▼18%
$120,937
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
/ year
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
10%
$86k
MEDIAN
$121k
90%
$161k
The average salary for a Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) is $120,937 in 2025
Base Salary
$86k - $161k
Bonus
$1k - $18k
Profit Sharing
$157 - $18k
Total Pay
$86k - $168k
Is Average Mid-Career Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE) 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
74%
Vision
71%
None
15%
Gender Breakdown for Lead Software Development Engineer (SDE)s
Male
84.8%
Female
15.2%
This data is based on 66 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 $161k / 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 $86k / 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.