Engineering · Client side · Updated September 2026
Software Engineer salary
in the UK.
Based on Stonor Search's salary data, Software Engineers in the UK typically earn between £55,000 and £80,000, with a typical salary of around £68,500. London roles sit higher, at £65,000 to £90,000, roughly 15% above the UK average in our data. Pay varies with seniority, location, company stage and sector, and the real scope of the role.
A blended benchmark. Stonor's reports don't publish a single "Software Engineer" band, so this combines the closest published titles: Software Engineer (Full Stack), Software Engineer (Backend), Software Engineer (Frontend).
Also covers: Full Stack Developer, Backend Engineer, Frontend Developer, Developer, Software Developer, Engineer, Programmer, Web Developer, Senior Software Engineer, Lead Engineer.
UK average
Good confidence£68,500
Typical salary (band midpoint)
- Salary range
- £55,000 – £80,000
- London
- £65,000 – £90,000
- Levels covered
- Manager / Midweight
- Last updated
- September 2026
Software Engineer salary by seniority and location
Annual base salary, GBP. "Typical" is the midpoint of the published band. London and UK-average bands are published separately.
| Level | UK average range | UK typical | London range | London typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager / MidweightSoftware Engineer (Full Stack) / Software Engineer (Backend) / Software Engineer (Frontend) | £55,000 – £80,000 | £68,500 | £65,000 – £90,000 | £78,500 |
Manager / Midweight (UK) combines 3 published bands: Software Engineer (Full Stack), Client side — SaaS & Tech: £60,000 – £80,000 (SaaS & Tech Salary Benchmark 2025); Software Engineer (Backend), Client side — SaaS & Tech: £60,000 – £80,000 (SaaS & Tech Salary Benchmark 2025); Software Engineer (Frontend), Client side — SaaS & Tech: £55,000 – £75,000 (SaaS & Tech Salary Benchmark 2025).
Manager / Midweight (London) combines 3 published bands: Software Engineer (Full Stack), Client side — SaaS & Tech: £70,000 – £90,000 (SaaS & Tech Salary Benchmark 2025); Software Engineer (Backend), Client side — SaaS & Tech: £70,000 – £90,000 (SaaS & Tech Salary Benchmark 2025); Software Engineer (Frontend), Client side — SaaS & Tech: £65,000 – £85,000 (SaaS & Tech Salary Benchmark 2025).
What does a Software Engineer earn by location?
- London
- £65,000 – £90,000
- UK average
- £55,000 – £80,000
Other regions use the UK average band: South East, South West, Midlands, North West, North East & Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Remote (UK).
In Stonor's data, London Software Engineers earn around 15% more than the UK average at the same level. Regional searches outside London fall back to the UK figure and say so.
Market context
Stonor's report publishes the bands for this role without a written market commentary, so we haven't invented one. The numbers above are the honest extent of what we can say, plus the factors below.
About this data
- Sources
- Stonor Search SaaS & Tech Salary Benchmark 2025
- Sector coverage
- Client side — SaaS & Tech
- Benchmark period
- 2025
- Includes
- Base salary only. No bonus, commission or equity.
- Confidence
- Good confidence. A Stonor band for this role, but we've widened the location, blended close titles or dropped the sector filter.
What affects a Software Engineer's salary?
Scope of the role
This page covers the manager / midweight band only. Within it, £55,000 to £80,000 is a wide spread. The top end usually reflects broader remit, a bigger budget or team, or a specialism that's hard to hire.
Location
London pays about 15% more than the UK average for Software Engineers in Stonor's data. Hybrid roles based outside London are increasingly benchmarked against the national band rather than the London one, and candidates know it.
Company stage
The band is a SaaS and tech figure. Where a company sits between seed and scale-up changes the cash-versus-equity mix more than the headline title does, and Stonor's reports don't publish a size split, so treat the range as covering that spread.
Which specialism you mean
"Software Engineer" covers several distinct jobs. The blended band here spans Software Engineer (Full Stack), Software Engineer (Backend), Software Engineer (Frontend). Pick the closest one in the calculator for a tighter answer.
Live at Stonor
Software Engineer roles Stonor is hiring for now
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The band above is a benchmark, not a verdict. If you'd like an honest, off-the-record read on where you sit and what would move it, Stonor talks to people in your position every week.