What are the main factors that influence a Software Lead's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Software Lead's salary?

A Software Lead's salary grows with experience: an IT Quality Assurance Analyst II (2-4 years)earns $86,171, an IT Quality Assurance Analyst III (4-7 years)earns $110,951, an IT Quality Assurance Process Consultant (7-10 years)earns $132,648, an Software Lead (10+ years)earns $123,072, an IT Quality Assurance Director (10+ years)earns $203,623,

What are the highest paying states for a Software Lead?

Software Lead salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Software Lead roles are District of Columbia $136,261, California $135,744, Massachusetts $133,935. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Software Lead roles make?

Salaries for Software Lead level roles vary by specialization: Lead Software Engineer: $171,388; Software Engineering Lead: $169,651; Senior Software Lead: $148,939; Lead Software Architect: $145,495; Lead Software Developer: $139,183.

How do different companies affect a Software Lead's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Software Lead roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Software Lead Salary in the United States

How much does a Software Lead make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Software Lead in the United States is $123,068 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $59.

However, a Software Lead's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $143,416
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $113,367 to $133,719
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $104,534

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Software Lead Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$133,719	$11,143	$2,572	$64
Average	$123,068	$10,256	$2,367	$59
25th Percentile	$113,367	$9,447	$2,180	$55

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Key Factors That Influence Software Lead Salaries

A Software Lead's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Software Lead Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Software Lead's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $86,171
Early Career (1-2 years): $110,951
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $132,648
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $123,072
Expert (over 8 years): $203,623

Levels	Salary
IT Qualit... Level Software Lead	$86,171
IT Qualit... Level Software Lead	$110,951
IT Qualit... Level Software Lead	$132,648
Software ... Level Software Lead	$123,072
IT Qualit... Level Software Lead	$203,623

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Software Lead Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Software Leads. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $136,261.
California: $135,744.
Massachusetts: $133,935.

District of Columbia $136,261 California $135,744 Massachusetts $133,935 Washington $133,442 New Jersey $133,393 Alaska $133,221 Connecticut $131,523 New York $130,833

Hawaii $128,630 Rhode Island $127,597 Maryland $126,895 Minnesota $125,935 Colorado $125,566 Illinois $125,443 Oregon $124,975 Delaware $124,631

New Hampshire $124,414 Virginia $123,929 Pennsylvania $122,514 Nevada $121,800 North Dakota $121,566 Michigan $121,197 Wisconsin $121,062 Vermont $120,791

Texas $120,040 Maine $119,991 Arizona $119,917 Ohio $119,831 Georgia $118,699 Indiana $118,133 Wyoming $118,022 Utah $117,850

Iowa $117,776 Kansas $117,185 Louisiana $117,013 North Carolina $116,951 Missouri $116,927 Florida $116,447 Montana $116,188 Nebraska $115,942

Kentucky $115,807 South Carolina $115,315 Tennessee $115,007 Idaho $114,884 New Mexico $113,985 Oklahoma $113,788 Alabama $113,062 South Dakota $111,844

Arkansas $111,179 West Virginia $110,823 Mississippi $109,752

Top Paying Cities for Software Leads

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $155,225
San Francisco: $153,699
Oakland: $150,290

