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Software engineer salary at San Francisco startups

Every priced software engineering posting in San Francisco, all levels together. The single median mixes mid, senior, and staff, so the level rows are the number to use when you know the role. Taken from ranges companies post on their own job sites.

$235K

Median posted base

$200K - $265K

Typical range, 25th to 75th percentile

564

Live priced postings in the sample

228

Venture-backed companies in the index

By level

The median above mixes every level that posted a range in San Francisco. Use the row that matches the role.

Mid-level software engineer$220K median, $195K to $260K, 339 rolesSenior software engineer$225K median, $200K to $250K, 104 rolesStaff software engineer$260K median, $235K to $313K, 112 roles

Questions people ask

What does a software engineer make at a startup in San Francisco?

Across 564 live postings with a USD range, all levels together, the median posted base is $235K, with a typical range of $200K to $265K. That mixes levels, so the row for your level is the better number. Base salary only. Startup offers add equity on top.

Does this include equity or bonus?

No. These figures are posted base salary ranges only. Equity is usually the larger upside at earlier stages, which is why a startup base can trail big tech while the total package does not.

How current are these numbers?

They recompute from the live roles.cc board several times a day. Each figure traces to the salary range a company posted on its own job site, so the page reflects offers being made now.

Other cuts

Mid-level, San FranciscoMid-level, New YorkMid-level, Remote (US)Senior, San FranciscoSenior, New YorkSenior, Remote (US)Staff, San FranciscoStaff, New YorkStaff, Remote (US)Mid-level, United StatesSenior, United StatesStaff, United StatesPrincipal, United StatesDirector of engineering, United StatesAll levels, New YorkAll levels, Remote (US)The full indexCompaniesJob hubsResearch reports

Open roles for these markets sit on the company directory and the job hubs. The research reports freeze a month of the same board.

These are live roles, not survey rows.

Every posting behind these numbers is open right now on the board, sorted by how recently the company raised.

Drop your resumeHow this works

Method: USD base ranges as posted; each role counts once at the midpoint of its range; buckets under 12 roles suppressed. Free to cite with attribution to roles.cc and a link to this page.