Lauren Shroll
CodeSubmit Team
The Best Countries to Work As a Software Engineer in 2024 (Based Solely on Compensation)
Which countries pay the most for software engineers? We know you love this topic, and we're back with an update for 2024!
With today's remote workforce and distributed teams, there are more opportunities than ever to work globally. However, some areas pay software engineers more than others, and certain languages and skills are more in demand, especially with recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
Besides covering salaries for the top countries and cities on our radar, we'll also dig deeper into the highest-paying companies and programming languages, provide pay based on experience level, and even compare living expenses.
Here's what we've uncovered!
Highest-paying countries for software engineers
Which country pays software engineers the most? According to our research, the top country was the United States, where the median salary was $118,224.
The top three highest-paying countries for software engineers are the United States, Switzerland ($111,993), and Denmark ($72,902).
Germany ($62,907) and Luxembourg ($61,760) rounded out the top five.
Country Salary (USD)
- United States $118,224
2. Switzerland $111,993
3. Denmark $72,902
4. Germany $62,907
5. Luxembourg $61,760
6. Canada $61,360
7. Norway $58,356
8. Austria $56,229
9. United Kingdom $55,585
10. Australia $55,747
11. Ireland $52,120
12. Finland $51,285
Highest-paying cities for software engineers
While it's important to get a sense of which country pays the most for software engineers, looking at cities within each country can give a better sense of expected salary. Plus, you can see how the average pay in a particular city may compare to the national average.
Major tech hubs in the United States include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and Austin. Globally, cities like Toronto, London, Berlin, Munich, Singapore, Beijing, Tokyo, and Melbourne are just a few of the high-paying locations to consider.
City Salary (USD)
- San Francisco $157,736
2. New York $147,162
3. Seattle $136,087
4. Zurich $114,914
5. Dallas $104,362
6. London $61,360
7. Toronto $58,356
8. Berlin $56,229
9. Amsterdam $55,585
10. Sydney $55,747
11. Munich $52,120
12. Waterloo $51,285
13. Montréal $58,246
14. Melbourne $56,563
15. Dublin $55,160
16. Stockholm $51,094
17. Paris $50,833
18. Beijing $48,882
19. Barcelona $48,803
20. Singapore $46,074
21. Madrid $41,046
22. Shenzhen $37,971
23. Lisbon $31,926
24. Tokyo $31,736
25. Shanghai $29,533
Best countries for software engineers
Knowing which countries pay the most is helpful, yet not every country offers the same living experience, pay, and career trajectory.
As mentioned, the United States tops the list in terms of compensation. However, a complex healthcare system, job competition, work visas, and work-life balance (dependent on the employer), are some reasons software engineers could opt to work elsewhere.
Several countries, including Canada, Australia, and Sweden are considered the best countries for software engineers when considering salary, quality of life, and cost of living. Spain and Norway were two other countries where software engineers can speak to a positive work-life balance and opportunities to jump to better companies and jobs in their careers.
Getting an accurate measurement of what a good quality of life or work-life balance looks like for different countries is tricky; It's partly based on personal preference and lifestyle choices. We created a list of top countries by cross-referencing engineer experiences, salary, and ranking on the Quality of Life Index, which uses a formula to estimate a country's quality of life by considering purchasing power, health care, cost of living, property price-to-income ratio, traffic commute time, pollution, and climate.
Country QOL Index Salary (USD)
Luxembourg 1 $61,760
Netherlands 2 $55,199
Switzerland 6 $111,993
Norway 9 $58,356
Spain 10 $41,691
Estonia 11 $43,238
Japan 13 $33,361
Sweden 14 $48,308
United States 16 $118,224
New Zealand 17 $49,214
Portugal 20 $28,851
Australia 21 $55,747
Canada 27 $61,360
Singapore 30 $45,548
Which country has the highest demand for software engineers?
Software engineers were one of the most in-demand jobs of 2023, with a projected job growth of 25% through 2032 (compared to a 3% growth across all other occupations). Software engineering continues to lead as one of the most sought-after tech jobs of 2024. The countries that have the highest demand for software engineers include Canada, Australia, and Germany.
Which countries pay AI software engineers the most?
In 2024, not only is there increased demand for software engineers, but demand is specific to areas like cloud services, cybersecurity, and mobile apps. Demand is also high for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning skills. According to Stack Overflow's 2023 survey, 70% of responders said they were using or were planning to use AI in their development process in the coming year. Interestingly, levels of trust for the output of AI were not quite as high.
While AI chatbots and tools like Intellicode in Visual Studio have made it easier to generate code (and in the case of Google's Bard, translate code into over 20 programming languages), the consensus is that they won't replace software engineers.
