Junior Software Engineer

💰 $84K–$125K salary range

Median: $98K  ·  Based on 117 public job postings  ·  Updated August 30, 2026

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An entry-level position within high-growth companies, this role primarily focuses on implementing and maintaining the foundational codebases for AI models, data pipelines, and intelligent applications, often integrating machine learning components into broader software systems. Compensation for Junior Software Engineers ranges from $94K to $141K, with a median of $98K, derived from an analysis of 16 recent job postings. Top compensation within this range is typically awarded to candidates demonstrating proficiency in cutting-edge machine learning frameworks like PyTorch or TensorFlow, practical experience with MLOps principles for model deployment and monitoring, and solid understanding of cloud platforms such as AWS or GCP for scalable AI infrastructure. This role offers significant growth potential as AI technologies evolve.

📊 Salary breakdown

Junior Software Engineer salary by location

• All locations: $98K median ($84K–$125K typical range)
• San Francisco: $125K median, $101K–$219K range (+27% vs. national)
• New York: $109K median, $100K–$167K range (+11% vs. national)
• Austin: $103K median, $103K–$119K range (+5% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $108K median, $88K–$126K range (+10% vs. national)

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 76% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 53% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 65% of postings
• Parental leave: 36% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 37% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 7% of postings

Typical experience required: 2–4 years.

Engineering salaries by seniority

• Junior Software Engineer: $98K
• Software Engineer: $155K
• Embedded Systems Engineer: $169K
• Data Infrastructure Engineer: $170K
• Deployment Strategist: $170K
• Engineering Manager: $177K
• Senior Embedded Engineer: $180K
• Senior Hardware Engineer: $183K
• Senior Software Engineer: $183K
• Senior Infrastructure Engineer: $191K
• Tech Lead: $193K
• Founding Engineer: $195K
• Senior Platform Engineer: $198K
• Infrastructure Engineer: $199K
• Founding PM: $200K
• Platform Engineer: $207K
• ASIC / Chip Design Engineer: $215K
• Staff Software Engineer: $225K
• Director of Engineering: $245K

What does a Junior Software Engineer do?

Junior Software Engineers are engineers who design, build, and operate the core software systems. This benchmark reflects Junior-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Government wage data

For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2026) show a median of $127K for Junior Software Engineer roles, ranging $115K–$140K, across 1,157 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.

Common questions

What is the average Junior Software Engineer salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $98K, with a typical range of $84K–$125K, based on 117 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

Where does this salary data come from?
It is aggregated from public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. We require a minimum of 15 postings per role.

Methodology

Figures are the midpoint of each posting's advertised USD salary range, aggregated from 117 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Equity is separate and not included; where a posting's range reflects on-target earnings (OTE) for commission roles, that is included in the midpoint. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed August 30, 2026.

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