Mid-level Software Engineer salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 11,398 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $137,500 |
| 25th | $149,240 |
| 50th (median) | $161,735 |
| 75th | $173,700 |
| 90th | $183,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $134,900 | $114,800 | $143,000 | 7,805 |
| FY2021 | $131,000 | $118,773 | $144,000 | 5,271 |
| FY2022 | $139,500 | $125,000 | $152,000 | 7,039 |
| FY2023 | $145,820 | $128,502 | $159,000 | 5,539 |
| FY2024 | $152,100 | $137,000 | $163,778 | 6,607 |
| FY2025 | $158,500 | $145,000 | $170,000 | 6,584 |
| FY2026 | $165,200 | $154,400 | $178,041 | 4,814 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median mid-level Software Engineer salary of $161,735 is worth about $145,500 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 $161,735, 3% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $165,400 | 4,501 |
| Microsoft | $161,000 | 2,760 |
| $169,000 | 898 | |
| Meta | $176,890 | 348 |
| Salesforce | $161,000 | 119 |
| Expedia | $137,259 | 96 |
| Costco Wholesale | $158,500 | 84 |
| ByteDance | $190,040 | 71 |
| Nordstrom | $154,041 | 71 |
| People Tech Group | $137,259 | 66 |
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.