Software Engineer vs DevOps Engineer Salary
Side-by-side 2026 salary comparison across entry-level, mid-level, and senior pay for Software Engineer and DevOps Engineer roles in the US.
Bottom line (mid-level, US median)
Software Engineers earn $2,000 (2% more) than DevOps Engineers on average.
Software Engineer vs DevOps Engineer by City
Engineering
Software Engineer
Design, build, and maintain software systems across the full stack.
See Software Engineer salaries in all cities →Engineering
DevOps Engineer
Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, cloud infrastructure, and deployment automation.
See DevOps Engineer salaries in all cities →Not sure which path pays better for you?
Salaries.AI personalizes the comparison to your skills, experience, and location — and coaches you through negotiating either offer.
Join the Waitlist — It's Free