The salary of a Director of Software Engineering in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Director of Software Engineering in the United States is $213,000. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $195,600 to $230,200, with most professionals earning between $179,758 and $245,860.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $230,200 | $19,183 | $4,427 | $111 |
| Average | $213,000 | $17,750 | $4,096 | $102 |
| 25th Percentile | $195,600 | $16,300 | $3,762 | $94 |
An entry-level Director of Software Engineering with less than 1 year of experience earns about $202,352. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $203,910. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $205,988. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $208,585, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $211,182.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Director of Software Engineering | $202,352 |
| Intermediate Level Director of Software Engineering | $203,910 |
| Senior Level Director of Software Engineering | $205,988 |
| Specialist Level Director of Software Engineering | $208,585 |
| Expert Level Director of Software Engineering | $211,182 |
| Entry Level | 5% |
| Mid Level | 4% |
| Senior Level | 3% |
| Top Level | 2% |
| Experienced | 1% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Director of Software Engineering compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $200,639 in 2023 to approximately $198,840 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Director of Software Engineering salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Director of Software Engineering information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Director of Software Engineering job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Director of Software Engineering and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $213,000 | 74.5% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $13,542 | 4.7% | ||
| 401K/403B | $8,946 | 3.1% | ||
| Disability | $4,260 | 1.5% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 2.9% | ||
| Pension | $11,502 | 4.0% | ||
| Time Off | $26,215 | 9.2% | ||
| Total Compensation | $285,817 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 0.4% |
| High School | 3.5% |
| Associates | 1.3% |
| Bachelors | 44.2% |
| Masters | 43.9% |
| Doctorate | 6.6% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Director of Software Engineering is $213,000. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Director of Software Engineering is $102; the average weekly pay of Director of Software Engineering is $4,096; the average monthly pay of Director of Software Engineering is $17,750.
A Director of Software Engineering's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Director of Software Engineering earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Director of Software Engineering is $268,600.
The highest pay for Director of Software Engineering is $245,860.
The lowest pay for Director of Software Engineering is $179,758.
The Director of Software Engineering establishes policies and procedures that produce high-quality software product and service. Directs and oversees the software engineering function in developing, releasing, and maintaining software applications/operating systems according to business needs. Being a Director of Software Engineering typically reports to top management. Requires a bachelor's degree. The Director of Software Engineering manages a departmental sub-function within a broader departmental function. Creates functional strategies and specific objectives for the sub-function and develops budgets/policies/procedures to support the functional infrastructure. Deep knowledge of the managed sub-function and solid knowledge of the overall departmental function. Working as a Director of Software Engineering typically requires 5+ years of managerial experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Employment Authorization:
Microservices: Developing applications from modular components to make it easier to scale and faster to create.
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
