Software engineer vs mechanical engineer salary
Software Engineers earn more at the median — $132,270 vs $99,510, a gap of about $32,760 (33%).
Software Engineer
Verified$132,270
Median annual wage
- Entry level
- $78,060
- Top earners
- $208,620
- Discipline
- Software & Technology
Software engineers design, build, and maintain the software systems, applications, and services that companies run on — from web and mobile apps to backend infrastructure.
Software Engineer salary details →Mechanical Engineer
Verified$99,510
Median annual wage
- Entry level
- $64,020
- Top earners
- $157,900
- Discipline
- Architecture & Engineering
Mechanical engineers design, develop, and test mechanical and thermal devices, from engines and tools to HVAC and manufacturing systems.
Mechanical Engineer salary details →Source details
Both medians come from BLS OEWS May 2024 (SOC 15-1252 and 17-2141).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →