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Home / Compensation / Amazon / Software Engineer
Total compensation for a Amazon Software Engineer ranges from about $145K at the entry level to $1.5M+ at the most senior bands, with a typical mid-level package around $360K. Below is the full breakdown by level - base salary, annual equity, and bonus - from public-source data.
Public-source estimates (Beta). Last updated 2026-05. Figures are annualized USD.
| Level | Years | Base (p50) | Equity/yr (p50) | Bonus (p50) | Total (p25-p90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDE ISoftware Development Engineer I | 0-2 YOE | $125K | $25K | $25K | $145K - $220K |
| SDE IISoftware Development Engineer II | 3-5 YOE | $165K | $60K | $35K | $200K - $360K |
| SDE IIISenior Software Development Engineer | 5-9 YOE | $185K | $130K | $45K | $290K - $560K |
| PrincipalPrincipal Software Development Engineer | 10-15 YOE | $185K | $320K | $80K | $450K - $950K |
| Senior PrincipalSenior Principal Software Development Engineer | 15+ YOE | $185K | $540K | $110K | $650K - $1.5M |
Entry-level. Bonus column reflects sign-on amortized over Year 1+2. Year 3 'cliff' applies.
Mid-level. Most-common Amazon SDE level for external hires. Sign-on amortized over Year 1+2.
Senior IC. Base hits the cap; equity is the differentiator. Refresh grants critical at this level.
Principal IC. The level where Amazon comp closes the gap with Google L6+. Very few candidates hire at this level externally.
Senior Principal. Company-wide visibility. External hires extremely rare; mostly internal promotion.
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