San Jose, CA $155,225

San Francisco, CA $153,699

Oakland, CA $150,290

New York, NY $142,623

Queens Village, NY $141,700

Paramus, NJ $140,716

Passaic, NJ $140,593

Bergenfield, NJ $140,470

Stamford, CT $140,285

Huntington, NY $140,162

Newark, NJ $139,362

Bridgeport, CT $139,116

New Brunswick, NJ $138,710

Vallejo, CA $138,451

Middlesex, NJ $138,377

Somerset, NJ $138,267

Petaluma, CA $137,984

Santa Cruz, CA $137,504

Boston, MA $137,258

Monterey, CA $136,642

Fairbanks, AK $136,556

Los Angeles, CA $136,322

Washington, DC $136,261

Seattle, WA $136,039

Santa Rosa, CA $136,015

Juneau, AK $135,658

Orange, CA $135,252

Anchorage, AK $135,030

Anaheim, CA $134,944

Santa Ana, CA $134,759

Nassau, NY $134,685

Long Beach, CA $134,636

Danbury, CT $134,599

Santa Maria, CA $134,181

Everett, WA $134,156

Bremerton, WA $133,553

Trenton, NJ $133,319

Sacramento, CA $133,270

San Diego, CA $133,209

Brockton, MA $133,159

Tacoma, WA $133,110

Santa Barbara, CA $132,938

Lowell, MA $132,446

New Suffolk, NY $132,396

Nashua, NH $132,249

Lompoc, CA $132,052

Ventura, CA $131,929

Stockton, CA $131,892

New Haven, CT $131,646

Atlantic City, NJ $131,326

Hartford, CT $131,055

Modesto, CA $130,993

Poughkeepsie, NY $130,723

New Britain, CT $130,661

Kennewick, WA $130,489

Olympia, WA $130,489

New London, CT $130,464

Norwich, CT $130,427

Lawrence, MA $130,366

Bakersfield, CA $130,021

New Bedford, MA $129,849

Riverside, CA $129,849

Richland, WA $129,726

Portsmouth, NH $129,627

Vineland, NJ $129,603

San Bernardino, CA $129,504

Boulder, CO $129,160

Worcester, MA $129,061

Portland, OR $128,950

Saint Paul, MN $128,803

Minneapolis, MN $128,803

Philadelphia, PA $128,630

Honolulu, HI $127,978

Springfield, MA $127,547

Providence, RI $127,535

Chicago, IL $127,178

Bellingham, WA $127,031

Baltimore, MD $126,895

Chico, CA $126,588

Wilmington, DE $126,378

Pittsfield, MA $126,255

Manchester, NH $126,021

Spokane, WA $125,480

Denver, CO $125,468

Albany, NY $124,889

Troy, NY $124,840

Schenectady, NY $124,582

Burlington, VT $124,311

Portland, ME $123,880

Salem, OR $123,782

Yakima, WA $123,757

Ann Arbor, MI $123,720

Rochester, MN $123,375

Reno, NV $123,314

Fresno, CA $123,314

Milwaukee, WI $123,203

Detroit, MI $123,080

Allentown, PA $123,043

Carson City, NV $123,031

Houston, TX $122,846

Colorado Springs, CO $122,834

Syracuse, NY $122,772

Eugene, OR $122,539

Gary, IN $122,391

Bismarck, ND $122,391

Galveston, TX $122,391

Springfield, OR $122,292

Medford, OR $121,997

Fort Collins, CO $121,948

Austin, TX $121,849

Mesa, AZ $121,591

Phoenix, AZ $121,566

Dallas, TX $121,529

Reading, PA $121,456

Saint Cloud, MN $121,406

Concord, NH $121,296

Madison, WI $121,246

Utica, NY $120,914

Raleigh, NC $120,816

Las Vegas, NV $120,803

Rochester, NY $120,717

Des Moines, IA $120,705

Atlanta, GA $120,508

Battle Creek, MI $120,471

Salt Lake City, UT $120,434

Lancaster, PA $120,250

Champaign, IL $120,225

Harrisburg, PA $120,077

Durham, NC $119,966

Kansas City, MO $119,954

Kansas City, KS $119,930

Fort Worth, TX $119,917

Boca Raton, FL $119,868

Cleveland, OH $119,856

Columbus, OH $119,831

Pittsburgh, PA $119,819

Richmond, VA $119,770

Indianapolis, IN $119,745

Cincinnati, OH $119,585

Petersburg, VA $119,400

Lansing, MI $119,130

Billings, MT $119,130

Huntsville, AL $119,130

Lebanon, PA $119,117

Pueblo, CO $119,105

Dayton, OH $119,105

Appleton, WI $119,068

Buffalo, NY $119,019

Racine, WI $118,957

Charlotte, NC $118,945

Saint Louis, MO $118,908

Springfield, IL $118,859

York, PA $118,834

Elkhart, IN $118,834

Gastonia, NC $118,822

Benton Harbor, MI $118,822

Beaumont, TX $118,748

Lorain, OH $118,724

Toledo, OH $118,674

Binghamton, NY $118,613

Rock Hill, SC $118,600

Rockford, IL $118,539

Elyria, OH $118,477

Fargo, ND $118,477

Flagstaff, AZ $118,391

Fort Lauderdale, FL $118,317

Miami, FL $118,244

Duluth, MN $118,047

Bangor, ME $117,887

Cedar Rapids, IA $117,751

Louisville, KY $117,690

Grand Rapids, MI $117,665

Hialeah, FL $117,653

Casper, WY $117,481

Scranton, PA $117,333

New Orleans, LA $117,296

Virginia Beach, VA $117,284

Akron, OH $117,222

Peoria, IL $117,062

Sarasota, FL $117,037

Green Bay, WI $116,951

Baton Rouge, LA $116,890

Charleston, SC $116,865

Nashville, TN $116,828

Jamestown, NY $116,804

Davenport, IA $116,804

Tucson, AZ $116,742

Cheyenne, WY $116,705

Saint Petersburg, FL $116,668

Tampa, FL $116,644

Omaha, NE $116,619

Evansville, IN $116,570

Port Arthur, TX $116,570

Bradenton, FL $116,521

Santa Fe, NM $116,299

Orlando, FL $116,176

Clearwater, FL $116,041

La Crosse, WI $115,782

Canton, OH $115,782

Grand Forks, ND $115,745

Tulsa, OK $115,708

Albuquerque, NM $115,708

Newport News, VA $115,696

High Point, NC $115,659

Ogden, UT $115,610

Corpus Christi, TX $115,511

Laramie, WY $115,438

Norfolk, VA $115,438

Rock Island, IL $115,364

Saginaw, MI $115,339

Jacksonville, FL $115,327

Salisbury, NC $115,302

Memphis, TN $115,278

Moline, IL $115,216

Fort Myers, FL $115,179