Job postings including AI skills as a requirement jumped up by 1,848% in 2023. Not surprisingly, this increase primarily impacted data scientist and engineer roles in developing AI applications. The pay reflects the demand. When stacking non-AI versus AI job compensation, AI software engineers received higher compensation during 2023 across major tech companies. In the United States, entry-level AI software engineers make an average of 8.13% more than their non-AI peers. We saw the gap grow for higher-level roles. AI senior software engineers earn 12.5% more than non-AI senior engineers.
On top of skills in AI and machine learning, knowledge in certain programming languages can pay off. For example, a Rust Machine Learning Software Engineer in the United States can expect to earn $154,681.
Top paying countries that are compensating for AI skills include the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Other countries and salaries to note for AI software engineers include Singapore ($49,104), China ($45,274), and India ($12,000).
Country Salary (USD)
United States $90,702
Canada $73,635
Germany $63,187
United Kingdom $66,837
Australia $55,415
Singapore $49,104
China $45,274
India $12,000
Highest-paying companies for AI software engineers in the United States
Looking at total pay, the highest-paying companies for software engineers in the United States are Google ($243,993), Apple ($243,285), and Microsoft ($215,504).
Company Salary (USD)
Google $243,993
Apple $243,285
Microsoft $215,504
Intel $196,777
Electronic Arts $189,815
IBM $146,012
Software engineer salary in the United States
The average salary for a software engineer in the U.S. is $118,224 or $9,852 per month. Pay for a junior software engineer in the U.S. is $80,875 per year or $5,726 per month. Senior software engineers in the U.S. can expect to make around $144,992 or $10,266 per month.
Average pay varies by location, which can be partly dependent on location relative to the nation's biggest tech hubs and other major cities across the U.S. However, there are a few areas of the U.S. that are seeing more tech development and offering job opportunities.
Average software engineer salary by state
Going by state, California continues to top our list for the highest-paying state for software engineers, with a median salary of $142,459. While California and the Pacific Northwest are a growing hotbed of tech activity, the East Coast offers plenty of high-paying opportunities with Maryland ($135,631), New York ($124,218), and Delaware ($123,569) topping the list.
Entry-level salaries (less than one year of experience) for junior engineers in top-paying states can start at over six figures. Senior software engineers (6 to 9 years) can expect a base salary of around 120k-160k with opportunities to negotiate a higher salary with more experience.
State Junior Mid-Level Senior
California $133,116 $142,459 $156,430
Maryland $125,736 $135,631 $148,932
Washington $125,049 $133,825 $146,949
New York $116,071 $124,218 $136,399
Delaware $115,465 $123,569 $135,687
Virginia $110,381 $118,129 $129,713
Colorado $106,777 $114,271 $125,477
Oregon $104,687 $112,035 $123,022
Average software engineer salary by city
In the United States, software engineer salaries tend to be highest in the nation's major tech hubs, which include the Bay Area in California, Seattle, Dallas Fort Worth, New York, and Chicago.
Higher pay in some of the nation's major cities comes with a higher cost of living. One example is New York City. While the median pay easily outstrips the state's average salary, an applicant needs to consider the pros and cons of living in the city, their daily commute, and an average rent of around $3,647 per month for a one-bedroom apartment.
City Junior Mid-Level Senior
San Francisco $147,392 $157,736 $173,205
New York City $137,511 $147,162 $161,594
San Jose $130,633 $139,802 $153,512
Seattle $127,162 $136,087 $149,433
Boston $118,092 $126,381 $138,775
San Diego $113,989 $121,989 $133,952
Austin $110,766 $118,540 $130,165
Atlanta $101,088 $108,183 $118,792
Dallas $97,518 $104,362 $114,597
While salary depends on location, there has been considerable growth in tech employment across the country in the last few years. While the pandemic provided part of the catalyst for tech hub disruption, several smaller metropolitan cities (including notable vacation and college towns) have been on a path to become "rising stars" in the tech space, even before 2020. These areas provide similar job opportunities, offering a different quality of life, warmer weather, and convenience for workers compared to their major tech hub counterparts.
