Software Engineer salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 29,977 certified H-1B filings in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Bothell, Issaquah.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $129,000 |
| 25th | $147,900 |
| 50th (median) | $168,376 |
| 75th | $190,486 |
| 90th | $213,300 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $135,000 | $115,500 | $152,000 | 15,225 |
| FY2021 | $140,496 | $120,000 | $160,000 | 11,764 |
| FY2022 | $148,013 | $128,000 | $170,000 | 16,569 |
| FY2023 | $154,700 | $129,000 | $177,640 | 13,190 |
| FY2024 | $162,000 | $138,705 | $183,015 | 14,709 |
| FY2025 | $165,000 | $138,000 | $190,000 | 16,660 |
| FY2026 | $172,600 | $150,000 | $194,400 | 13,317 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median Software Engineer salary of $168,376 is worth about $151,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Seattle = 111.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Seattle, WA area earned a median of $167,280 in May 2025 (92,770 employed). The H-1B median here is $168,376, 1% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $157,200 | 10,670 |
| Microsoft | $174,950 | 6,454 |
| Meta | $207,502 | 1,640 |
| $170,000 | 1,560 | |
| Apple | $190,486 | 549 |
| Salesforce | $205,200 | 436 |
| Expedia | $150,886 | 306 |
| TikTok | $207,098 | 227 |
| Snowflake | $180,710 | 207 |
| NVIDIA | $190,486 | 204 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $129,000 | 5,322 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $161,735 | 11,398 |
| Senior · Level III | $187,595 | 6,255 |
| Expert · Level IV | $217,450 | 3,954 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $110,635 | $129,000 | 5,322 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $149,240 | $161,735 | 11,398 |
| Senior · Level III | $163,862 | $187,595 | 6,255 |
| Expert · Level IV | $212,202 | $217,450 | 3,954 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.