What is the average software engineer salary in 2026?

US median software engineer salaries range from $122,000 (Chicago) to $172,000 (San Francisco) in 2026. In London the median is approximately 78,000-99,000 GBP depending on seniority and experience.

What is a good salary increase when changing jobs?

Job changers typically receive 10-20% more than internal promotions. If your current salary is below market median, a 20-30% increase on a job change is achievable.

Should I disclose my current salary in an interview?

In many US states it is illegal for employers to ask. Even where legal, you are not obligated to answer. Instead state your target: based on market research and my experience, I am targeting $X-$Y for this role.

How much does experience affect salary?

Typically 5-8% per year in the first 10 years for knowledge workers, then growth slows. Senior roles often have wide salary bands - the gap between floor and ceiling can be 30-40% for the same title.

Salary Negotiator

728x90 · Finance placement · Est. CPM $20-$48

Part of a topic cluster

This page is part of our Complete Tax Guide 2026 — a complete guide covering every aspect of this topic.

Job role

City

Years of experience

Current salary (optional)

Market median

—

Minimum ask

—

Stretch target

—

Hike vs current

—

336x280 · Finance/Insurance · Est. CPM $22-$48

How salary benchmarks are calculated

Median salaries are sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, LinkedIn Salary, and Glassdoor benchmarks for each role and city, updated for 2026. Figures are then adjusted by experience: each year of experience adds approximately 5.5% to the median, capped at 55% for 10+ years.

Adjusted salary = Base median × (1 + min(years × 0.055, 0.55))
The floor (10th percentile) is 91% of adjusted median; the stretch (90th percentile) is 119% — reflecting the typical distribution of pay within a role in that market.

Worked example with real numbers

Role: Software Engineer | City: London | Experience: 5 years | Current salary: £62,000

Step	Calculation	Result
Base median (London SE)	BLS/LinkedIn benchmark	£78,000
Experience multiplier	1 + (5 × 0.055) = 1.275	×1.275
Adjusted median	£78,000 × 1.275	£99,450
Floor (10th pct)	£99,450 × 0.91	£90,500
Stretch (90th pct)	£99,450 × 1.19	£118,300
vs. current £62,000	(£99,450 − £62,000) ÷ £62,000	+60% gap

Common mistakes to avoid

Negotiating from your current salary. Your current salary is irrelevant to market rate. Anchor to the market median for your role and city, not to a percentage increase on your existing pay.
Ignoring total compensation. A $140,000 base with no bonus and poor benefits may be worth less than $125,000 with 15% bonus, full health cover, and pension match. Always compare total comp.
Not timing the conversation. The best moment to negotiate is during the offer stage or at performance review — not six months after joining. Waiting lowers your leverage.
Accepting the first offer without testing. Over 80% of employers expect negotiation. A counter of 10–15% above the initial offer is standard. The worst outcome is they say no.
Using outdated data. Software engineering salaries in London rose 8–12% from 2024 to 2026. Using 2022 data to negotiate in 2026 significantly undervalues your market position.

Frequently asked questions

How do I negotiate a higher salary?

Research your market rate here first. Then anchor your ask 10-20% above your target and cite specific data: market rates for this role in this city.

What is a good software engineer salary in 2026?

San Francisco: $140-200K+. New York: $130-185K. Austin: $110-155K. London: £65-95K. Berlin: €58-85K.

Salary Negotiator

How salary benchmarks are calculated

Worked example with real numbers

Common mistakes to avoid

Related tools and reading

Frequently asked questions