Housing
Housing dominates monthly expenses at $2,373, with a 1-bedroom city center apartment costing $2,150. Basic utilities add $158 and internet $57, making housing account for over 83% of the total monthly budget.
Software Engineer Salary in Redmond
Market ranges & how to evaluate your offer
$114k – $1.9M/yr
Most offers in Redmond fall between $152k–$315k depending on seniority, location, and role scope.
Last updated: March 2026Self-reported salaries + labor statisticsRedmondConfidence: High
10th
percentile$158.108
percentile$158.108
Median$221.000
90th
percentile$541.307
percentile$541.307
Local vs National
Redmond$221k
National Average$216k
Redmond pays 2.3% more than the national typical
Salary data is self-reported and varies by scope, company, and location. Use ranges, not single numbers.
Offer sanity-check
Compare your total comp for Software Engineer — pick seniority, enter an offer, and preview the layout. Percentiles use your selected seniority when market data is available.
Salary Range for Software Engineer
Seniority-level breakdown for this market.
Cost of Living in Redmond, WA
Cost of living breakdown for Redmond, WA market.
116avg = 100
Estimated monthly costs for this basket run about 116% of our comparable national baseline—plan for higher everyday spend than typical US markets.
Overall COL Index
HOUSING+70%
National avg (100)
FOOD-43%
National avg (100)
TRANSPORT-71%
National avg (100)
LIFESTYLE-52%
National avg (100)
Monthly cost breakdown
How the estimated monthly cost bundle splits across categories for a typical Software Engineer earner.
$2,844.23/ mo
HOUSING
$2,373.49 USD (83.4% of est. monthly costs)
FOOD
$237.64 USD (8.4% of est. monthly costs)
TRANSPORT
$100.00 USD (3.5% of est. monthly costs)
LIFESTYLE
$133.10 USD (4.7% of est. monthly costs)
+70%
Food & dining
Food costs run $238 monthly, with restaurant meals at $20 and basic groceries like milk ($0.98/liter) and chicken ($10.75/kg) reflecting typical Pacific Northwest pricing. This represents reasonable food expenses for a tech hub, though dining out frequently could push costs higher.
Transportation
Public transit costs $100 monthly for a regular pass. Given Redmond's proximity to Seattle and tech campuses like Microsoft, many professionals rely on transit or company shuttles for commuting to avoid parking costs and traffic.
Lifestyle & leisure
Discretionary spending totals $133, including gym membership ($55) and occasional entertainment like movies ($15) and coffee ($4.81 per cappuccino). This represents modest leisure spending compared to housing costs, typical for budget-conscious tech workers.
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Top-Paying Cities for Software Engineer
Location-specific ranges with optional cost-of-living adjustment.
Top Employers in Redmond
Median compensation, hiring momentum, and pay mix for Software Engineers in this market.
Microsoft
+333.3% YoY Hiring$220k
CashStock
Mostly hires: 64
Meta
+300% YoY Hiring$243k
CashStock
Mostly hires: E4
Nvidia
-100% YoY Hiring$541k
CashStock
Mostly hires: IC4
Amazon
+100% YoY Hiring$328k
CashStock
Mostly hires: SDE II
Oracle
+100% YoY Hiring$158k
CashStock
Mostly hires: IC-2
Coinbase
+100% YoY Hiring$563k
CashStock
Mostly hires: IC6
Remote Pay Bands Explained
Software Engineer remote compensation varies significantly between location-adjusted and national pay bands. Companies like Google and Meta typically adjust salaries based on employee location, with San Francisco rates 20-30% higher than Austin or Denver. Conversely, companies like GitLab and Buffer offer location-agnostic pay, providing equal compensation regardless of where engineers work.
The hybrid work trend has created tiered compensation models for Software Engineers, with many companies offering 90-95% of on-site pay for hybrid roles. When negotiating remote positions, emphasize your ability to deliver results independently and highlight successful remote collaboration experiences. Consider negotiating for equity or professional development budgets to offset any location-based pay reductions.
Moving from expensive metros like San Francisco ($180K average) to lower-cost areas while maintaining remote work can dramatically improve purchasing power. A Software Engineer earning $160K remotely in Nashville has equivalent buying power to someone making $220K in San Francisco, effectively providing a 25-30% lifestyle upgrade through geographic arbitrage.
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Related Roles
How adjacent roles compare in pay and scope.
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High overlap in product-manager roles
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High overlap in data-scientist roles
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$110k-$390k
High overlap in product-designer roles
DetailsUx Designer
$117k-$400k
High overlap in product-designer roles
DetailsTechnical Program Manager
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High overlap in technical-program-manager roles
DetailsSolution Architect
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High overlap in solution-architect roles
DetailsHow to Negotiate Your Offer
Practical steps that move the number without damaging the relationship.
Start your ask above the median. You'll rarely be offered more than you ask, so anchor high and let the employer negotiate you down.
Stronger approach:
- Start your ask above the median
- You'll rarely be offered more than you ask, so anchor high and let the employer negotiate you down
Say 'market data puts this role at $X–$Y' — not 'I was hoping for more'. External benchmarks are harder to argue against than personal expectations.
Stronger approach:
- Say 'market data puts this role at $X–$Y' — not 'I was hoping for more'
- External benchmarks are harder to argue against than personal expectations
When base is stuck, negotiate equity vesting schedule, signing bonus, or accelerated refresh grants. Total comp has more levers than base alone.
Stronger approach:
- When base is stuck, negotiate equity vesting schedule, signing bonus, or accelerated refresh grants
- Total comp has more levers than base alone
Ask for 48 hours to review. This creates time to counter and signals that you take offers seriously — not that you are uncertain.
Stronger approach:
- Ask for 48 hours to review
- This creates time to counter and signals that you take offers seriously — not that you are uncertain
Negotiate Salary
Generate an aware negotiation email using Google market positioning data.
Practice Interviews
Mock interviews tailored to Google's process and evaluation criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Software Engineer compensation.
Software Engineer salaries typically range from $85K-$120K for entry-level, $120K-$180K for mid-level, and $180K-$300K+ for senior positions. Total compensation including equity and bonuses can be 30-50% higher at top tech companies.
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