Software engineer salaries in the UK and US (2026)
From your founding engineer to your head of engineering, here’s what startups pay in the UK and US, and what moves the number.
Updated November 2026. All figures are drafts pending Jono’s sign-off.
United Kingdom.
Base salary for permanent hires at venture-backed startups. London, then the rest of the UK.
| Level | London | Rest of UK |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0-2 yrs) | £40k-£55k | £32k-£45k |
| Mid-level (2-4 yrs) | £60k-£80k | £48k-£65k |
| Senior (5+ yrs) | £80k-£110k | £65k-£90k |
| Staff / lead | £105k-£140k | £85k-£110k |
| Head of Engineering | £120k-£170k | £95k-£135k |
United States.
Base salary. San Francisco and New York, then everywhere else, including remote.
| Level | SF / NY | Other US and remote |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0-2 yrs) | $120k-$150k | $100k-$130k |
| Mid-level (2-4 yrs) | $150k-$190k | $125k-$160k |
| Senior (5+ yrs) | $185k-$240k | $155k-$200k |
| Staff / lead | $230k-$290k | $190k-$240k |
| Head of Engineering | $240k-$320k | $200k-$270k |
Typical option grants.
For a mid-level or senior hire, as a percentage of the company.
- Seed
- 0.2%-0.8%
- Series A
- 0.05%-0.3%
- Series B+
- 0.02%-0.1%
What moves the number.
- 01Scope. Owning a system pays more than working on one.
- 02Stack. Scarce skills, like deep infrastructure or systems languages at scale, carry a premium.
- 03Remote policy. Fully remote UK roles often price somewhere between London and the regions.
- 04Stage. Later-stage startups pay more cash; earlier ones pay more equity.
If you’re hiring one.
- Founding engineers expect meaningful equity. Budget for it before the first conversation.
- Publish a salary range. You’ll get fewer, better applicants.
- Don’t hire a staff engineer to do mid-level work. You’ll pay more and they’ll leave.
Ranges are typical, not limits. A great candidate in a hot market can sit above them.