How Much Does a Software Engineering Manager Make? Salary by State
Median annual salary (U.S.)
$175,140
Software engineering managers in the U.S. earn a median of $175,140 a year, or $84.20 an hour. Half of software engineering managers earn more than $175,140 and half earn less. The top 10% make more than $297,510.
Pay percentiles for software engineering managers
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $51.71 | $107,550 |
| 25th | $66.38 | $138,060 |
| 50th (median) | $84.20 | $175,140 |
| 75th | $106.12 | $220,730 |
| 90th | $143.03 | $297,510 |
U.S. wages, May 2025. BLS occupation: Computer and Information Systems Managers (SOC 11-3021). Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
Highest-paying states for software engineering managers
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $218,290 | $104.95 | +25% |
| Massachusetts | $214,960 | $103.35 | +23% |
| New York | $214,300 | $103.03 | +22% |
| Washington | $209,370 | $100.66 | +20% |
| New Jersey | $203,460 | $97.82 | +16% |
| Virginia | $201,490 | $96.87 | +15% |
| Colorado | $199,420 | $95.87 | +14% |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | $93.84 | +11% |
| New Hampshire | $176,540 | $84.88 | +1% |
| Minnesota | $176,380 | $84.80 | +1% |
| United States | $175,140 | $84.20 | — |
Top 10 states by median annual wage, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
How many software engineering managers are there?
BLS counts about 670,570 software engineering managers employed in the U.S. (May 2025, excluding the self-employed). These figures cover the BLS occupation “Computer and Information Systems Managers”. The most jobs are in California (94,720), Texas (73,060) and New York (48,050).
The mean (average) annual wage is $192,160, higher than the median of $175,140.
Hourly to annual pay calculator
Per year
- Monthly
- $14,595
- Biweekly
- $6,736
- Weekly
- $3,368
- Daily (8 hours)
- $674
- Hours per year
- 2,080
BLS annual figure; hourly × 2,080 may differ slightly.
Frequently asked questions
How much do software engineering managers make an hour?
The median hourly wage for software engineering managers is $84.20. The middle 50% earn between $66.38 and $106.12 an hour.
Which state pays software engineering managers the most?
California has the highest median wage for software engineering managers at $218,290, +25% vs. the U.S. median.
What is the starting salary for software engineering managers?
BLS does not report pay by experience, but the lowest-paid 10% of software engineering managers earn less than $107,550 a year, a common proxy for entry-level pay.