Lead Software Development Engineer Salaries
How much does a Lead Software Development Engineer make?
Total pay range
$166K - $254K/yr
$204K/yrMedian total pay
Pay breakdown
$128K - $183K/yrBase pay
$38K - $71K/yrAdditional pay
About our data
Confident
The “Most Likely Range” reflects values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Glassdoor salaries are powered by our proprietary machine learning model, which utilizes salaries collected from our users and the latest government data to make pay predictions.
How accurate is a total pay range of $166K-$254K/yr?
Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.
Total pay trajectory
Lead Software Engineer
$182K–$291K/yr
Principal Software Engineer
$228K–$367K/yr
Senior Principal Software Engineer
$258K–$411K/yr
Top paying industries
The top 5 paying industries for a Lead Software Development Engineer in United States are Information Technology with a median total pay of $230,903, Retail & Wholesale with a median total pay of $175,547, Financial Services with a median total pay of $172,695, Insurance with a median total pay of $171,013, and Transportation & Logistics with a median total pay of $167,644.
Top paying companies in Information Technology for Lead Software Development Engineer are RealNetworks, Microsoft, and iSoftStone.
The top paying company in Retail & Wholesale for Lead Software Development Engineer is Gap.
Top paying companies in Financial Services for Lead Software Development Engineer are Mastercard and Fiserv.
The top paying company in Insurance for Lead Software Development Engineer is MetLife.
The top paying company in Transportation & Logistics for Lead Software Development Engineer is UPS.
Information Technology
$230,903
Information Technology
Top paying companies in Information Technology for Lead Software Development Engineer are RealNetworks, Microsoft, and iSoftStone.
Retail & Wholesale
$175,547
Information Technology
Top paying companies in Information Technology for Lead Software Development Engineer are RealNetworks, Microsoft, and iSoftStone.
Financial Services
$172,695
Information Technology
Top paying companies in Information Technology for Lead Software Development Engineer are RealNetworks, Microsoft, and iSoftStone.
Insurance
$171,013
Information Technology
Top paying companies in Information Technology for Lead Software Development Engineer are RealNetworks, Microsoft, and iSoftStone.
Transportation & Logistics
$167,644
Information Technology
Top paying companies in Information Technology for Lead Software Development Engineer are RealNetworks, Microsoft, and iSoftStone.
Recent salaries shared by Lead Software Development Engineer
50 salaries
Job Title | Years of Experience
Total Pay
Location
Date submitted
Job Title | Years of Experience
Location
Date submitted
Total Pay
Base • Additional pay
Lead Software Development Engineer
4-6 years
$142K/yr
$118K • $24K
Louisville, KY
submitted on Mar 19, 2026
$142K/yr
$118K • $24K
Lead Software Development Engineer
1-3 years
$172K/yr
$144K • $28K
Houston, TX
submitted on Nov 30, 2025
$172K/yr
$144K • $28K
Lead Software Development Engineer
4-6 years
$176K - $203K/yr
Seattle, WA
submitted on Jul 15, 2025
$176K - $203K/yr
Lead Software Development Engineer
10-14 years
$191K/yr
$161K • $30K
Austin, TX
submitted on Jun 1, 2025
$191K/yr
$161K • $30K
Lead Software Development Engineer
15+ years
$235K/yr
$191K • $44K
Arlington, VA
submitted on Jun 1, 2025
$235K/yr
$191K • $44K
Anonymously share your salary to help the community.
Lead Software Development Engineer
15+ years
$177K/yr
$148K • $29K
Louisville, KY
submitted on May 29, 2025
$177K/yr
$148K • $29K
Lead Software Development Engineer
10-14 years
$171K/yr
$155K • $16K
North Charleston, SC
submitted on May 1, 2025
$171K/yr
$155K • $16K
Lead Software Development Engineer
15+ years
$185K - $216K/yr
Dallas, TX
submitted on Feb 18, 2025
$185K - $216K/yr
Lead Software Development Engineer
10-14 years
$143K/yr
$130K • $13K
Louisville, KY
submitted on Jan 2, 2025
$143K/yr
$130K • $13K
Lead Software Development Engineer
15+ years
$147K/yr
$145K • $2K
Chicago, IL
submitted on Dec 12, 2024
$147K/yr
$145K • $2K
Viewing 1 - 10 of 50
Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview
What is the pay outlook for Engineering?
Engineering jobs are in high demand with workers receiving generous compensation packages and bonuses. Engineering offers ample opportunity for growth and development with transferable skills across an array of fields from software, supply chain and logistics to aerospace. Most roles require at least a bachelor’s degree. To remain competitive, job-seekers should consider specialization or skill-specific programs such as coding boot-camps or certifications.Show more
Frequently asked questions about Lead Software Development Engineer salaries
How much does a Lead Software Development Engineer in United States make?
The average salary for a Lead Software Development Engineer is $203,623 per year or $98 per hour in United States, which is in line with the national average. Top earners have reported making up to $306,938 (90th percentile). However, the typical pay range in United States is between $166,090 (25th percentile) and $253,569 (75th percentile) annually. Salary estimates are based on 708 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Lead Software Development Engineer employees in United States as of June 2026.
What is the highest salary for a Lead Software Development Engineer in United States?
The highest salary for a Lead Software Development Engineer in United States is $253,569 per year, $21,131 per month or $122 per hour.
What is the lowest salary for a Lead Software Development Engineer in United States?
The lowest salary for a Lead Software Development Engineer in United States is $166,090 per year, $13,841 per month or $80 per hour.
What is the salary trajectory of a Lead Software Development Engineer?
The salary trajectory of a Lead Software Development Engineer ranges between locations and employers. The salary starts at $152,773 per year (estimate) and goes up to $473,639 per year (estimate) for the highest level of seniority.