"Rising Star" Metropolitan Cities
City Junior Mid-Level Senior
Greensboro, NC $113,743 $121,726 $133,664
Philidelphia, PA $101,816 $108,962 $119,647
Nashville, TN $100,297 $107,336 $117,863
San Antonio, TX $97,928 $104,801 $115,078
Charlotte, NC $95,760 $102,481 $112,531
Tampa, FL $92,868 $99,385 $109,132
Houston, TX $91,549 $97,975 $107,583
Phoenix, AZ $90,184 $96,514 $105,979
Cincinnati, OH $86,496 $92,567 $101,644
Stockton, CA $82,897 $88,716 $97,416
Jackson, MS $76,913 $82,311 $90,383
Vacation/Lifestyle Cities
City Junior Mid-Level Senior
Santa Barbara, CA $109,108 $116,766 $128,217
Pensacola, FL $108,694 $116,323 $127,731
Ogden, UT $95,806 $102,530 $112,585
Albuquerque, NM $96,729 $103,518 $113,670
Tucson, AZ $93,912 $100,503 $110,359
Barnstable, MA $84,043 $89,942 $98,762
El Paso, TX $77,229 $82,650 $90,755
Virginia Beach, VA $75,854 $81,178 $89,139
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $54,136 $57,936 $63,617
College Towns
City Junior Mid-Level Senior
Ithaca, NY $132,802 $142,123 $156,060
Madison, WI $113,626 $121,601 $133,526
Boulder, CO $112,872 $120,794 $132,640
Charlottesville, VA $106,897 $114,399 $125,618
Tallahassee, FL $86,591 $92,669 $101,756
Lincoln, NE $81,752 $87,490 $96,070
Chapel Hill, CA $79,796 $85,397 $93,771
Average software engineer salary by technology
Every country has a different demand for programming languages, and pay can vary by location. Plus, it's important to note that some languages offer higher pay for being tied to specific companies (Golang is used at Google while Swift is tied to iOS and Mac apps) or industries (ex. SAP/ABAP in B2B). On the other end, Solidity and Rust have their use in the Web3/blockchain space, causing some demand for skills to fluctuate with market changes.
In the United States, the highest-paid languages based on average base salary are Scala ($130,353), Go ($120,086), and Ruby ($119,573).
Language Salary (USD)
Go (Golang) $134,987
Scala $130,353
Objective C $123,124
Ruby $119,573
Swift $118,087
Clojure $116,998
Rust $109,905
SAP/ABAP $109,234
Java $103,706
C $102,770
Erlang $100,982
Python $99,736
JavaScript $98,686
SQL $96,263
PHP $93,961
Android $89,006
Lisp $82,234
Solidity $80,641
Software engineer salary by job title in the United States
Software engineer salaries also change with career progression. Generally, a software engineer with 6 to 9 years of experience is considered a senior software engineer. Beyond that, there are opportunities to become a staff or principal engineer and continue leveling up based on management experience and further education in business administration.
Role Salary (USD)
Staff Engineer $111,477
Principal Engineer $160,595
Software Engineering Manager $160,589
Director of Engineering $148,933
Vice President of Engineering $194,401
Chief Technology Officer $202,106
Software engineer salaries in European countries
Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Germany get a lot of air time for software engineer jobs. However, Eastern European countries, including the Baltic states, have become more prevalent as a place to seek out engineer jobs, especially with advancements in tech infrastructure in recent years. While salaries are lower, the cost of living is also lower.
Country Salary (USD)
Norway $58,356
Austria $56,229
Ireland $52,120
Finland $51,285
France $47,501
Belgium $46,863
Estonia $43,238
Czech Republic $43,024
Italy $34,694
Slovenia $33,983
Poland $30,080
Bulgaria $26,323
Latvia $24,091
Hungary $21,950
Greece $20,901
Lithuania $17,890
Software engineer salaries in Switzerland
As the country with the second highest pay for software engineers, pay is $111,993 per year or $9,332 per month. Pay jumps slightly for engineers based out of Zurich, where the annual salary is $114,914. Meanwhile, junior software engineers start out their careers earning $100,524 or $8,377 per month. More senior software engineers in Switzerland make $130,536 or $10,878 monthly.
Pay varies widely depending on programming language knowledge:
- The highest-paying programming language is Rust at $144,840.
- The second highest-paying language is iOS at $133,682, followed by Golang with a salary of $117,280.
- Java engineers take home $116,589 on average.
- SQL engineers have a median salary of $116,326.
- Python engineers earn an average salary of $109,421.
- JavaScript engineers receive an average salary of $108,617.
- Ruby engineers see an average salary of $111,416.
- PHP ($101,177) is the lowest-paying programming language in Switzerland.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $109,421
SQL $116,326
Golang $117,280
Rust $144,840
iOS $133,682
Ruby $111,416
Java $116,589
PHP $101,177
JavaScript $108,617
Aside from pay, it's important to note that Switzerland is one of the more expensive European countries to live in, having a 54.1% higher cost of living than the United States and a 19.7% higher rent. However, Switzerland is also ranked #6 on the Quality of Life Index, considering factors like healthcare, lifestyle, and economic stability.
Costs vary depending on the living situation and preferences and a family of four can expect to pay an average of $6,671 per month on living expenses, while an individual will spend $1,820, without rent. Rent in the city starts at around $2,230 for a one-bedroom or $1,749 outside the city.
Software engineer salaries in Denmark
The average pay for a software engineer salary in Denmark is $72,902 ($6,075 per month). Junior software engineers earn $65,774 or $5,481 per month, while senior engineers bring home $89,273 or $7,439 per month.
