▼17%
$121,438
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
/ year
Avg. Base Salary (USD)
10%
$95k
MEDIAN
$121k
90%
$150k
The average salary for a Lead Software Engineer is $121,438 in 2025
Base Salary
$95k - $150k
Bonus
$4k - $29k
Profit Sharing
$6k - $34k
Total Pay
$96k - $167k
Is Average Experienced Lead Software Engineer with Java/J2EE 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?
EXPLORE BY:
Featured Content
‹
Remote Work
New research shows how to set pay for remote employees
Gender Pay Gap
New research shows that each woman experiences the disparity of gender pay gap in different ways, depending on her position, age, race and education.
Compensation Best Practices Report
From compensation planning to variable pay to pay equity analysis, we surveyed 4,900+ organizations on how they manage compensation.
Salary Budget Survey Report
See how organizations are shifting their salary budgets this year.
Retention Report
Get strategies you can use to retain top talent and learn how impactful employee retention really is.
Variable Pay Playbook
Before you decide whether variable pay is right for your org, get a deeper understanding of the variable pay options and the cultural impact of pay choices.
›
What is the Pay by Experience Level for Lead Software Engineers?
What Do Lead Software Engineers Do?
Lead Software Engineer Tasks
- Implement high quality code in an agile, test-driven development environment.
- Create detailed software development plans and assign tasks to team members.
- Scope development effort, and provide reliable resource and timeline estimates.
- Coach and mentor development staff.
- Perform performance and scalability analysis as needed.
Find your market worth – how it works:
Common Health Benefits for a Lead Software Engineer
Medical
93%
Dental
89%
Vision
84%
None
6%
Gender Breakdown for Lead Software Engineers
Male
95.0%
Female
5.0%
This data is based on 60 survey responses. Learn more about the gender pay gap.
FAQs About Lead Software Engineers
What is the highest pay for Lead Software Engineers?
Our data indicates that the highest pay for a Lead Software Engineer is $150k / year
What is the lowest pay for Lead Software Engineers?
Our data indicates that the lowest pay for a Lead Software Engineer is $95k / year
How can Lead Software Engineers increase their salary?
Increasing your pay as a Lead Software Engineer 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 Engineer that oversees more junior Lead Software Engineers, this experience can increase the likelihood to earn more.