Lead Software Development Salary: $103,000 Average

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Average base salary

$103,000 / year

≈ $8,600 per month · $49.52 per hour

Location

Low
$82,500Average
$103,000High
$129,000

Figures reflect WePayFairly survey data aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. Range estimated at −20% / +25% around the aged average. State figures use estimated geographic differentials. Actual pay varies with experience, location, industry, and organization size.

About this role

Lead Software Development is a senior individual contributor role handling the most complex assignments and guiding others in the Information Technology job family, focused on Software Development work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

How this role compares

Lead Software Development pays 28% below the average across 12,709 roles in the Information Technology job family (family average $143,500).

Career path: Software Development

Associate Software Development$85,000

Director Software Development Corporate$160,000

Executive Vice President Software Development Corporate$263,000

Average pay by level for this function.

Similar-paying Lead roles in Information Technology

Lead Business Continuance/Disaster Recovery$103,000

Lead Applications Programming$102,000

Lead Data Security$104,500

Lead Electronic Mail$100,500

Lead Business Systems Analysis$99,500

Lead Network Engineering$107,000

Lead Applications System Analysis$98,000

Lead Data Warehousing$108,500

Lead IT Account Management$97,000

Lead Systems Engineering/Programming$109,500

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Lead Software Development make?

The average base salary for a Lead Software Development in the United States is $103,000 per year, or about $49.52 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $82,500 and $129,000 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Information Technology roles?

The Information Technology job family averages $143,500 across 12,709 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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