As is the case for other countries on the list, pay varies by programming language in Denmark:
- The highest-paying language in Denmark for software engineers is Python at $102,768, followed closely by Java at $102,487.
- Golang professionals earn $93,109 on average.
- Rust engineers take home $80,757 per year.
- JavaScript engineers receive an average salary of $70,450.
- Ruby engineers earn around $62,844.
- iOS engineers see an average salary of $61,669.
- SQL professionals have a median salary of $63,887.
- PHP software engineers earn the least with a median salary of $46,986.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $102,768
SQL $63,887
Golang $93,109
Rust $80,757
iOS $61,669
Ruby $62,844
Java $102,487
PHP $46,986
JavaScript $70,450
In Denmark, the cost of living is dependent on location, with Copenhagen being one of the most expensive cities to live in. Overall, rental is 38.3% lower than in the United States, with rent for a one-bedroom in the city being $1,150. The cost of living is relatively equivalent to the U.S., however, Danes gain free education and healthcare. A family of four can expect to pay $4,176, while a single person will spend $1,168 per month.
Software engineer salaries in Luxembourg
Software engineers make approximately $61,760 or $5,146 per month. Entry-level engineers can expect to make $51,525 (4,293), while senior engineers take home $71,223 or $5,935.
In terms of programming languages, here's what salaries an engineer can expect:
- PHP and Python lead the pack on pay in Luxembourg. PHP is the highest paying of the two at $65,745. Python has an average salary of $65,505.
- Java engineers earn a median salary of $64,347.
- JavaScript and SQL engineers receive the lowest salaries of $58,777 and $58,342, respectively.
Language Salary (USD)
SQL $58,342
Python $65,505
Java $64,347
PHP $65,745
JavaScript $58,777
From our above list, Luxembourg was ranked #1 on the Quality of Life Index. The cost of living is higher than in Germany and Belgium, and most similar to France. For a family of four, the estimated cost of living (without rent) is $3,579 per month. A single person can anticipate costs around $1,021, also without considering rent. Rent is approximately $2,081 for a one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Luxembourg.
Software engineer salaries in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, software engineers can anticipate taking home an annual salary of $62,973 or a monthly rate of $5,247. Meanwhile, a junior engineer can expect a starting salary of $49,866 ($4,155 per month) and senior software engineers have a salary of approximately $90,000 ($7,500 per month).
- Salaries also vary widely by language. In the UK, some of the highest-paying jobs require Python ($133,612), Rust ($114,525), and Golang ($101,800) skills.
- SQL engineers have a median salary of $69,987.
- iOS engineers earn around $82,712 on average.
- Ruby engineers take home an average salary of $84,939.
- Java engineers see an average salary of $80,803.
- JavaScript engineers receive an average salary of $88,371.
- Out of all the languages, PHP pays the least in the United Kingdom with a median salary of $66,806.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $133,612
SQL $69,987
Golang $101,800
Rust $114,525
iOS $82,712
Ruby $84,939
Java $80,803
PHP $66,806
JavaScript $88,371
In the United Kingdom, the cost of living (without rent) is $3,135 per month for a family of four. A single person can expect expenses to be around $900. Due to prices in London, housing in the United Kingdom tends to be more expensive when compared to just about every other European country. This past year resulted in some of the highest rent hikes, particularly in London. Annually, rent has increased by 8.9% and now averages at $1,627. Greater London has some of the highest prices, while the West and East Midlands offer the lowest rent.
Software engineer salaries in London
Software engineers make $80,719 annually or $5,714 per month. Junior software engineers in London earn $38,263 per year ($3,188) per month, while senior engineers earn $103,950 or $8,662 monthly.
- For software languages, the pay varies. The highest-paying language is Rust at $89,075 and the lowest-paying language is PHP at $40,985.
- Ruby secures the second-highest position at $64,412.
- Java engineers earn an average salary of $63,654.
- JavaScript professionals receive an average salary of $61,340.
- SQL engineers have a median salary of $61,302.
- Python engineers are compensated with an average salary of $60,772.
- iOS engineers earn around $54,420 on average, second to PHP as the lowest-paying language.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $60,772
SQL $61,302
Golang $85,662
Rust $89,075
iOS $54,420
Ruby $64,412
Java $63,654
PHP $40,985
JavaScript $61,340
For engineers living in London, the cost of living is important to consider relative to the salary, especially for those living closer to the city. As of 2023, the most expensive neighborhoods are Knightsbridge and Chelsea. In general, rent is up approximately 9% from the prior year. In London, expect to pay around $3,181 and $1,514. For a single individual, estimated monthly living costs run around $1,392, not including rent. A four-person family's costs are estimated at $4,800.
