If you’ve worked in software engineering for a few years, you’re likely focused on how to maximize compensation. Specializing in certain skills and industries can certainly boost your potential for a higher paycheck; so can working for certain companies. But which companies pay mid-career software engineers the most?
For an answer to that question, we can turn to levels.fyi, which crowdsources compensation data from technologists. While crowdsourcing isn’t always the most scientific way of determining compensation, it can give us a general range of what companies and jobs actually pay. And according to the website’s breakdown, here are the 20 top-paying companies for software engineers with a few years of experience under their belts:
One big thing to note: companies in certain industries (such as finance) are facing considerable macroeconomic pressure at the moment, which could have a trickle-down impact on employees’ compensation over the long run. At many of the companies on this list, a sizable percentage of overall compensation is delivered via stock options; if the broader economy is smacked by a recession in the next few quarters, and the company’s stock price dives, that could have a long-term impact on a software engineer’s earnings.
Even mid-level software engineers who aren’t (yet) making six-figure salaries at a prominent company can successfully negotiate for a pay bump. Take a data-based approach, starting with a thorough analysis of your value to the company; with that information in hand, sit down for a discussion with your manager. If you have valuable skills and experience, chances are good they’ll hear you out—especially given the notably low tech unemployment rate right now, which is leaving companies everywhere hungry for tech talent.
Dice dives deep into industry-specific hiring trends to deliver the recruiting tips you need to find and hire the right tech talent.