SE Salary by Location (2026)
Solutions Engineer compensation data across 15 US cities and remote roles. San Francisco leads at $195K median, with remote roles at $168K.
San Francisco
Median: $195K | 58 respondents
New York City
Median: $185K | 52 respondents
Austin
Median: $165K | 34 respondents
Seattle
Median: $190K | 41 respondents
Boston
Median: $180K | 29 respondents
Denver
Median: $170K | 25 respondents
Chicago
Median: $170K | 31 respondents
Los Angeles
Median: $180K | 36 respondents
Miami
Median: $160K | 18 respondents
Atlanta
Median: $162K | 22 respondents
Portland
Median: $165K | 15 respondents
Washington DC
Median: $182K | 27 respondents
Dallas
Median: $168K | 20 respondents
San Diego
Median: $175K | 16 respondents
Remote
Median: $168K | 72 respondents
Geography remains a significant factor in SE compensation. The gap between San Francisco ($195K median) and Atlanta ($162K median) represents a $33K difference, which narrows considerably when you account for cost of living and state income tax differences. For more on how compensation varies by career level, see our seniority breakdown.
Source: PreSales Pulse Market Analysis 2026 (n=327). Salary data combines analysis of 4,250+ Solutions Engineer job postings with compensation survey data from verified SE professionals across 15 US markets. Cross-referenced with data from Bureau of Labor Statistics and Levels.fyi.