▼16%
$96,548
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
/ year
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
10%
$68k
MEDIAN
$97k
90%
$133k
The average salary for a Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) is $96,548 in 2025
Base Salary
$68k - $133k
Bonus
$1k - $20k
Profit Sharing
$1k - $4k
Total Pay
$72k - $147k
Is Average Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) with HTML Skills Salary your job title? Find out what you should be paid
Use our tool to get a personalized report on your market worth.What's this?
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What is the Pay by Experience Level for Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s?
What Do Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s Do?
Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) Tasks
- Work with designers and content producers.
- Write, modify, and debug software for server applications.
- Write code to create multi-threaded, networked server applications.
- Use source debuggers, program dumps, and performance monitoring tools.
- Test and document software for server applications.
Find your market worth – how it works:
Common Health Benefits for a Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)
Medical
85%
Dental
77%
Vision
68%
None
13%
Gender Breakdown for Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s
Male
84.1%
Female
15.9%
This data is based on 44 survey responses. Learn more about the gender pay gap.
FAQs About Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s
What is the highest pay for Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s?
Our data indicates that the highest pay for a Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) is $133k / year
What is the lowest pay for Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s?
Our data indicates that the lowest pay for a Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) is $68k / year
How can Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s increase their salary?
Increasing your pay as a Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) is possible in different ways. Change of employer: Consider a career move to a new employer that is willing to pay higher for your skills. Level of Education: Gaining advanced degrees may allow this role to increase their income potential and qualify for promotions. Managing Experience: If you are a Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) that oversees more junior Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s, this experience can increase the likelihood to earn more.