Junior Software Engineer

💰 $83K–$129K salary range

Median: $100K  ·  Based on 202 public job postings  ·  Updated October 16, 2026

---

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: $100K median ($83K–$129K typical range)
• San Francisco: $125K median, $100K–$175K range (+25% vs. national)
• New York: $113K median, $103K–$135K range (+13% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $93K median, $85K–$126K range (-7% vs. national)
• Miami: $100K median, $100K–$100K range (+0% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Clera: $105K median

Based on companies with 3+ active postings. Median of publicly advertised salary range.

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 76% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 56% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 61% of postings
• Parental leave: 33% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 28% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 7% of postings

Typical experience required: 2–3 years.

Engineering salaries by seniority

• Junior Software Engineer: $100K
• Software Engineer: $159K
• Hardware Engineer: $170K
• Tech Lead: $175K
• Engineering Manager: $180K
• Senior Hardware Engineer: $187K
• Senior Software Engineer: $188K
• Senior Infrastructure Engineer: $189K
• Infrastructure Engineer: $190K
• Senior Embedded Engineer: $192K
• Senior Platform Engineer: $200K
• Founding Engineer: $200K
• Platform Engineer: $205K
• ASIC / Chip Design Engineer: $215K
• Staff Software Engineer: $225K
• Data Infrastructure Engineer: $238K
• Director of Engineering: $250K

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 $125K for Junior Software Engineer roles, ranging $112K–$140K, across 1,245 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 $100K, with a typical range of $83K–$129K, based on 202 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 202 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 October 16, 2026.

Hiring Junior Software Engineers? RFS recruiters specialize in Engineering placements at AI-native and high-growth startups. Talk to an RFS recruiter →

Are you a Junior Software Engineer? See open Junior Software Engineer roles →