Software Engineer

💰 $134K–$203K salary range

Median: $170K  ·  Based on 5,227 public job postings  ·  Updated June 14, 2026

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Building, optimizing, and deploying the core machine learning models and infrastructure for cutting-edge AI-native products is the primary focus of this engineering function. Professionals in this space command a salary range of $145K–$230K, with a median of $177K, based on an analysis of 1,235 recent job postings. Top compensation is often awarded to candidates demonstrating advanced proficiency in MLOps practices, expertise with leading deep learning frameworks like PyTorch or TensorFlow, and proven experience in developing scalable data pipelines. This role demands a strong understanding of both software engineering principles and machine learning fundamentals, ensuring robust and efficient AI system development. Success hinges on a capacity for innovation and the ability to translate research into production-ready solutions.

📊 Salary breakdown

Software Engineer salary by location

• All locations: $170K median
• San Francisco: $200K median (+18% vs. national)

Engineering salaries by seniority

• Junior Software Engineer: $100K
• Hardware Engineer: $160K
• Data Infrastructure Engineer: $170K
• Software Engineer: $170K
• Senior Software Engineer: $188K
• Senior SRE: $189K
• Forward Deployed Engineer: $190K
• Embedded Systems Engineer: $190K
• Tech Lead: $193K
• Senior Embedded Engineer: $195K
• Engineering Manager: $196K
• Site Reliability Engineer: $197K
• Senior Infrastructure Engineer: $198K
• Senior Platform Engineer: $200K
• Founding Engineer: $200K
• Infrastructure Engineer: $200K
• ASIC / Chip Design Engineer: $203K
• Founding PM: $205K
• Staff Software Engineer: $225K
• Director of Engineering: $250K

What does a Software Engineer do?

Software Engineers are engineers who design, build, and operate the core software systems. This benchmark reflects Mid-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Government wage data

For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2026) show a median of $161K for Software Engineer roles, ranging $132K–$193K, across 19,013 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.

Common questions

What is the average Software Engineer salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $170K, with a typical range of $134K–$203K, based on 5,227 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

Where does this salary data come from?
It is aggregated from public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. We require a minimum of 15 postings per role.

Methodology

Figures are the midpoint of each posting's advertised USD salary range, aggregated from 5,227 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Equity is separate and not included; where a posting's range reflects on-target earnings (OTE) for commission roles, that is included in the midpoint. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed June 14, 2026.

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