Senior Software Engineer salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 6,255 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $165,000 |
| 25th | $180,710 |
| 50th (median) | $187,595 |
| 75th | $202,000 |
| 90th | $212,100 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $156,565 | $144,000 | $165,000 | 3,159 |
| FY2021 | $158,669 | $146,296 | $168,600 | 2,821 |
| FY2022 | $164,222 | $150,000 | $178,000 | 4,272 |
| FY2023 | $176,197 | $161,000 | $189,810 | 3,380 |
| FY2024 | $178,350 | $166,658 | $194,600 | 3,905 |
| FY2025 | $185,000 | $174,113 | $200,000 | 4,096 |
| FY2026 | $191,300 | $180,710 | $203,819 | 2,159 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median senior Software Engineer salary of $187,595 is worth about $168,800 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 $187,595, 12% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | $187,662 | 2,427 |
| Amazon | $194,400 | 1,157 |
| Meta | $203,350 | 333 |
| $200,000 | 240 | |
| Salesforce | $210,000 | 223 |
| Apple | $163,862 | 79 |
| Walmart | $184,488 | 72 |
| SoFi | $205,000 | 69 |
| Snap | $163,862 | 68 |
| DocuSign | $180,710 | 62 |
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.