Technology · Family
Engineering
Build and ship software, from first production code to org-wide technical leadership.
Typical total compensation across this family (US)
$124,000–$1,080,000
10 roles · Junior Software Engineer → CTO · levels IC1–M5
Indicative, sourced ranges — not a guarantee.
Roles at a glance
| Role | Level | Median | Difficulty | Demand | AI-risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Software Engineer | IC1 | $124,000 | Med | Med | High |
| Software Engineer | IC2 | $168,000 | Med | High | Med |
| Senior Software Engineer | IC3 | $270,000 | High | High | Low |
| Engineering Manager | M1 | $300,000 | High | Med | Low |
| Staff Engineer | IC4 | $390,000 | High | Med | Low |
| Senior Engineering Manager | M2 | $415,000 | High | Med | Low |
| Principal Engineer | IC5 | $575,000 | High | Med | Low |
| Director of Engineering | M3 | $610,000 | High | Med | Low |
| VP of Engineering | M4 | $930,000 | High | Low | Low |
| CTO | M5 | $1,080,000 | High | Low | Low |
What each role pays
Junior Software Engineer
$124,000
Software Engineer
$168,000
Senior Software Engineer
$270,000
Engineering Manager
$300,000
Staff Engineer
$390,000
Senior Engineering Manager
$415,000
Principal Engineer
$575,000
Director of Engineering
$610,000
VP of Engineering
$930,000
CTO
$1,080,000
Climb the ladder
Progression is driven by scope and level, not tenure.
Junior Software Engineer→Software Engineer~2 yrs · experience
Software Engineer→Senior Software Engineer~3 yrs · impact-promotion
Senior Software Engineer→Staff Engineer~4 yrs · impact-promotion
Senior Software Engineer→Engineering Manager~2 yrs · ic-to-management
Staff Engineer→Principal Engineer~5 yrs · impact-promotion
Staff Engineer→Senior Engineering Manager~2 yrs · ic-to-management
Engineering Manager→Senior Engineering Manager~3 yrs · impact-promotion
Senior Engineering Manager→Director of Engineering~4 yrs · impact-promotion
Director of Engineering→VP of Engineering~4 yrs · impact-promotion
VP of Engineering→CTO~5 yrs · impact-promotion
Credentials that help
Credentials help entry and specialisation; scope drives seniority.
- CS / related bachelor's degree · $10k-$40k+/yr public in-state to private; highly variable
- Coding bootcamp (e.g. Hack Reactor, App Academy, Nucamp) · $13,584
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) · $150
FAQ
What does a career in engineering pay?
Typical total compensation across this family runs $124,000–$1,080,000 (US, indicative), from Junior Software Engineer to CTO.
Which engineering role is most in demand?
Software Engineer carries the strongest hiring demand in this family (high).
How do you move up in engineering?
Progression is by scope and level, not tenure — e.g. Junior Software Engineer → Software Engineer (~2 yrs typical).
Explore the roles
Figures are indicative, in USD, and never a guarantee of an outcome. Personas and guides are added as the family's content is authored.