Waterloo, IA $115,019

Spartanburg, SC $114,896

Lincoln, NE $114,835

Fort Wayne, IN $114,810

Birmingham, AL $114,675

Cedar Falls, IA $114,650

Provo, UT $114,638

Springfield, OH $114,625

San Antonio, TX $114,601

Greensboro, NC $114,552

South Bend, IN $114,539

Winston Salem, NC $114,527

Boise, ID $114,490

Savannah, GA $114,404

Muskegon, MI $114,182

Lima, OH $114,035

Lake Charles, LA $113,985

Anderson, IN $113,961

Lexington, KY $113,924

Augusta, GA $113,887

Greenville, SC $113,887

Wichita, KS $113,776

Tuscaloosa, AL $113,776

Columbia, SC $113,665

Bloomington, IN $113,358

Roanoke, VA $113,284

Asheville, NC $113,124

Knoxville, TN $112,915

Shreveport, LA $112,902

Wilmington, NC $112,742

Frankfort, KY $112,509

Oklahoma City, OK $112,422

Chillicothe, OH $112,373

Longview, TX $112,361

Topeka, KS $112,324

Mobile, AL $112,139

Terre Haute, IN $112,090

Erie, PA $112,078

Altoona, PA $112,016

Melbourne, FL $111,979

Amarillo, TX $111,930

Killeen, TX $111,893

Fayetteville, AR $111,795

Sioux Falls, SD $111,709

Chattanooga, TN $111,635

Idaho Falls, ID $111,622

Gainesville, FL $111,364

Portsmouth, OH $111,303

Little Rock, AR $111,278

Lynchburg, VA $111,278

Youngstown, OH $111,229

Lafayette, LA $111,229

Temple, TX $111,179

Daytona Beach, FL $111,155

Clarksville, TN $111,143

Pensacola, FL $111,130

Hopkinsville, KY $110,761

Charleston, WV $110,749

Florence, SC $110,687

Sioux City, IA $110,613

Macon, GA $110,256

Tallahassee, FL $110,244

Fayetteville, NC $110,220

Wichita Falls, TX $110,195

Waco, TX $110,195

Pine Bluff, AR $110,146

Vincennes, IN $109,912

Lubbock, TX $109,863

Great Falls, MT $109,789

Alamogordo, NM $109,776

Abilene, TX $109,678

Rapid City, SD $109,518

Monroe, LA $109,518

Albany, GA $109,444

Huntington, WV $109,432

Jackson, MS $109,420

Greenville, MS $109,407

Parkersburg, WV $109,284

Montgomery, AL $109,260

Johnstown, PA $109,235

Springfield, MO $109,137

Biloxi, MS $109,075

Sumter, SC $108,817

Columbus, GA $108,804

Twin Falls, ID $108,730

Pascagoula, MS $108,570

Kingsport, TN $108,250

Gulfport, MS $108,214

Alexandria, LA $107,807

Fort Smith, AR $107,500

El Paso, TX $107,167

Helena, MT $107,007

Las Cruces, NM $106,614

Harlingen, TX $106,269

Pocatello, ID $106,158

Florence, AL $106,121

Brownsville, TX $106,097

Dothan, AL $105,900

Mcallen, TX $105,838

Columbus, MS $104,928

Altus, OK $104,361

Lawton, OK $104,128

Pierre, SD $103,685

What Skills Can Increase a Software Lead's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 8.48% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Support Services (Mentioned in 1.43% Job Postings): Support Services means those activities provided to or on behalf of a person in the areas of personal care and assistance and property maintenance in order to allow a person to live in the least restrictive environment.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	8.48%
Microsoft Office	2%
Support Services	1.43%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Software Lead's salary.

Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Project Management	$127,991	4%
Collaboration	$127,991	4%
Innovation	$126,760	3%
Initiative	$125,529	2%
Leadership	$125,529	2%
Process Improvement	$125,529	2%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Software Lead's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Software Leads enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Software Lead with a Bachelor's Degree is between $129,696 and $139,064).

Software Lead Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Software Lead

No Diploma 1.1%

High School 6.4%

Associates 6.9%

Bachelors 51.3%

Masters 33.5%

Doctorate 0.8%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.1%
High School	6.4%
Associates	6.9%
Bachelors	51.3%
Masters	33.5%
Doctorate	0.8%

view as graph

Software Lead Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Software Lead's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

$113,367

Average $123,068/year

$133,719

$9,447

Average $10,256/month

$11,143

$2,180

Average $2,367/week

$2,572

$55

Average $59/hour

$64

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$133,719	$11,143	$2,572	$64
Average	$123,068	$10,256	$2,367	$59
25th Percentile	$113,367	$9,447	$2,180	$55

Salaries of jobs related to Software Lead

Salary Trends for Software Lead

Salaries for a Software Lead can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $124,940 in 2023 to around $125,378 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Software Lead salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Software Lead Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$124,940

2024

$125,945

2025

$125,378

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$124,940
2024	$125,945
2025	$125,378
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Software Lead

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Healthcare

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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