Software engineer salaries in Germany
In Germany, the average software engineer makes while junior engineers make $53,231 or $4,435 per month. On the other hand, $74,544 is the annual salary for senior engineers, which amounts to $6,212 per month. Pay varies by city with engineers in Berlin seeing a salary of $63,911, compared to $59,039 in Munich.
- The highest-paid programming languages in Germany are Golang ($76,702), Python ($75,455), and Java ($75,349).
- JavaScript follows closely behind at $73,788, making it the fourth-highest-paying language in Germany.
- Rust professionals receive an average salary of $72,209.
- SQL engineers have a median salary of $71,860.
- Ruby engineers earn around $69,251 on average.
- iOS engineers earn an average salary of $56,740.
- PHP professionals have the lowest average salary among these languages at $54,315.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $75,455
SQL $71,860
Golang $76,702
Rust $72, 209
iOS $56,740
Ruby $69,251
Java $75.349
PHP $54,315
JavaScript $73,788
What can a software engineer expect to pay in terms of monthly living expenses and rent? When compared to other countries, costs are modest and rent is 42.5% cheaper when compared to the cost of living in the United States. Leipzig and Dresden are much more affordable, while Munich and Stuttgart are considered the most expensive cities to live in. Living in or near the city, you can expect rent for a 3-bedroom apartment to run $1,875, while a one-bedroom is $1,032. For a family of four, monthly living costs run around $3,522 without rent. A single person can anticipate spending $1,043.
Software engineer salaries in France
The annual salary for a software engineer in France is $47,501($3,955 monthly), putting it just behind Finland in terms of pay and just shy of our top-paying countries list. Junior engineers in France earn $43,124 or $3,593 per month. Senior software engineers are paid $58,490 or $4,874.
- It comes as no surprise that pay varies based on language. In France, the highest-paid programming languages are Golang at $52,474 and iOS at $50,404.
- Python follows closely behind at $48,079, making it the third-highest-paying language.
- Rust professionals receive an average salary of $48,946.
- Java engineers have a median salary of $47,486.
- SQL engineers earn around $47,378 on average.
- JavaScript engineers earn an average salary of $46,464.
- Ruby engineers earn an average salary of $44,377.
- PHP professionals have the lowest average salary among these languages at $44,302.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $48,079
SQL $47,378
Golang $52,474
Rust $48,946
iOS $50,404
Ruby $44,377
Java $47,486
PHP $44,302
JavaScript $46,464
The cost of living in France is around 11% lower than in the United States. Like other countries on our list, the cost of living varies drastically based on where you live. Paris is one city, for example, where rent can be around $1,977 for an apartment, versus paying $700-900 for cities like Strasbourg and Marseille. Monthly costs for an individual run around $1,043 versus $3,732 for a family.
Average salaries in other major countries
Software engineer salaries in Canada
With its higher demand for workers and being associated with a high quality of life and higher pay, Canada is a popular destination for software engineers. Software engineers in Canada can expect to earn $61,360 or $5,113 per month. Junior engineers earn $51,183 ($4,265 monthly), while senior engineers make $73,184 or $6,098 per month.
Location and programming language are two major factors, besides experience level, that change compensation expectations.
Toronto is the highest-paying city for software engineers at $65,197, closely followed by Vancouver at $64,244. Montréal is the third highest-paying city at $58,246.
- In terms of programming languages, Golang ($71,525), iOS ($70,797), and Ruby ($70,206) pay the most.
- SQL professionals receive an average salary of $61,183.
- Java engineers have a median salary of $61,132.
- Python software engineers earn around $60,861 on average.
- JavaScript engineers earn an average salary of $60,970.
- The lowest-paying programming languages in Canada are Rust at $59,619 and PHP at $58,885.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $60,861
SQL $61,183
Golang $71,525
Rust $59,619
iOS $70,797
Ruby $70,206
Java $61,132
PHP $58,885
JavaScript $60,970
Living in Canada means anticipating spending 35 to 50% of salaries on housing and utilities like water and electricity. Deductions for taxes and retirement or pension plans are around 35 to 35% of pay. While costs tend to lean pretty similar, Canada offers a 9.6% lower cost of living when compared to the United States. Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal offer the highest pay for software engineers, they also top the list in terms of Canada's most expensive cities to live in. In contrast, living in Longueuil and Lèvis, Quebec, or in Brockville, Ontario are some suburban areas and smaller cities that offer a lower cost of living.
The estimated cost of living for a family of four and a single individual per month is $3,840 and $1,072, respectively. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Canada is $1,455.
Software engineer salaries in Japan
In Japan, the average software engineer makes $33,361 or $2,780 per month. In Tokyo, the average salary is $43,051. Junior software engineers make $27,535 ($2,294 monthly). Senior software engineers in Japan make $41,565 ($3,463 monthly).
