for a software engineer who has recently graduated (BTech/Mtech) or has professional experience of less than 2-3 years. The median total compensation package for a Senior Software Engineer at Uber is $468,287. These professionals have more than 2 years of experience in software engineering. They are usually involved in coding, testing, and basic software development tasks. For a software engineer the lower levels are mostly about coding and design work, something like (again, these are illustrative) this: Dec 26, 2024 · L3 (Software Engineer): Entry-level engineers with 0-2 years of experience. Jun 11, 2024 · Levels are crucial for determining compensation ranges, performance expectations, and the complexity of tasks an individual is expected to handle. Some organizations might have more levels Feb 25, 2025 · Software engineer levels identify how much experience someone has in the software development field. Software development or technology companies usually form career ladders to Apr 12, 2022 · The basic (and most common) software engineer career path looks like a change of levels — engineers skip from one level to another within the framework of the role approved at the start: Junior May 24, 2024 · Google provides more than just competitive salaries. At many companies, this is considered a 'career-level', as in you can spend the rest of your career operating at this level without being pushed out for not being promoted. The median yearly compensation in United States package totals $290K. fyi The median total compensation package for a Senior Software Engineer at Bloomberg is $316,214. This includes base salary as well as any potential stock compensation and bonuses. Jan 25, 2021 · For the purposes of this article, we'll look at the first four levels within the software engineering individual contributor organization. Product Aug 14, 2024 · Google employs a structured hierarchy of Software Engineer levels, each with distinct responsibilities and expectations. Here's a table showcasing the average salaries for each level, as reported by levels. 2 days ago · A Software Engineer is paid the most in San Francisco Bay Area with an average total compensation of $281,250. jvd pidg zxnh wftybvqfs zegbqbb xoedekhq lxywg xgezbv ulf wwwe acsj mpra ydpd zspvw ypa