The average software engineer salary in Washington is $171,040 per year. The median of $166,540 is the more practical anchor for most hiring decisions, since a smaller group of very high earners pulls the mean upward. Use the median as your baseline and adjust based on the seniority and specialization of the specific role you are filling.
Software engineer salary in Washington (2026)
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The average software engineer salary in Washington is $171,040 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $166,540 gives employers a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Washington employs 107,030 software engineers, and the $4,500 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior engineers in Washington typically earn around $96,810, while senior specialists reach and exceed the $255,350 level at the 90th percentile. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a software engineer hire in Washington, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $166,540 |
Average Annual Salary | $171,040 |
vs. National Average | 15.5% above the national mean of $148,100 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 107,030 employed software engineers across Washington.
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Software engineer salary percentiles in Washington
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $96,810 |
25th Percentile | $132,290 |
75th Percentile | $211,860 |
90th Percentile | $255,350 |
Employers setting offers for software engineers in Washington should expect a wide range depending on seniority, with entry-level roles clustering near $96,810 and experienced specialists reaching $255,350 or beyond. Anchoring your offer to the 25th percentile ($132,290) or 75th percentile ($211,860) will help you target mid-career candidates without over- or under-paying relative to the market.
Software engineer salary by city in Washington
City | Average Annual Salary |
Seattle | $174,920 |
Kennewick | $135,150 |
Spokane | $135,110 |
Bellingham | $130,430 |
Yakima | $120,160 |
Where you hire within Washington has a direct impact on your compensation budget, with Seattle-based roles commanding meaningfully higher pay than positions in other parts of the state. The Seattle metro average of $174,920 sits $54,760 above Yakima's average of $120,160, so employers with flexibility on location can realize real savings by hiring outside the Seattle metro area.
How Washington compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Washington | $171,040 | $166,540 |
California | $186,770 | $174,410 |
New York | $163,820 | $166,180 |
Colorado | $150,940 | $138,390 |
Oregon | $149,060 | $142,720 |
Texas | $136,450 | $132,150 |
Employers hiring software engineers in Washington should budget at a level close to New York and well above Colorado, Oregon, and Texas, while recognizing that California remains the highest-cost market in this comparison. Washington's mean of $171,040 sits $15,730 above New York's mean of $163,820 and $34,590 above Texas's mean of $136,450, so candidates relocating from California may still expect a pay adjustment downward.
Frequently asked questions about software engineer salary in Washington
What is the average software engineer salary in Washington?
How does Washington compare to other states for software engineer salary?
Washington's mean of $171,040 places it above New York ($163,820), Colorado ($150,940), Oregon ($149,060), and Texas ($136,450), but below California ($186,770). For employers competing for talent across state lines, Washington is a high-cost market relative to most peers outside California. Budget accordingly if you are recruiting candidates who have competing offers from California-based employers.
What do the top-earning software engineers make in Washington?
Software engineers at the 90th percentile in Washington earn $255,350 per year. Senior specialists and those in high-demand niches are the candidates most likely to command offers at or above this level. When competing for that tier of talent, expect compensation packages to reflect the full range of the market rather than the median.
What is the salary range for a software engineer in Washington?
The salary range for a software engineer in Washington runs from $96,810 at the 10th percentile to $255,350 at the 90th percentile. The middle of the market sits between $132,290 at the 25th percentile and $211,860 at the 75th percentile, which is where most competitive offers will land. Use the seniority and specialization of your open role to determine where within that band your offer should sit.
Software Engineer salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 15-1252 (Software Developers).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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