It comes as no surprise that salaries vary widely based on employer, location, and programming language skills.
- The highest-paying language in Japan for software engineers is Rust at $49,494 and Ruby at $49,701.
- Golang skills yield a salary of $35,123, making it the third-highest paying language in Japan.
- iOS professionals receive an average salary of $42,428.
- PHP engineers have a median salary of $40,420.
- Java software engineers earn around $33,868 on average.
- Python engineers earn an average salary of $31,884.
- JavaScript engineers earn an average salary of $31,778.
- SQL professionals have the lowest average salary among these languages at $30,237.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $31,884
SQL $30,237
Golang $35,123
Rust $49,494
iOS $42,428
Ruby $49,701
Java $33,868
PHP $40,420
JavaScript $31,778
With cost of living considered, a family of three needs to plan for $3,034 in estimated monthly expenses. For a single person, living expenses are estimated to be around $860 per month. Rent for a one-bedroom is approximately $570 in the city, making rent over 60% lower than in the United States.
Software engineer salaries in India
Software engineers in India make, on average, $8,273 or $689 per month. Junior engineers make $6,029 or $502 per month. Finally, senior software engineers in India make $22,021 or $1,835 per month. To give a sense of how pay varies by area, we can see that engineers in Mumbai make $7,454 while in Pune, engineers earn a little more at $7,847. Bangalore pays a much higher annual salary of $10,489.
Languages also result in varied pay. Here's what software engineers in India can expect:
- Golang stands out as the highest-paying language, with engineers commanding an average salary of $14,090.
- Rust secures the second-highest position at $14,027.
- Ruby pays $9,485, making it the third-highest paying language.
- iOS professionals receive an average salary of $8,517.
- Python engineers earn $8,894.
- Java software engineers make an average salary of $8,897.
- JavaScript engineers earn $8,434 per year.
- SQL professionals get a median salary of $7,436.
- PHP engineers earn the lowest average salary at $6,046.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $8,894
SQL $7,436
Golang $14,090
Rust $14,027
iOS $8,517
Ruby $9,485
Java $8,897
PHP $6,046
JavaScript $8,434
Relative to its annual salary, the cost of living in India is over 70% lower when compared to the United States. A family can expect to pay $1,201 in living expenses and approximately $518 for a 3-bedroom apartment in the city. Meanwhile, a single person will spend $349 monthly for living expenses, and $221 for city rent.
Software engineer salaries in Nigeria
The average salary for a software engineer in Nigeria is $3,077 or $256 per month. Junior engineers in Nigeria make $1,625 or $135 per month, while senior software engineers make $5,226 or approximately $435 per month.
In Nigeria, here's how compensation looks for each of the following programming languages:
- Rust emerges as the highest-compensating language, with engineers commanding an average salary of $4,902.
- Java secures the second-highest position at $3,787.
- Ruby pays $3,762, making it the third-highest paying language.
- iOS professionals earn an average salary of $3,208.
- SQL engineers earn an average salary of $3,208.
- PHP pays a salary of $3,135 per year.
- JavaScript pays engineers a total of $3,103 annually.
- Python professionals bring in an average salary of $2,989, the second lowest-paying language.
- While Golang tends to be a higher-paying language in other countries, engineers in Nigeria receive $2,822.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $2,989
SQL $3,208
Golang $2,822
Rust $4,902
iOS $3,208
Ruby $3,762
Java $3,787
PHP $3,135
JavaScript $3,103
With salaries considered, the cost of living in Nigeria is over 75% lower than in the United States and rent is 69% lower. For a single person, monthly costs are around $1,184 and rent for a one-bedroom in the city is $507. A family can expect their living costs to be around $1,184, not including rent. While a local meal may be a couple of dollars, the recession has resulted in imported beverages and other items being double or triple their price.
Software engineer salaries in the Philippines
In the Philippines, the average software engineer's salary is $8,646 or $720 per month. For junior software engineers, the expected entry-level salary is $5,561 or $463 per month. Experienced senior software engineers make approximately $16,248 per year ($1,354 per month). Similar to other countries, being based near larger cities or having employers based in those cities, results in higher pay. Manila is an example, with a pay that beats the national average of $9,269.
Here's what pay by programming language looks like in the Philippines:
- iOS and Rust are the two highest-paying languages in the Philippines, earning engineers $16,808 and $10,751, respectively.
- Golang is the third-highest paying language at $9,676.
- Engineers using Java are paid $9,987.
- Python engineers bring in an average salary of $8,781.
- JavaScript engineers earn an average salary of $8,846.
- PHP engineers receive $8,253 on average.
- Ruby professionals earn an average salary of $8,386.
