Salary comparison
Software Engineer vs Systems Engineer salary
Software Engineers out-earn systems engineers by about $15,330 at the median. Here is the full side-by-side breakdown — pay range, top states, and experience.
Software Engineers earn more — a median of $133,080 versus $117,750 for systems engineers, a gap of about $15,330 (13%). Both figures are national benchmarks (one or both mapped from the nearest tracked occupation).
Software Engineer
Verified$133,080
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $79,850
- Top 10%
- $211,450
- Discipline
- Software & Technology
Systems Engineer
Mapped est.$117,750
Median annual wage
- Entry (10th pct)
- $62,840
- Top 10%
- $183,510
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Software Engineer vs Systems Engineer — pay distribution
Percentile-by-percentile comparison of national annual wages.
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileSoftware Engineer | $79,850 |
| MedianSoftware Engineer | $133,080 |
| 90th percentileSoftware Engineer | $211,450 |
| 10th percentileSystems Engineer | $62,840 |
| MedianSystems Engineer | $117,750 |
| 90th percentileSystems Engineer | $183,510 |
Pay by experience
Modeled progression from entry to principal level for each role (estimated from the national percentile curve).
Software Engineer
Systems Engineer
Where each role pays most
Highest-paying states by published median wage.
Software Engineer
- California$170,910
- Washington$166,910
- New York$161,260
- Massachusetts$150,520
- Maryland$137,890
Systems Engineer
State-level figures aren't published for this title — see the Systems Engineer page.
Which should you choose?
On pay alone, software engineers earn about 13% more at the median — but location and specialization routinely move pay by more than that gap.
Pick software engineer if…
Software engineers design, build, and maintain the software systems, applications, and services that companies run on — from web and mobile apps to backend infrastructure.
- ▹Years of experience and seniority (junior → staff/principal)
- ▹Company type (Big Tech and trading firms pay well above median)
- ▹Equity and bonus, which can exceed base pay at senior levels
Pick systems engineer if…
Systems engineers design and manage complex systems across their full life cycle, integrating hardware, software, and processes so the whole thing works as one.
- ▹Defense/aerospace clearance
- ▹INCOSE certification
- ▹Years of experience
Software Engineer vs Systems Engineer — frequently asked
Who earns more, software engineers or systems engineers?
What is the salary range for software engineers vs systems engineers?
Should I become a software engineer or a systems engineer?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 15-1252 (Software Developers), national.
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →