Software Engineer Salary in Arlington, Virginia (2026)
Median base salary of $154,000/year for Software Engineer professionals in Arlington. Full breakdown by experience level, take-home estimates, and market context.
Median Salary
$154,000
per year
Hourly Rate
$74/hr
40 hrs/wk
Monthly Pay
$12,833
before taxes
Est. Take-Home
$96,404
after taxes/yr
Software Engineer Salary by Experience — Arlington
| Level | Annual | Monthly | Hourly | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (0–2 yrs) | $106,000 | $8,833 | $51/hr | $66,356 |
| 25th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59/hr | $76,372 |
| Median | $154,000 | $12,833 | $74/hr | $96,404 |
| 75th Percentile | $198,000 | $16,500 | $95/hr | $108,108 |
| Senior (8+ yrs) | $221,000 | $18,417 | $106/hr | $120,666 |
City salary estimated from Virginia median with a +15% Arlington market adjustment. Take-home after federal, FICA, and Virginia state taxes (5.8%).
Arlington vs. Virginia Statewide
Arlington Median
$154,000
City-level estimate
Virginia Statewide
$134,000
State median baseline
Software Engineer professionals in Arlington earn approximately 15% more than the Virginia statewide median, reflecting Arlington's higher cost of living and local demand for tech talent.
Cost of Living in Arlington
Cost of Living Index
148
100 = US average
Median 1BR Rent
$2,200/mo
city median
Annual Rent Burden
$26,400
per year
Rent as % of Salary
17%
of median salary
Arlington's cost of living index of 148 means it is 48% more expensive than the US average. At the median Software Engineer salary of $154,000, housing costs represent approximately 17% of gross income — within the recommended 30% guideline.
Top Software Engineer Employers in Arlington
Companies actively hiring Software Engineer professionals in the Arlington area.
Arlington is home to Amazon's second headquarters and a dense cluster of government contractors, creating consistently high demand for cloud and security engineers.
Software Engineer Job Market in Arlington
Arlington is one of Virginia's highest-paying market for Software Engineer professionals, with a population of approximately 240K and a thriving technology sector. The median base salary of $154,000/year reflects both local demand for JavaScript and Python expertise, and the city's cost of living index of 148 relative to the national average of 100.
At the entry level, a Software Engineer in Arlington can expect to earn approximately $106,000/year. Senior professionals with 8+ years of experience typically command $221,000/year or more, particularly at larger technology companies or those with in-demand specializations in System Design.
Total compensation — including equity, annual bonuses, and benefits — often adds 20–50% above base salary for Software Engineer roles at growth-stage companies. When evaluating an offer in Arlington, always ask about the full compensation package, not just base salary.
Software Engineer Salaries in Other Virginia Cities
Related Roles in Arlington
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Editorial Standards & Data Methodology
Data Sources
Salary ranges on CareerOS are derived from multiple independent sources:
- •U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- •LinkedIn Salary Insights
- •Glassdoor Compensation Reports
- •Levels.fyi (tech roles)
- •Indeed Salary Data
Our Methodology
Salary figures represent base compensation only and exclude equity, bonuses, and benefits. Ranges show the 25th–75th percentile for full-time employees in each location. Data is weighted toward recent postings (last 12 months). Take-home estimates apply federal income tax, FICA (7.65%), and applicable state taxes.
Editorial Process
All pages are reviewed for accuracy before publication and updated quarterly. We cross-reference data across sources before publishing any salary range.
Last Updated: May 2026
Review Cycle: Quarterly
Disclaimer: For informational purposes only. Actual compensation varies.