Lead Software Engineer Salaries

How much does a Lead Software Engineer make?

Total pay range
$182K - $291K/yr
$228K/yrMedian total pay
Pay breakdown
$132K - $198K/yrBase pay
$50K - $93K/yrAdditional pay
About our data
Confident
Last updated Apr 10, 202513.6K Salaries Submitted
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 do we calculate pay?
How accurate is a total pay range of $182K-$291K/yr?
Your input helps Glassdoor refine our pay estimates over time.

See what insiders are saying about pay

Top paying industries

The top 5 paying industries for a Lead Software Engineer in United States are Real Estate with a median total pay of $198,916, Media & Communication with a median total pay of $197,892, Financial Services with a median total pay of $193,334, Arts, Entertainment & Recreation with a median total pay of $188,046, and Retail & Wholesale with a median total pay of $184,665.
Top paying companies in Real Estate for Lead Software Engineer are Fundrise, Keller Williams, and CoStar Group.
Top paying companies in Media & Communication for Lead Software Engineer are Blizzard Entertainment, FreeWheel, and Electronic Arts.
Top paying companies in Financial Services for Lead Software Engineer are LendingClub, Marqeta, and First Republic.
Top paying companies in Arts, Entertainment & Recreation for Lead Software Engineer are FanDuel, Ticketmaster, and IGT.
Top paying companies in Retail & Wholesale for Lead Software Engineer are Zulily, GameStop, and Stitch Fix.

Real Estate

$198,916

Real Estate

Top paying companies in Real Estate for Lead Software Engineer are Fundrise, Keller Williams, and CoStar Group.

Media & Communication

$197,892

Real Estate

Top paying companies in Real Estate for Lead Software Engineer are Fundrise, Keller Williams, and CoStar Group.

Financial Services

$193,334

Real Estate

Top paying companies in Real Estate for Lead Software Engineer are Fundrise, Keller Williams, and CoStar Group.

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

$188,046

Real Estate

Top paying companies in Real Estate for Lead Software Engineer are Fundrise, Keller Williams, and CoStar Group.

Retail & Wholesale

$184,665

Real Estate

Top paying companies in Real Estate for Lead Software Engineer are Fundrise, Keller Williams, and CoStar Group.

Recent salaries shared by Lead Software Engineer

Location

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 Engineer
10-14 years
$203K/yr
$179K • $24K
Charlotte, NC
$203K/yr
$179K • $24K
Lead Software Engineer
1-3 years
$157K - $182K/yr
Boston, MA
$157K - $182K/yr
Lead Software Engineer
7-9 years
$207K/yr
$189K • $18K
New York, NY
$207K/yr
$189K • $18K
Lead Software Engineer
4-6 years
$194K - $224K/yr
Boston, MA
$194K - $224K/yr
Lead Software Engineer
10-14 years
$160K/yr
$160K • $0
Cincinnati, OH
$160K/yr
$160K • $0
Anonymously share your salary to help the community.
Lead Software Engineer
7-9 years
$141K/yr
$141K • $0
San Diego, CA
$141K/yr
$141K • $0
Lead Software Engineer
7-9 years
$122K - $142K/yr
Dublin, OH
$122K - $142K/yr
Lead Software Engineer
10-14 years
$134K - $156K/yr
Newtown, PA
$134K - $156K/yr
Lead Software Engineer
10-14 years
$159K - $184K/yr
Richmond, VA
$159K - $184K/yr
Lead Software Engineer
7-9 years
$136K/yr
$136K • $0
Tampa, FL
$136K/yr
$136K • $0

Viewing 1 - 10 of 50

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

Economist Overview graphic
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 Engineer salaries

The average salary for a Lead Software Engineer is $228,489 per year or $110 per hour in United States, which is in line with the national average. Top earners have reported making up to $358,779 (90th percentile). However, the typical pay range in United States is between $182,432 (25th percentile) and $291,063 (75th percentile) annually. Salary estimates are based on 13615 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Lead Software Engineer employees in United States as of June 2026.
The highest salary for a Lead Software Engineer in United States is $291,063 per year, $24,255 per month or $140 per hour.
The lowest salary for a Lead Software Engineer in United States is $182,432 per year, $15,203 per month or $88 per hour.
The salary trajectory of a Lead Software Engineer ranges between locations and employers. The salary starts at $152,758 per year (estimate) and goes up to $473,560 per year (estimate) for the highest level of seniority.