Across diverse industries, the IT sector has continued to not only rebound but flourish in 2021, as seen in Motion’s Tech Salary Guide, with software engineering jobs among the highest paying. Software development overall was no exception, with various software backgrounds seeing pay raises in line with the tech-wide average of a 6% salary raise year-over-year. Back End teams experienced a 5.1% jump, and general software developers in general saw their compensation go up 6.9% on average.
This salary growth shows no signs of slowing down as job growth continues to increase. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is predicted that 31,000 software development jobs will be added to the United States each year over the next ten years, which works out to an almost unprecedented 22% growth rate year-over-year. One of the main drivers of this increase in jobs is the growing investment in cloud technologies, where worldwide total spending is predicted to surpass $1.3 trillion by 2025.
"Across North America, companies are increasing their investments in emerging technologies and looking for software talent to reach their ambitious goals," said Matt McKinney, Regional Director at Motion. "This, in addition to companies allowing for fully remote work and businesses expanding into different cities, is leading to a software job market that is showing no signs of slowing down."
Read on below to find out the positions that offer the highest salaries in Software for both mid and senior-level positions.
All salary information in this article is based on Motion Recruitment’s Tech Salary Guide. Gain insights from tech industry experts, learn about the latest IT market trends and find salary data for over 120 tech positions in 16 cities across North America, all in one place.
Average and highest salaries can vary by region. Find each city's Tech Salary Guide here:
| Atlanta | Boston | Charlotte | Chicago | Dallas |
| Greenville | Los Angeles | New York | Orange County | Philadelphia |
| Phoenix | San Francisco | Silicon Valley | Toronto | Washington D.C. |
- Senior-Level Range: $128,000 – $158,000
- Mid-Level Range: $94,000 - $124,000
- Senior-Level Range: $130,000 - $161,000
- Mid-Level Range: $96,000 - $127,000
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Front End Averages:
- Senior-Level Range: $119,000 - $150,000
- Mid-Level Range: $90,000 - $119,000
General Software Engineering Averages:
- Senior-Level Range: $138,000 - $169,000
- Mid-Level Range: $98,000 - $131,000
Embedded Engineering Averages:
- Senior-Level Range: $135,000 - $163,000
- Mid-Level Range: $94,000 - $132,000
Read More: Preview The State of Tech Employment for 2022
6 Highest Paying Software Salaries
Senior-Level
- Platform Architect: $177,000 - $235,000
- .Net Architect: $156,000 - $196,000
- Robotics Engineer: 172,000 - $188,000
Mid-Level
- Robotics Engineer: $126,000 - $153,000
- Scala Engineer: $117,000 - $151,000
- Golang Developer: $105,000 - $150,000
NOTE: With contracting and per hour roles becoming increasingly popular, here is a formula to convert full-time salaries to per hour: (Salary) / 50 (working weeks per year) / 40 (working hours per week) =$X per hour. Then multiply $X by 1.15 (adjustment for benefits, PTO, etc.).
For more salary data like this, download the most recent Tech Salary Guide for salary data for 16 cities across North America alongside the insights you need for success this year below.
Looking to find the top tech talent in North American or thinking of making the next steps in your IT career? Contact your local Motion Recruitment office today. Working in the mid-to-senior level IT job industry for over 30 years, Motion has set itself apart in the technology space by having our recruiters each specialize in a specific department of the tech industry, allowing them to become experts in a particular section of the IT workforce. With offices in 16 cities across the United States and Canada, Motion can help companies and candidates take the next step in the tech market. Contact us now.