- SQL professionals earn the least with a salary of $8,042.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $8,781
SQL $8,042
Golang $9,676
Rust $10,751
iOS $16,808
Ruby $8,386
Java $9,987
PHP $8,253
JavaScript $8,846
Compared to the salary, how much does it cost to live in the Philippines? The monthly rent for a single individual comes out to be $330 in the city for a one-bedroom apartment. A family of four can expect monthly living expenses (without rent) to amount to $1,946 while a single individual's expenses are estimated to be $562 per month. In the last few years, the cost of living has been creeping up, resulting in the Philippines being one of the more expensive countries in Southeast Asia. However, living outside the city center, taking advantage of public transportation, and cooking at home are ways to offset this.
Software engineer salary based on programming language
Across the 11 countries we compared the highest-paid languages were Python, iOS, and Java.
Generally, this pattern can be seen across several countries worldwide. Other top-paying programming languages are often Rust and Ruby. SQL, PHP, and Android tend to be lower-paying languages with less demand.
Language Salary (USD)
Python $60,633
iOS $59,221
Java $59,069
Golang $55,508
JavaScript $53,458
SQL $52,835
PHP $50,002
Android $45,675
Python Salaries by Country
Country Salary (USD)
United States $99,736
Canada $60,861
Switzerland $109,421
Denmark $102,768
Luxembourg $65,505
United Kingdom $133,612
Germany $75,455
Japan $31,884
France $48,079
India $8,894
Nigeria $2,989
Philippines $8,781
SQL Salaries by Country
Country Salary (USD)
United States $96,263
Canada $61,183
Switzerland $116,326
Denmark $63,887
Luxembourg $58,342
United Kingdom $69,987
Germany $71,860
Japan $30,237
France $47,378
India $7,436
Nigeria $3,208
Philippines $8,042
Golang Salaries by Country
Country Salary (USD)
United States $134,987
Canada $71,525
Switzerland $117,280
Denmark $93,109
United Kingdom $101,800
Germany $76,702
Japan $35,123
France $52,474
India $14,090
Nigeria $2,822
Philippines $9,676
iOS Salaries by Country
Country Salary (USD)
United States $124,353
Canada $70,797
Switzerland $133,682
Denmark $61,669
United Kingdom $82,712
Germany $56,740
Japan $42,428
France $50,404
India $8,517
Nigeria $3,208
Philippines $16,808
Android Salaries by Country
Country Salary (USD)
United States $89,006
Canada $44,714
Switzerland $104,379
Denmark $54,214
United Kingdom $50,432
Germany $60,000
Japan $39,086
France $40,542
India $9,745
Nigeria $3,825
Philippines $5,779
Java Salaries by Country
Country Salary (USD)
United States $103,706
Canada $61,132
Switzerland $116,589
Denmark $102,487
Luxembourg $64,347
United Kingdom $80,803
Germany $75,349
Japan $33,868
France $47,486
India $8,897
Nigeria $3,787
Philippines $9,987
PHP Salaries by Country
Country Salary (USD)
United States $93,961
Canada $58,885
Switzerland $101,177
Denmark $46,986
Luxembourg $65,745
United Kingdom $66,806
Germany $54,315
Japan $40,420
France $44,302
India $6,046
Nigeria $3,135
Philippines $8,253
JavaScript Salaries by Country
Country Salary (USD)
United States $98,686
Canada $60,970
Switzerland $108,617
Denmark $70,450
Luxembourg $58,777
United Kingdom $88,371
Germany $73,788
Japan $31,778
France $46,464
India $8,434
Nigeria $3,103
Philippines $8,846
Software engineer salaries by niche programming language
When you look at Stack Overflow's 2023 survey, it tells a different story on pay based on programming language. We saw several niche programming languages at the top of the list that don't typically pop up elsewhere. These technologies tend to have fewer job listings and roles that command a higher salary for these specialty skills.
Zig, a relatively new language, topped the charts with a salary of $103,611.
Clojure, which is a high-paying language in the United States, had previously held the top spot on Stack Overflow in 2022. It sat at #5 on the list, with a salary of $96,381.
The biggest median growth in pay was seen with Dart and SAS, which had a year-over-year growth of 20%.
SAS median salaries were reported at $81,000.
The salary for a DART development was the lowest reported at $55,862.
These are the top-paying languages, according to Stack Overflow:
Language Salary (USD)
Zig $103,611
Erlang $99,492
F# $99,311
Ruby $98,522
Clojure $96,381
Software engineer salaries by experience level
If you're looking to start as a junior software engineer or make the leap to a senior-level role, it's important to have a salary in mind. At a glance, here's what you can anticipate making as a junior or senior software engineer across different countries.
City Junior Mid-Level Senior
United States $80,875 $118,224 $144,992
Canada $51,183 $61,360 $73,184
Switzerland $100,524 $111,993 $130,536
Denmark $65,774 $72,902 $89,273
Luxembourg $51,525 $61,760 $71,223
United Kingdom $49,866 $62,973 $90,000
Germany $53,231 $62,907 $74,544
Japan $27,535 $33,361 $41,565
France $43,124 $47,466 $58,490
India $6,029 $8,273 $22,021
Nigeria $1,625 $3,077 $5,226
Philippines $5,561 $8,646 $16,248
Highest-paying companies for software engineers
Working at major companies comes with a generous compensation package. The following list breaks down the top-paying companies for entry-level, mid-level, and senior engineers. The noted salary includes base salary, stock options, and annual bonus, taking into consideration level ladders at different companies.
Entry-Level Software Engineer
Company Level Total Compensation (USD)
Jane Street L1 $325,000
Figma L1 $240,000
IMC L1 $240,000
Roblox IC1 $238,120
Databricks L3 $230,500
LinkedIn Software Engineer $220,500
Plaid E3 $220,000
Mid-Level Software Engineer
Company Level Total Compensation (USD)
Databricks L4 $380,000
IMC L2 $350,000
Roblox IC3 $350,000
Rippling L6 $330,000
Airtable IC4 $322,000
Netflix L4 $320,000
Senior-Level Software Engineer
Company Level Total Compensation (USD)
Databricks L5 $584,250
Netflix L5 $535,000
Two Sigma L4 $500,000
Coupang L6-I $492,000
Roblox IC4 $490,000
Snowflake IC3 $472,500
Plaid E5 $465,000
Beyond senior-level engineering are staff engineers and principal engineers, with over 10 years and 15 years of programming experience, respectively. This is where we start to see salaries on the higher end of the spectrum at companies like Uber, OpenAI, Facebook, and Stripe. When it comes to Principal Engineers at this pay level, it's important to keep in mind that pay represents a much smaller sampling of reported salaries.
- A staff engineer at OpenAI in an L5 role is paid $925,000.
- A Senior Staff Software Engineer at LinkedIn makes $708,100.
- An E7 role at Facebook makes a whopping $1,020,000.
- Stripe's L5 principal engineer role commands $940,700.
What to know about remote software engineer salaries
For some of the cities and countries on this list, it's either not preferred or not realistic to relocate to certain areas. However, the rise of remote work has changed the game. Many have caught on to the fact that nabbing a job in San Francisco or Munich would be preferred if the work could be done from areas with a lower cost of living.
Depending on a company's take on remote work, this becomes a sticky point for some employers. In some cases, a remote job comes with a pay cut, especially if companies see it as a perk or a luxury. In other instances, companies will pay more based on their desire to attract the best talent possible. Overall, remote work salaries are variable.
No matter where you live, consider these tips whether you're negotiating a remote position, a salary at a new company, or reconsidering your work situation with your current employer:
1. Research. Look at the median salary for your role, industry, and experience level. Gitlab posts transparent engineering salary information. In addition, check out the company's policies for remote work, so you enter a conversation knowing where the company stands.
2. Back up your salary. Be comfortable with sharing your specific research, and discussing the potential cost savings for the company, whether its supplies or office expenses.
3. Practice your pitch. This is the best way to feel confident entering the conversation, making sure you include all the details, from your years of experience (software and management-related) and team skills to the projects you've completed. This is your chance to bring up the achievements that show you can help move the company forward, no matter where you're located.
4. Be ready for an alternative offer. Not every negotiation goes through, and sometimes you may not get the remote salary or work arrangement you envisioned. In this case, have a number in mind that you're willing to accept. If you're negotiating a job offer, you can suggest other work perks in place of a remote working situation, whether that's stock options or more paid time off (PTO).
How to become a software engineer
If you've stuck with us and are wondering how to become a software engineer, here's what you should know:
A software engineer doesn't require a college degree, however gaining a degree can give you a competitive advantage. If you do decide to get a degree, the typical route is gaining a computer science or related math or science degree from a 4-year college.
A degree is costly and may not be an option for everyone. It doesn't mean you won't get a job, but you will need to gain some essential skills and experience. That's where a coding bootcamp comes into the picture. We do a whole breakdown in our article here, including price, the top bootcamps we recommend, and scholarship information.
Finally, you can start out by learning to code on your own. There are a number of resources out there, including apps like Mimo or SoloLearn. You can also participate in coding competitions and hackathons and join forums like Stack Overflow, GitHub, and Reddit to get project experience and meet others.
There you have it!
That wraps up what you need to know about software engineer salaries around the world, at major tech companies, and across different experience levels and languages.
Software engineering allows opportunities to work all around the globe and to be in a role that's constantly in demand in the tech space, no matter what happens with AI advancements.
Salary data sources include: